Patents by Inventor Timothy A. Evans

Timothy A. Evans has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240391526
    Abstract: A system for determining a total machine turning angle of a construction equipment having a front frame articulatable with respect to a rear frame, the front frame including a steering apparatus and the rear frame including a traction device, the construction equipment having a wheelbase, the system including: a first inertial motion unit disposed on the front frame or the rear frame, the first inertial motion unit providing a front frame yaw rate if disposed on the front frame or a rear frame yaw rate if disposed on the rear frame; a machine speed sensor providing a machine speed of the construction equipment; and a controller for receiving as inputs the wheelbase, machine speed, and either the front frame yaw rate or the rear frame yaw rate, and outputting the total machine turning angle based on the wheelbase, the machine speed, and either the front or rear frame yaw rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ethan M. Tevis, Michael C. Gentle, Timothy A. Evans
  • Patent number: 11619026
    Abstract: A motor grader having ride control for dampening machine bounce using a DCM assembly rotatably coupled to and suspended from a frame of the motor grader is disclosed. Each lift cylinder for the DCM may have an associated ride control circuit with an accumulator, a ride control conduit fluidly connected to a carry end of the lift cylinder and having a flow restriction element, and a ride control accumulator valve fluidly connected to the accumulator and the ride control conduit and operable to either block or allow fluid communication between the carry end and the accumulator through the flow restriction element. Each rid control circuit may also include a head end valve fluidly connected to between the head end of the lift cylinder and a low pressure fluid reservoir and operable to block or allow fluid communication between the head end and the low pressure fluid reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lane Fulcher, Timothy A. Evans, Travis N. Richards, Yongtao Li
  • Patent number: 11046180
    Abstract: A method, system, and machine for controlling the output of an engine of a machine includes calculating the difference between a measured track slip based on track speed and ground speed and a calculated target track slip depending on track speed and chassis pitch, inputting the difference into a controller to determine a propulsion engine torque limit, and limiting the engine toque to the propulsion engine torque limit plus a steering system input torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Randall T. Anderson, Timothy A. Evans
  • Publication number: 20210102358
    Abstract: A motor grader having ride control for dampening machine bounce using a DCM assembly rotatably coupled to and suspended from a frame of the motor grader is disclosed. Each lift cylinder for the DCM may have an associated ride control circuit with an accumulator, a ride control conduit fluidly connected to a carry end of the lift cylinder and having a flow restriction element, and a ride control accumulator valve fluidly connected to the accumulator and the ride control conduit and operable to either block or allow fluid communication between the carry end and the accumulator through the flow restriction element. Each rid control circuit may also include a head end valve fluidly connected to between the head end of the lift cylinder and a low pressure fluid reservoir and operable to block or allow fluid communication between the head end and the low pressure fluid reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lane Fulcher, Timothy A. Evans, Travis N. Richards, Yongtao Li
  • Patent number: 10544566
    Abstract: A machine orientation display may be displayed by an operator display device in an operator station of a machine. The machine orientation display may include a field area, a horizontal reference displayed on the field area, a machine orientation indicator displayed on the field area and positioned and oriented relative to the horizontal reference to graphically indicate a machine orientation of the machine relative to a work surface on which the machine is disposed. The machine orientation display may further include an implement orientation indicator displayed on the field area and positioned and oriented relative to the horizontal reference and the machine orientation indicator to graphically indicate an implement orientation of an implement of the machine. The implement is movable relative to a machine body of the machine and to the work surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Evans
  • Publication number: 20190337386
    Abstract: A method, system, and machine for controlling the output of an engine of a machine includes calculating the difference between a measured track slip based on track speed and ground speed and a calculated target track slip depending on track speed and chassis pitch, inputting the difference into a controller to determine a propulsion engine torque limit, and limiting the engine toque to the propulsion engine torque limit plus a steering system input torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Randall T. Anderson, Timothy A. Evans
  • Publication number: 20180320340
    Abstract: A machine orientation display may be displayed by an operator display device in an operator station of a machine. The machine orientation display may include a field area, a horizontal reference displayed on the field area, a machine orientation indicator displayed on the field area and positioned and oriented relative to the horizontal reference to graphically indicate a machine orientation of the machine relative to a work surface on which the machine is disposed. The machine orientation display may further include an implement orientation indicator displayed on the field area and positioned and oriented relative to the horizontal reference and the machine orientation indicator to graphically indicate an implement orientation of an implement of the machine. The implement is movable relative to a machine body of the machine and to the work surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Evans
  • Patent number: 8738251
    Abstract: A machine control system including an impeller clutch pedal sensor, a power source sensor, a torque converter output speed sensor, an implement lever sensor and a controller is provided. The impeller clutch pedal sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of an impeller clutch command. The implement lever sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a desired hydraulic flow corresponding to an implement lever command. The controller is configured to determine a desired output torque, at a current torque converter output speed, based on the signals from the impeller clutch pedal sensor and the power source sensor. The controller is configured to modulate at least one of the speed of the power source or an engagement of an impeller clutch based on the desired output torque and the implement lever command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Berry, Timothy A. Evans, Barry Mei
  • Publication number: 20130151098
    Abstract: A machine control system including an impeller clutch pedal sensor, a power source sensor, a torque converter output speed sensor, an implement lever sensor and a controller is provided. The impeller clutch pedal sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of an impeller clutch command. The implement lever sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a desired hydraulic flow corresponding to an implement lever command. The controller is configured to determine a desired output torque, at a current torque converter output speed, based on the signals from the impeller clutch pedal sensor and the power source sensor. The controller is configured to modulate at least one of the speed of the power source or an engagement of an impeller clutch based on the desired output torque and the implement lever command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey K. Berry, Barry Mei, Timothy A. Evans
  • Publication number: 20110295433
    Abstract: A method for providing power to a hydraulic system is disclosed. The method includes determining a hydraulic system power demand, determining an energy storage device power demand, and determining a desired parameter of a primary power source based on the hydraulic system power demand. The method further includes providing power to the hydraulic system as a function of the energy storage device power demand and the desired parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: Caterpillar, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy A. Evans