Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a cycle counter, and more particularly to a cycle counter system for a loading system of a ground engaging vehicle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In a typical aggregate operation there are multiple grades of aggregate that are loaded upon trucks with a loader. A loader is typically the first point in which a product is loaded into a truck and affords an opportunity for the tracking of inventory at the point of delivery of the aggregate to a truck. 
   When attempting to keep track of the number of full truck loads or buckets of material provided to a hopper, a truck or a stock pile, a loader operator typically uses several mechanical palm counters in the cab of the vehicle with each representing a type of aggregate that is moved. These palm counters are typically mounted in the structure of the cab and are manually marked and selected for each aggregate. Loaders that are equipped with a weighing system also utilize a “remote add” switch to add the weight in the bucket to a truck total and then a “remote clear” switch to reset the truck weight value. For example, the loader operator moves three different aggregates per day. It is the responsibility of the operator to keep track of the number of trucks filled with each of the three aggregates. To keep track of each aggregate and the number of trucks filled, the operator places three palm counters in the cab labeled as counter 1, 2 and 3, corresponding to the three types of aggregate. When the operator fills a bucket, the weighing system will request that the weight in the bucket be added to the truck and the operator presses the remote add button to add the total. This is done with every bucket load. When the truck with aggregate 1 is full, the operator presses the “remote clear” button to zero out the truck weight. In addition, the operator will then increment the palm counter labeled 1 by one count. 
   What is needed in the art is an apparatus that will allow a loader operator to be more efficient and reduce errors associated with the counting of loads. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention, in one form thereof, is directed to a cycle counter system for use with a loading machine having a loading bucket. The cycle counter system includes at least one weight sensor, an operator activated control and a processing circuit. The at least one weight sensor produces a weight signal relating to a measured weight of a weight lifted by the loading machine. The operator activated control in the loading machine selectively produces at least one control signal. The processing circuit receives the control signal and the weight signal. The measured weight is added to a selected of a plurality of weight values dependent on the at least one control signal. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematicized side view of a loader utilizing an embodiment of the cycle counter system of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a consol in the cab of the loader of  FIG. 1  having a cycle counter switch of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an illustration of the cycle counter switch mounted on the consol of  FIG. 2  located in the loader of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematicized view of the cycle counter of  FIG. 3 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram including elements of the cycle counter system of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a ground engaging vehicle  10 , which may be in the form of a loader  10 . Loader  10  includes a bucket  12 , and a cab  14  having a consol  16  therein. Loader  10  includes hydraulic systems for the lifting of bucket  12  and a load therein. Cab  14  includes operator activated controls, which may be associated with consol  16 . One operator activated control is the cycle counter system of the present invention. Associated with bucket  12  and/or the loading mechanism connected thereto are weight sensors  18  that provide weight information relative to the load in bucket  12 . 
   Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 2-5  there is shown a button/switch  20  also known as a cycle counter  20  mounted in consol  16 . Cycle counter  20  includes a bucket icon  22 , a counter icon  24 , and a truck icon  26 . Cycle counter switch  20  is operated in one of three directions including direction  28 ,  30  and  32 . Moving cycle counter switch in direction  28  activates switch  34 , which results in a signal associated with the depressing of bucket icon  22 . In a like manner operation of cycle counter switch  20  in direction  30  indicates a counter icon  24  selection. And in a similar manner the activation of cycle counter  20  in direction  32  indicates a selection of truck icon  26 . By activating cycle counter switch  20  in direction  28  causes switch  34  to close. And in a like manner switch  36  and  38  are activated when cycle counter switch  20  is moved in directions  30  and  32 , respectively. Although not shown, cycle counter switch  20  includes biasing members that prevent the activation of switches  34 ,  36  and  38  unless cycle counter switch  20  is depressed in one of directions  28 ,  30  or  32 . 
   A processor  40  communicates with a display  42  as well as cycle counter switch  20  and weight sensors  18 . Processor  40  displays information relative to cycle counter system  44 , reads input from cycle counter switch  20  and weight information from weight sensors  18 . Processor  40  adds weight to stored weight values that are associated with the truck and/or the counter select, to account for the type of aggregate put in each truck and the amount of the aggregate loaded. 
   Display  42  provides information to the operator relative to various operating conditions of loader  10 , which can include such things as oil pressure, engine coolant temperature, engine rpm, ground speed and other elements relative to loader  10 . In addition display  42  indicates the counter that is selected currently by cycle counter system  44 , the weight present in bucket  12  and operating modes of cycle counter system  44 . The number of cycle counters is programmable by way of a setup method and for ease of illustration it will be considered that five counters are selected, which will correspond to five product types or aggregates that are being loaded by loader  10 . Additionally, alphanumeric representations of aggregates can be entered and those alphanumeric representations can be displayed on display  42 . Cycle counter switch  20  is connected to the vehicle controller, represented herein by processor  40 . 
   Cycle counter system  44  provides functionality to cycle counter switch  20  in that when cycle counter switch  20  is moved in direction  28 , thereby selecting bucket icon  22  the button selection results in at least three different functions depending upon the amount of time that cycle counter  20  is activated in direction  28 . A momentary press of cycle counter switch  20  on bucket icon  22  in direction  28  causes the bucket weight sensed by weight sensors  18  to be added to a running truck total weight. The total truck weight will usually be some number of loads from bucket  12  in order to adequately load the truck with the aggregate. If button icon  22  is depressed, and held for at least a predetermined time, while bucket  12  is on the ground, or proximate to the ground, cycle counter system  44  will zero the weight in the bucket, allowing cycle counter system  44  to provide a tare weight when an aggregate is loaded into bucket  12 . 
   When bucket icon  22  is depressed and held when bucket  12  is an elevated position with a load therein this activates a “tip off” mode. While normally emptying an entire bucket into the truck simply adds the weight of the aggregate that was loaded into the bucket to the truck total, in a “tip off” mode it can be considered that the truck is nearly filled and that only some additional weight will be added from an aggregate held in bucket  12 . The “tip off” mode causes the weight difference from the loaded bucket  12  and the weight after removing some aggregate from bucket  12  to be added to the weight value for the truck, thereby topping off the load of the truck. In the “tip off” mode while other weights have been added based on the aggregate lifted in the bucket the tip off weight added to the weight value associated with the truck is the difference between the filled bucket and the partially emptied bucket. If it turns out that the entire bucket is dumped into the truck then the “tip off” mode is equal to the “non-tip off” mode and the weight of the entire bucket is added to the weight associated with that particular truck. The aggregate remaining in bucket  12  can be dumped into another truck and the remaining weight is added to the weight value associated with the subsequent truck. 
   Depressing cycle counter switch  20  in direction  30  selects counter icon  24  and activates switch  36  resulting in a signal thereby causing the counter to be cycled in display  42  and processor  40  then accumulates data relative to the selected aggregate or load product. As previously indicated display  42  can also display alpha numeric codes or description of the product. These representations allow the operator to know which of the aggregates and/or products is being recorded by processor  40  relative to a truck load during operation. If counter icon  24  is depressed multiple times the counter selection is simply cycled until the one desired by the operator is displayed. As previously indicated with a selection of five aggregates the multiple depressing of counter icon  24  will cause the counter select to cycle from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 and then back to 1 in a cyclical manner. 
   When cycle counter switch  20  is moved in direction  32  thereby selecting add truck icon  26  and causing switch  38  to close resulting in a signal sent to processor  40 , this can result in at least two different operations. The momentary pressing of truck icon  26  causes the truck counter to increment and clears the total truck weight so that subsequent adding of weight to a weight value, as discussed above, will then track the amount of aggregate placed in the truck. If add truck icon  26  is depressed and held for more than a predetermined time then the truck weight and information will be reset. For example, if the operator has incorrectly loaded an aggregate number 2 and aggregate number 1 was the correct aggregate then the operator, by holding add truck button for more than the predetermined time, will reset the weight value associated with that truck, thereby allowing the truck to empty aggregate number 2 and the correct aggregate can be added by the operator. 
   The predetermined time for holding a button down may be a short time, such as two seconds, three seconds or even longer such as five seconds. The operator receives visual feedback on display  42  indicating that cycle counter system  44  has accepted the operator input as entered on cycle counter switch  20 . Cycle counter switch  20  may be physically constructed to allow the activation of more than one switch  34 ,  36  and  38 . Cycle counter system  44  will interpret the cycle counter switch  20 &#39;s depressing as the first switch closed being the one desired by the operator. Cycle counter system  44  thereby prevents various inputs that may otherwise occur. 
   The present invention has various advantages including elimination of cycle palm counters mounted in the cab of the loader. The system is intuitive and the operator can quickly adapt to the use of cycle counter system  44  and it combines weighing and cycle counter functions to reduce fatigue of the operator in the operation of loader  10 . Accumulation of the data by cycle counter system  44  may also be transmitted to another processing system apart from loader  10  in order to automatically process billing information and control inventory related to sale of aggregate or other products being weighed in this manner. 
   The operator activated control  20  produces signals by way of closing of switches  34 ,  36  and  38  that are processed by processor  40  and makes use of other elements of loader  10  including a position sensor  46  that measures the position of bucket  12  relative to loader  10 . 
   Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Technology Category: g