Cold Planer Having Improved Mill Cutting Efficiency

Abstract

A cold planer is disclosed. The cold planer may include a frame having a first end and a second end. Further, a counterweight may be placed between the first end and a second end, and this counterweight may be movable between a current position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the cold planer. Furthermore, the cold planer may include a counterweight position sensor operatively connected to the counterweight and be configured to determine a current position of the counterweight and generate a counterweight position signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cold planer, comprising:
 a frame having a first end and a second end;   a counterweight placed between the first end and the second end, and movable between a current position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the cold planer; and   a counterweight position sensor operatively connected to the counterweight and configured to determine the current position of the counterweight and generate a counterweight position signal.   
     
     
         2 . The cold planer according to  claim 1 , wherein the counterweight position signal is indicative of a counterweight moment about a center of gravity of the cold planer. 
     
     
         3 . The cold planer according to  claim 2 , further including a milling fluid tank sensor operatively connected to a milling fluid tank and configured to generate a milling fluid tank level signal. 
     
     
         4 . The cold planer according to  claim 3 , wherein the milling fluid tank level signal is indicative of a milling fluid moment about the center of gravity of the cold planer. 
     
     
         5 . The cold planer according to  claim 4 , further including a fuel tank sensor operatively connected to a fuel tank and configured to generate a fuel tank level signal. 
     
     
         6 . The cold planer according to  claim 5 , wherein the fuel tank level signal is indicative of a fuel moment about the center of gravity of the cold planer. 
     
     
         7 . The cold planer according to  claim 6 , further including an actuator operatively connected to the counterweight and configured to move the counterweight between the current position and the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The cold planer according to  claim 7 , further including an operator interface operatively connected to the counterweight position sensor, the milling fluid tank sensor and the fuel tank sensor, and configured to display mill cutting efficiency based on the counterweight position signal, the milling fluid tank level signal and the fuel tank level signal. 
     
     
         9 . The cold planer according to  claim 8 , wherein the operator interface is further configured to generate a counterweight movement signal, and the actuator is further configured to receive the counterweight movement signal and move the counterweight between the current position and the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The cold planer according to  claim 7 , further including a controller and an operator interface, the controller operatively connected to the counterweight position sensor, the milling fluid tank sensor, the fuel tank sensor and the operator interface, the controller configured to receive the counterweight position signal, the milling fluid tank level signal and the fuel tank level signal, generate a mill cutting efficiency signal and a counterweight movement signal, and the operator interface configured to receive and display the mill cutting efficiency signal. 
     
     
         11 . The cold planer according to  claim 10 , wherein the actuator is further configured to receive the counterweight movement signal and move the counterweight between the current position and the second position. 
     
     
         12 . A system for improving a mill cutting efficiency of a cold planer, comprising:
 a counterweight located between a first end and a second end of a frame and movable between a current position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the cold planer;   a counterweight position sensor operatively connected to the counterweight and configured to determine a counterweight position signal;   a milling fluid tank sensor operatively connected to a milling fluid tank and configured to generate a milling fluid tank level signal; and   an actuator operatively coupled to the counterweight and configured to move the counterweight.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , further including an operator interface operatively connected to the counterweight position sensor and the milling fluid tank sensor, configured to receive the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal, configured to display the mill cutting efficiency based on the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal, and configured to generate a counterweight movement signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the actuator is configured to receive the counterweight movement signal and move the counterweight between the current position and the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 12 , further including a controller and an operator interface, the controller operatively connected to the operator interface, the counterweight position sensor and the milling fluid tank sensor, the controller configured to receive the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal, and generate a mill cutting efficiency signal and a counterweight movement signal, and the operator interface configured to receive and display the mill cutting efficiency signal. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the actuator is configured to receive the counterweight movement signal and move the counterweight between the current position and the second position. 
     
     
         17 . A method for improving a mill cutting efficiency of a cold planer, comprising:
 sensing a counterweight position;   sensing a fluid tank level; and   transmitting a counterweight position signal and a fluid tank level signal.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein fluid tank level signal is a milling fluid tank level signal, and further including transmitting the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal to an operator interface, the operator interface configured to display the mill cutting efficiency based on the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal and sending a counterweight movement signal to an actuator, the actuator configured to receive the counterweight movement signal and move a counterweight between a current position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the cold planer. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein fluid tank level signal is a milling fluid tank level signal, and further including sending the counterweight position signal and a milling fluid tank level signal to a controller, the controller configured to receive the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal, generate a mill cutting efficiency signal based on the counterweight position signal and the milling fluid tank level signal and sending a counterweight movement signal to an actuator, the actuator configured to receive the counterweight movement signal and move a counterweight between a current position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the cold planer. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further including an operator interface, the operator interface configured to receive and display the mill cutting efficiency.