Material handling system

Abstract

A material handling system for a work machine includes a receptacle, an auger assembly, a conveyor system, and a material feed sensor configured to monitor an amount of the paving material. The material handling system further includes a controller configured to transmit, if a speed of the auger assembly and/or the conveyor system is not within a predetermined speed range and/or the amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface is outside of a predetermined amount range, at least one of a control signal to the auger assembly and/or the conveyor system for adjusting the speed of the auger assembly and/or the conveyor system such that the speed of the auger assembly and/or the conveyor system lies within the predetermined speed range, and an alert notification to a user of the work machine to reposition the material feed sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A material handling system for a work machine, the material handling system comprising:
 a receptacle for storing paving material;   an auger assembly, at least a portion of which is in communication with the receptacle, and configured to direct the paving material from the receptacle for deposition on a work surface;   a conveyor system configured to convey the paving material from the receptacle towards the auger assembly;   a material feed sensor disposed at an outer end of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system, wherein the material feed sensor is configured to monitor an amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface; and   a controller communicably coupled to each of the auger assembly, the conveyor system, and the material feed sensor, wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine if a speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system lies within a predetermined speed range; 
 determine if the amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface is outside of a predetermined amount range; and 
 transmit, if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system is not within the predetermined speed range and/or the amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface is outside of the predetermined amount range, at least one of:
 a control signal to at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system for adjusting the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system such that the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system lies within the predetermined speed range; and 
 an alert notification to a user of the work machine to reposition the material feed sensor. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The material handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system is over damped; and   transmit a filter signal to dampen the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system is over damped.   
     
     
         3 . The material handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the alert notification is further configured to notify the user regarding the transmission of the filter signal to dampen the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system. 
     
     
         4 . The material handling system of  claim 1 , further including a screed assembly positioned downstream of the auger assembly relative to a material movement direction, wherein the screed assembly is configured to spread and compact the paving material into a mat on the work surface, and wherein the screed assembly includes at least one actuator, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine if the screed assembly is in a float mode; and   transmit at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the screed assembly is in the float mode.   
     
     
         5 . The material handling system of  claim 4 , further including at least one screed width sensor communicably coupled to the controller to receive a signal indicative of a paving width of the mat, wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive the signal indicative of the paving width from the screed width sensor at different instances of time; and   transmit at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the paving width at different instances of time is the same.   
     
     
         6 . The material handling system of  claim 4 , further including a paving depth measuring device configured to generate a signal indicative of a paving depth of the mat, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive the signal indicative of the paving depth from the paving depth measuring device at different instances of time; and   transmit at least one of the control signal and the alert notification to the user when the paving depth at different instances of time is the same.   
     
     
         7 . The material handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine if the work machine is in a paving mode; and   transmit at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the work machine is in the paving mode.   
     
     
         8 . The material handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine if the work machine is propelling in a forward direction; and   transmit at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the work machine is propelling in the forward direction.   
     
     
         9 . The material handling system of  claim 1 , further including a user interface, wherein the alert notification is displayed on the user interface. 
     
     
         10 . The material handling system of  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined speed range and the predetermined amount range are configurable by the user via the user interface. 
     
     
         11 . A method for handling material by a work machine, the work machine including a receptacle for storing paving material, an auger assembly, at least a portion of which is in communication with the receptacle, for directing the paving material from the receptacle for deposition on a work surface, a conveyor system configured to convey the paving material from the receptacle towards the auger assembly, and a material feed sensor disposed at an outer end of at least one of the auger assembly, and the conveyor system and configured to monitor an amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface, the method comprising:
 determining, by a controller, if a speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system lies within a predetermined speed range;   determining, by the controller, if the amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface is outside of a predetermined amount range; and   transmitting, by the controller, if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system is not within the predetermined speed range and/or the amount of the paving material being directed towards the work surface is outside of the predetermined amount range, at least one of:
 a control signal to at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system for adjusting the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system such that the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system lies within the predetermined speed range; and 
 an alert notification to a user of the work machine to reposition the material feed sensor. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, by the controller, if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system is over damped; and   transmitting, by the controller, a filter signal to dampen the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system is over damped.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the alert notification is further configured to notify the user regarding the transmission of the filter signal to dampen the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising monitoring, by the controller, at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system to determine if the speed of at least one of the auger assembly and the conveyor system lies within the predetermined speed range. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the work machine further includes a screed assembly positioned downstream of the auger assembly relative to a material movement direction, wherein the screed assembly is configured to spread and compact the paving material into a mat on the work surface, and wherein the screed assembly includes at least one actuator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the work machine further includes at least one screed actuator sensor associated with the actuator of the screed assembly, wherein the screed actuator sensor is communicably coupled to the controller to receive a signal when the screed assembly is in a float mode, and wherein the method further includes:
 determining, by the controller, if the screed assembly is in the float mode; and   transmitting, by the controller, at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the screed assembly is in the float mode.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the work machine further includes at least one screed width sensor communicably coupled to the controller to receive a signal indicative of a paving width of the mat, and wherein the method further includes:
 receiving, by the controller, the signal indicative of the paving width from the screed width sensor at different instances of time; and   transmitting, by the controller, at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the paving width at different instances of time is the same.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the work machine further includes a paving depth measuring device configured to generate a signal indicative of a paving depth of the mat, and wherein the method further includes:
 receiving, by the controller, the signal indicative of the paving depth from the paving depth measuring device at different instances of time; and   transmitting, by the controller, at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the paving depth at different instances of time is the same.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further includes:
 determining, by the controller, if the work machine is in a paving mode; and   transmitting, by the controller, at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the work machine is in the paving mode.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further includes:
 determining, by the controller, if the work machine is propelling in a forward direction; and   transmitting, by the controller, at least one of the control signal and the alert notification when the work machine is propelling in the forward direction.