System and method for controlling rotor assembly

Abstract

A system for controlling a rotor assembly includes a rotor, a gearbox having a number of shift components, an auxiliary motor, and a speed sensor that generates a speed signal indicative of a current speed of the rotor. The system includes one or more processors that determine whether the number of shift components are in an engaged position and engage the auxiliary motor with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the number of shift components are not in the engaged position. The one or more processors receive the speed signal from the speed sensor after the auxiliary motor is engaged with the rotor and compare the current speed of the rotor with a threshold speed of the rotor. The one or more processors maintain the engagement of the auxiliary motor with the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is below the threshold speed of the rotor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling a rotor assembly for a rotary mixer, the rotor assembly including a rotor, the system comprising:
 a gearbox operatively coupled to the rotor, the gearbox including a plurality of shift components;   an auxiliary motor operatively coupled to the rotor via the gearbox, wherein the auxiliary motor is adapted to selectively rotate the rotor via the gearbox;   a speed sensor configured to generate a speed signal indicative of a current speed of the rotor; and   a controller including one or more memories and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are communicably coupled with the one or more memories and the speed sensor, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 determine whether the plurality of shift components of the gearbox are in an engaged position; 
 engage the auxiliary motor with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the plurality of shift components are not in the engaged position; 
 receive the speed signal indicative of the current speed of the rotor from the speed sensor after the auxiliary motor is engaged with the rotor; 
 compare the current speed of the rotor with a threshold speed of the rotor, wherein the threshold speed of the rotor is stored in the one or more memories; and 
 maintain the engagement of the auxiliary motor with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is below the threshold speed of the rotor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to disengage the auxiliary motor from the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is above the threshold speed of the rotor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the speed sensor is configured to measure a rotational speed of the gearbox to generate the speed signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an auxiliary clutch mechanism, an auxiliary belt, and an auxiliary pulley, wherein the auxiliary motor is operatively coupled to the gearbox via the auxiliary clutch mechanism, the auxiliary belt, and the auxiliary pulley. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the auxiliary clutch mechanism is adapted to selectively couple and decouple the auxiliary motor from the auxiliary belt and the auxiliary pulley. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly further includes a primary drivetrain operatively coupled to the rotor via the gearbox, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to operate the rotor via the primary drivetrain if the plurality of shift components are in the engaged position. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary motor includes at least one of a hydraulic motor and an electric motor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one position sensor configured to generate a position signal indicative of the engaged position of the plurality of shift components of the gearbox, wherein the at least one position sensor is communicably coupled with the one or more processors, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine whether the plurality of shift components are in the engaged position based on the position signal received from the at least one position sensor. 
     
     
         9 . A rotor assembly for a rotary mixer, the rotor assembly comprising:
 a rotor including a plurality of cutting tools;   a system for controlling the rotor, the system including:
 a gearbox operatively coupled to the rotor, the gearbox including a plurality of shift components; 
 an auxiliary motor operatively coupled to the rotor via the gearbox, wherein the auxiliary motor is adapted to selectively rotate the rotor via the gearbox; 
 a speed sensor configured to generate a speed signal indicative of a current speed of the rotor; and 
 a controller including one or more memories and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are communicably coupled with the one or more memories and the speed sensor, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 determine whether the plurality of shift components of the gearbox are in an engaged position; 
 engage the auxiliary motor with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the plurality of shift components are not in the engaged position; 
 receive the speed signal indicative of the current speed of the rotor from the speed sensor after the auxiliary motor is engaged with the rotor; 
 compare the current speed of the rotor with a threshold speed of the rotor, wherein the threshold speed of the rotor is stored in the one or more memories; and 
 maintain the engagement of the auxiliary motor with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is below the threshold speed of the rotor. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The rotor assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to disengage the auxiliary motor from the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is above the threshold speed of the rotor. 
     
     
         11 . The rotor assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the speed sensor is configured to measure a rotational speed of the gearbox to generate the speed signal. 
     
     
         12 . The rotor assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the system further includes an auxiliary clutch mechanism, an auxiliary belt, and an auxiliary pulley, and wherein the auxiliary motor is operatively coupled to the gearbox via the auxiliary clutch mechanism, the auxiliary belt, and the auxiliary pulley. 
     
     
         13 . The rotor assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary clutch mechanism is adapted to selectively couple and decouple the auxiliary motor from the auxiliary belt and the auxiliary pulley. 
     
     
         14 . The rotor assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a primary drivetrain operatively coupled to the rotor via the gearbox, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to operate the rotor via the primary drivetrain if the plurality of shift components are in the engaged position. 
     
     
         15 . The rotor assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the auxiliary motor includes at least one of a hydraulic motor and an electric motor. 
     
     
         16 . The rotor assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the system further includes at least one position sensor configured to generate a position signal indicative of the engaged position of the plurality of shift components of the gearbox, wherein the at least one position sensor is communicably coupled with the one or more processors, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine whether the plurality of shift components are in the engaged position based on the position signal received from the at least one position sensor. 
     
     
         17 . A method of controlling a rotor assembly for a rotary mixer, the rotor assembly including a rotor and a gearbox operatively coupled to the rotor, the method comprising:
 determining, by one or more processors of a controller, whether a plurality of shift components of the gearbox are in an engaged position;   engaging, by the one or more processors, an auxiliary motor of the rotor assembly with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the plurality of shift components are not in the engaged position, wherein the auxiliary motor is operatively coupled with the rotor via the gearbox;   receiving, by the one or more processors, a speed signal indicative of a current speed of the rotor from a speed sensor after the auxiliary motor is engaged with the rotor;   comparing, by the one or more processors, the current speed of the rotor with a threshold speed of the rotor, wherein the threshold speed of the rotor is stored in one or more memories of the controller, and wherein the one or more memories are communicably coupled with the one or more processors; and   maintaining, by the one or more processors, the engagement of the auxiliary motor with the rotor to rotate the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is below the threshold speed of the rotor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising disengaging, by the one or more processors, the auxiliary motor from the rotor if the current speed of the rotor is above the threshold speed of the rotor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising generating, by the speed sensor, the speed signal indicative of the current speed of the rotor, wherein the speed sensor is configured to measure a rotational speed of the gearbox to generate the speed signal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the rotor assembly further includes a primary drivetrain operatively coupled to the rotor via the gearbox, the method further comprising operating, by the one or more processors, the rotor via the primary drivetrain if the plurality of shift components are in the engaged position.