US 12,442,147 B2
Steering control for paving machine
Mathew James Hedrington, Ham Lake, MN (US); and Jacob Andrew Simmer, Chaska, MN (US)
Assigned to Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Brooklyn Park, MN (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Brooklyn Park, MN (US)
Filed on Apr. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/732,195.
Prior Publication US 2023/0349108 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. E01C 19/00 (2006.01); E01C 19/48 (2006.01)
CPC E01C 19/004 (2013.01) [E01C 19/48 (2013.01); E01C 2301/16 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steering system for adjusting an instantaneous turn center for a paving machine having a tow vehicle and a screed assembly towed by the tow vehicle such that no portion of the screed assembly moves backward over freshly laid pavement when the paving machine paves around a curve, the steering system comprising:
an input device configured to receive an input from one or more of an operator of the paving machine, one or more sensors, or a database containing data corresponding to a make and a model of the paving machine, wherein the input comprises a distance and a direction from a first vertical axis defined by a traction device of the tow vehicle on a side of the tow vehicle facing the curve, to a second adjusted vertical axis defined by a point that is located at least as far from the first vertical axis as an outer edge of the screed assembly that touches the curve; and
a controller electronically connected to the input device and configured for:
receiving the input, and
implementing actions responsive to the input when the paving machine is entering and paving around the curve in order to adjust the instantaneous turn center for the paving machine to coincide with the second adjusted vertical axis.