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Operation of a second or additional engine is initiated based on throttle position, vehicle speed and output level of the operating engine or engines. A second or additional engine is stopped based on throttle position and operation of the first engine when the second or additional engine has been i

Operation of a second or additional engine is initiated based on throttle position, vehicle speed and output level of the operating engine or engines. A second or additional engine is stopped based on throttle position and operation of the first engine when the second or additional engine has been idling for a predetermined period of time. Idling of an engine is started or stopped based on various conditions of the vehicle, such as battery voltage, ambient air temperature, brake cylinder pressure, operator input, battery charging current, and direction input.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of operating an off-highway vehicle having a plurality of engines wherein a first engine of the plurality of engines is operating and a second engine of the plurality of engines is not operating, said method comprising: initiating operation of the second engine when

What is claimed is: 1. A method of operating an off-highway vehicle having a plurality of engines wherein a first engine of the plurality of engines is operating and a second engine of the plurality of engines is not operating, said method comprising: initiating operation of the second engine when a set of operating conditions are met, said operating conditions comprising: a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle is greater than a predetermined throttle position; a speed of the off-highway vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed; and the first engine is operating at an output level greater than a predetermined output level. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising delaying said initiating operation until said operating conditions are met for a predetermined period of time, wherein said initiating operation is not performed when at least one of the operating conditions are not met during the predetermined period of time. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein: the predetermined period of time is 3 seconds; the predetermined throttle position is notch 3; the predetermined speed is 4 miles per hour; and the predetermined output level is 90% of a horsepower rating of the first engine. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined throttle position, predetermined speed, and predetermined output level are determined as a function of at least one of a horsepower rating of each of the plurality of engines, a current capacity of a traction motor of the off-highway vehicle, and an engine configuration of the off-highway vehicle. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said initiating operation comprises: increasing a revolutions per minute of the second engine to a predetermined revolutions per minute; and decreasing a revolutions per minute of the first engine to the predetermined revolutions per minute. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said initiating operation comprises: maintaining the revolutions per minute of the first engine; and increasing the revolutions per minute of the second engine to a predetermined revolutions per minute. 7. An off-highway vehicle comprising: a plurality of engines; a controller for controlling operation of the engines, wherein when a first engine of the plurality of engines is operating and a second engine of the plurality of engines is not operating, said controller initiates operation of the second engine when a set of operating conditions are met, said operating conditions comprising: a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle is greater than a predetermined throttle position; a speed of the off-highway vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed; and the first engine is operating at an output level greater than a predetermined output level. 8. A method of operating an off-highway vehicle having a plurality of engines wherein a first engine and a second engine of the plurality of engines are operating and an operator reduces a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle to a predefined amount, said method comprising: operating the second engine at a revolutions per minute corresponding to an idle condition and thereafter controlling the second engine revolutions per minute as a function of the throttle position; controlling the first engine revolutions per minute as a function of the throttle position; and stopping the second engine after a predetermined period of time during which the second engine has been in the idle condition. 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: increasing the revolutions per minute of the second engine above the revolutions per minute setting corresponding to idle when a set of operating conditions are met, said operating conditions comprising: a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle is greater than a predetermined position; a speed of the off-highway vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed; and an output level of the first engine is greater than a predetermined output level. 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising delaying said increasing the revolutions per minute of the second engine until said operating conditions are met for a predetermined period of time, wherein said increasing is not performed when at least one of the operating conditions are not met during the predetermined time. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein: the predetermined shutoff time is 5 minutes; the predetermined period of time is 3 seconds the predefined amount of throttle position adjustment is the amount that adjusts the throttle position to notch 3 or lower; the predetermined speed is 4 miles per hour; and the predetermined output level is 90% of a horsepower rating of the first engine. 12. The method of claim 8 further comprising increasing the revolutions per minute of the second engine above the revolutions per minute setting corresponding to idle as a function of the throttle position. 13. The method of claim 8 wherein the operator reduces the throttle position of the off-highway vehicle to idle, said method further comprising: stopping the first engine after a predetermined period of idling time in response to at least one of the following conditions: a battery charging current less than a predetermined battery charging current; a battery voltage greater than a predetermined battery voltage; an ambient air temperature greater than a predetermined ambient air temperature; a direction input in neutral; and a brake cylinder pressure above a predetermined brake cylinder pressure. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of: (1) the predetermined period of idling time begins when all of the conditions are met; (2) the predetermined period of idling time begins when the first engine revolutions per minute reaches a revolutions per minute corresponding to idle and is reset only if the revolutions per minute of the first engine increases above the revolutions per minute corresponding to idle; and (3) the predetermined period of idling time begins when the throttle position is in a position corresponding to idle and the direction input is in neutral, and is reset only if the revolutions per minute of the first engine increases above the revolutions per minute corresponding to idle. 15. The method of claim 13 wherein the off-highway vehicle has an idle state wherein the off-highway vehicle produces no motive force, said method farther comprising shutting down an air conditioning system of the off highway vehicle after a predetermined period of off highway vehicle idling time. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein: the predetermined period of off highway vehicle idling time is 1 hour; the predetermined battery charging current is 20 amperes; the predetermined battery voltage is 69 volts; the predetermined ambient air temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit; the predetermined brake cylinder pressure is 22 pounds per square inch; and the predetermined period of idling time is 15 minutes. 17. An off-highway vehicle comprising: a plurality of engines; a controller for controlling operation of the engines wherein when a first engine and a second engine of the plurality of engines are operating and an operator reduces a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle to a predefined amount, said controller: operates the second engine at a revolutions per minute corresponding to an idle condition and thereafter controls the second engine revolutions per minute as a function of the throttle position; controls the first engine revolutions per minute as a function of the throttle position; and stops the second engine after a predetermined period of time during which the second engine has been in the idle condition. 18. A method of minimizing fuel consumption of an engine of an off-highway vehicle having an idle state wherein the engine produces no motive force in the idle state and wherein the engine is in said idle state, said method comprising: starting the engine in response to at least one of the following start-up conditions: a battery voltage less than a predetermined first battery voltage; an ambient air temperature less than a predetermined first ambient air temperature; a direction input changed from neutral to either forward or reverse; a brake cylinder pressure below a predetermined first brake cylinder pressure; and an engine start input activated by an operator; and stopping the engine after a predetermined idle period of time in response to at least one of the following shutdown conditions: a battery charging current less than a predetermined battery charging current; a battery voltage greater than a predetermined second battery voltage; an ambient air temperature greater than a predetermined second ambient air temperature; a direction input in neutral; and a brake cylinder pressure above a predetermined second brake cylinder pressure; wherein at least one of: (1) the predetermined idle period of time begins when all of the shutdown conditions are met and the predetermined idle period of time is restarted if any of the shutdown conditions are violated; (2) the predetermined idle period of time begins when all of the engines of the off-highway vehicle have reached a revolutions per minute corresponding to idle and the predetermined idle period of time is only restarted if any of the engines are increased to a revolutions per minute above the revolutions per minute corresponding to idle such that if none of the engines of the off-highway vehicle have been at a revolutions per minute above a revolutions per minute corresponding to idle for the predetermined idle period of time and the shutdown conditions are met at the end of the predetermined idle period of time, the engines are stopped; (3) the predetermined idle period time begins when a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle is in a position corresponding to idle and the direction input is in neutral, and the predetermined idle period of time is restarted only if the revolutions per minute of the engine increases above the revolutions per minute corresponding to idle; (4) the predetermined idle period of time begins when the throttle position is changed to the position corresponding to idle and the predetermined idle period of time is restarted only if the throttle position is changed to a position other than the position corresponding to idle; and (5) the predetermined idle period of time begins when a revolutions per minute setting of the engine is set to an idle setting and the engine is stopped when the predetermined idle period of time ends and all of the shutdown conditions are met, wherein the predetermined idle period of time is reset only if the throttle position is changed from the position corresponding to idle to another position. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein: the predetermined first battery voltage is 60 volts; the predetermined first ambient air temperature is 0 degrees Fahrenheit; the predetermined first brake cylinder pressure is 18.5 pounds per square inch. the predetermined idle period of time is 15 minutes; the predetermined battery charging current is 20 amperes; the predetermined second battery voltage is 69 volts; the predetermined second ambient air temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit; and the predetermined second brake cylinder pressure is 22 pounds per square inch. 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising shutting off an air conditioning system of the off-highway vehicle after a predetermined period of time in the idle state. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the predetermined period of time in the idle state is 1 hour. 22. An off-highway vehicle having an idle state wherein the off-highway vehicle produces no motive force in the idle state and the off-highway vehicle is in said idle state, said vehicle comprising: an engine; a controller for controlling operation of the engine, said controller monitoring at least one of a battery voltage of the vehicle, an ambient air temperature of the vehicle, a direction input of the vehicle, a brake cylinder pressure of the vehicle, an engine start input of the vehicle, and a battery charging current; said controller starting the engine in response to at least one of the following start-up conditions: the monitored battery voltage is less than a predetermined first battery voltage; the monitored ambient air temperature is less than a predetermined first ambient air temperature; the monitored direction input is changed from neutral to either forward or reverse; the monitored brake cylinder pressure is below a predetermined first brake cylinder pressure; and the monitored engine start input is activated by an operator; and said controller stopping the engine after a predetermined idle period of time in response to at least one of the following shutdown conditions: the monitored battery charging current is less than a predetermined battery charging current; the monitored battery voltage is greater than a predetermined second battery voltage; the monitored ambient air temperature is greater than a predetermined second ambient air temperature; the monitored direction input is in neutral; and the monitored brake cylinder pressure is above a predetermined second brake cylinder pressure; wherein at least one of: (1) the predetermined idle period of time begins when all of the shutdown conditions are met and the predetermined idle period of time is restarted if any of the shutdown conditions are violated; (2) the predetermined idle period of time begins when the engine of the off-highway vehicle has reached a revolutions per minute corresponding to idle and the predetermined idle period of time is only restarted if the engine is increased to a revolutions per minute above a revolutions per minute corresponding to idle such that if the engine of the off-highway vehicle has not been at a revolutions per minute above a revolutions per minute corresponding to idle for the predetermined idle period of time and all of the shutdown conditions are met at the end of the predetermined idle period of time, the engines are stopped; (3) the predetermined idle period of time begins when a throttle position of the off-highway vehicle is in a position corresponding to idle and the direction input is in neutral, and the predetermined idle period of time is restarted only if the revolutions per minute of the engine increases above the revolutions per minute corresponding to idle; (4) the predetermined idle period of time begins when the throttle position is changed to the position corresponding to idle and the predetermined idle period of time is restarted only if the throttle position is changed to a position other than the position corresponding to idle; and (5) the predetermined idle period of time begins when a revolutions per minute setting of the engine is set to an idle setting and the engine is stopped when the predetermined idle period of time ends and all of the shutdown conditions are met, and wherein the predetermined idle period of time is reset only if the throttle position is changed from the position corresponding to idle to another position.