Haul Truck Dump Body Scanning for Carryback Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Carryback material in haul truck dump bodies reduces machine productivity, leads to overloading, and causes damage to roadways and trucks due to inaccurate volume estimation and weight distribution.

Innovation Solution

A system using cameras and controllers to scan and analyze the interior surface of haul truck dump bodies, comparing the scans with known models to detect and calculate carryback, ensuring accurate volume assessment and preventing overloading.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If carryback material remains in the dump body, then the truck can transport more material by volume, but the truck becomes overloaded by weight

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial transport volumeVSAvoidtruck weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual inspection and estimation of carryback material with an automated optical scanning system using cameras and image processing algorithms. The system captures images of the dump body interior, processes them to identify and quantify carryback material, and provides precise measurements without requiring physical intervention or estimation by operators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If carryback material is not detected, then the loading process continues without interruption, but productivity decreases due to inaccurate volume assessment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial moving efficiencyVSAvoidcarryback volume information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the scanning system continuously monitors the dump body for carryback material and provides real-time information to the control system. This feedback enables dynamic adjustment of loading operations, allowing operators to respond immediately to detected carryback and make informed decisions about subsequent loading actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary scanning and detection of carryback material before the loading process begins or continues. By identifying carryback in advance, the system allows for proactive management of dump body capacity, preventing overloading and optimizing the loading sequence based on actual available volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If manual inspection of dump body is performed, then carryback can be visually assessed, but the process is time-consuming and imprecise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarryback measurement accuracyVSAvoidinspection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated optical scanning system using cameras and image processing. The system captures high-resolution images of the dump body interior, uses computer vision algorithms to identify and measure carryback material, and provides precise quantitative data instantly, eliminating the time and subjectivity associated with manual inspection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a digital copy or representation of the dump body interior through imaging and point cloud generation. This virtual model allows for accurate measurement and analysis of carryback material without physically accessing or disturbing the actual dump body, enabling rapid and repeated assessments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4522812B1Identify carryback in unknown truck bed
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 CATERPILLAR SARL
  • EP4522812B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4522812B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4522812B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system for detecting carryback within a dump body of a haul truck may include at least one camera and at least one controller. The at least one camera is configured to generate a scan of an interior surface of the dump body. The at least one controller is configured to receive the scan of the interior surface of the dump body and determine a type of dump body by comparing the scan of the interior surface of the dump body with at least one scan of an interior surface of a known dump body.