METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING AND PREDICTING SPROCKET TOOTH WEAR

• US 20170241536A1
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andritz Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Andritz Incorporated
• Inventors: LINTUNEN, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 10,247,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/48 Wear protection or indication features
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/06 with projections engaging abutments on belts or chains, e.g. sprocket wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/012 of gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/01 Monitoring wear or stress of gearing elements, e.g. for triggering maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/38 Gauges with an open yoke and opposed faces, i.e. calipers, in which the internal distance between the faces is fixed, although it may be preadjustable

Abstract

An exemplary method may comprise: ascertaining an original distance between a first tooth face and a second tooth face of a sprocket tooth, wherein the sprocket tooth comprises two tooth faces extending from a sprocket core and terminating in a top of the sprocket tooth, wherein an original distance separates the two tooth faces, placing a sprocket gauge on the sprocket tooth, wherein the sprocket gauge comprises: a bottom, and two gauge faces extending from the bottom of the sprocket gauge, wherein the bottom of the sprocket gauge is disposed upon the top of the sprocket tooth and the first gauge face is disposed adjacently on the first tooth; and comparing the original distance defined by the sprocket gauge with an actual distance between the first tooth face and the second tooth face.

Claims

1. A method for determining sprocket tooth wear comprising:

ascertaining an original distance between a first tooth face and a second tooth face of a sprocket tooth;

ascertaining an original width between a first base side and a second base side of the sprocket tooth,

wherein the sprocket tooth comprises;

the first tooth face extending from a sprocket core and terminating in a top of the sprocket tooth,

the second tooth face extending from a sprocket core and terminating in the top of the sprocket tooth, wherein the first tooth face is distally disposed from the second tooth face, wherein the original distance separates the first tooth face from the second tooth face, and wherein the original width separates a first gauge side from a second gauge side distally disposed from the first gauge side;

placing a sprocket gauge on the sprocket tooth,

wherein the sprocket gauge comprises;

a bottom,

a first gauge face extending from the bottom of the sprocket gauge, and

a second gauge face extending from the bottom of the sprocket gauge distally disposed from the first gauge face, and wherein the original distance between the first tooth face and the second tooth face separates the first gauge face from the second gauge face,

wherein the bottom of the sprocket gauge is disposed upon the top of the sprocket tooth and the first gauge face is disposed adjacently on the first tooth; and

comparing the original distance defined by the sprocket gauge with an actual distance between the first tooth face and the second tooth face.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second gauge face of the sprocket gauge extends to the sprocket core.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second gauge face of the sprocket gauge does not extend to the sprocket core.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a magnet is disposed within the sprocket gauge, wherein the magnet magnetically engages the sprocket gauge to the sprocket tooth.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sprocket gauge defines a gap between the second gauge face and the second tooth face, thereby providing a visual indication of sprocket tooth wear.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising using a caliper, a ruler, a bar of known size, or other measurement instrument to measure a length of a gap.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a first side edge of the sprocket gauge and a first side edge of the sprocket tooth define a first gap length and a second side edge of the sprocket gauge and a second side edge of the sprocket tooth define a second gap length.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising replacing the sprocket when the length of the top of the sprocket tooth approaches the second reference point on the sprocket gauge.

9. A system comprising:

a sprocket tooth, wherein the sprocket tooth comprises a first tooth face and a second tooth face extending from a sprocket core and terminating in a top of the sprocket tooth, and wherein the top of the sprocket tooth has an original dimension comprising an original length of the top of the sprocket tooth; and

a sprocket gauge configured to be placed on the sprocket tooth, wherein the sprocket gauge comprises a bottom, a first gauge face, and a second gauge face distally disposed from the first gauge space, the second gauge face and the first gauge face extending from the bottom of the sprocket gauge, the bottom, first gauge face, and second gauge face defining a concave area, wherein the bottom of the sprocket gauge is disposed upon the top of the sprocket tooth and the first gauge face of the sprocket gauge is disposed adjacent to the first tooth face of the sprocket tooth such that the bottom of the sprocket gauge and the first gauge face of the sprocket gauge form a reflex angle and the top of the sprocket tooth and first tooth face of the sprocket tooth form a center angle, wherein the central point created by the reflex angle and the center angle defines a first reference point, and wherein a length of the top of the sprocket tooth, the length of the top of the sprocket being defined by a distance between the first reference point and an opposite edge of the top of the sprocket tooth, is configured to be compared with a length of the bottom of the sprocket gauge, the length of the bottom of the sprocket gauge being defined by a distance between the first reference point and a second reference point disposed on the bottom of the sprocket gauge distally from the first reference point at a location corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the concave area defines an inverse profile of the sprocket tooth to be measured.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the original length of the top of the location on the sprocket gauge corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth is determined based on a theoretical tooth profile derived from ISO sprocket tooth profiles for the sprocket tooth.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the sprocket gauge further comprises a first gauge side distally disposed from a second gauge side and wherein a width between the first gauge side and the second gauge side is determined based on a theoretical tooth profile determined from ISO accuracy standards.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the location on the sprocket gauge corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth is determined from ISO accuracy standards.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the original length of the top of the location on the sprocket gauge corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth is determined based on a theoretical tooth profile derived from a “

K”

chart for the sprocket tooth.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the sprocket gauge further comprises a first gauge side distally disposed from a second gauge side and wherein a width between the first gauge side and the second gauge side is determined based on a theoretical tooth profile determined from a “

K”

chart.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the location on the sprocket gauge corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth is determined from a “

K”

chart.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein a magnet is disposed within the sprocket gauge.

18. A method comprising:

ascertaining original dimensions of a sprocket tooth,

wherein the original dimensions of the sprocket tooth comprise ascertaining an original width between a first base side and a second base side of the sprocket tooth wherein the sprocket tooth comprises a first tooth face and a second tooth face extending from a sprocket core and terminating in a top of the sprocket tooth, and wherein the original dimensions of the sprocket tooth comprise an original top length of the sprocket tooth, wherein the original top length of the sprocket tooth is a distance between an original first edge of the sprocket tooth and an original second of the sprocket tooth;

placing a sprocket gauge on the sprocket tooth,

wherein the sprocket gauge comprises a bottom and a first gauge face side extending from the bottom of the sprocket gauge, wherein the bottom of the sprocket gauge is disposed upon the top of the sprocket tooth and the first gauge face side of the sprocket gauge is disposed adjacently on the first tooth face of the sprocket tooth such that the bottom of the sprocket gauge and the first gauge face side of the sprocket gauge form a reflex angle and the top of the sprocket tooth and first tooth face of the sprocket tooth form a central angle, and wherein a central point created by the reflex angle and the center angle defines a first reference point;

comparing a length of the top of the sprocket tooth, with a length of the bottom of the sprocket gauge, the length of the bottom of the sprocket gauge defined by a distance between the first reference point and an second reference point disposed on the bottom of the sprocket gauge distally from the first reference point at a location corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth; and

replacing the sprocket when the length of the top of the sprocket tooth approaches the second reference point on the bottom of the sprocket gauge.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sprocket gauge further comprises a first gauge side distally disposed from a second gauge side and wherein a width between the first gauge side and the second gauge side is determined based on a theoretical tooth profile determined from ISO accuracy standards and wherein the location on the sprocket gauge corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth is determined from ISO accuracy standards.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the sprocket gauge further comprises a first gauge side distally disposed from a second gauge side and wherein a width between the first gauge side and the second gauge side is determined based on a theoretical tooth profile determined from a “

K”

chart for the sprocket tooth and wherein the location on the sprocket gauge corresponding to the original length of the top of the sprocket tooth is determined from a “

K”

chart for the sprocket tooth.