Ultrasonic Sensing Wear Life of Ground Engaging Tools
First Claim
1. A ground engaging tip of a ground engaging tooth assembly for an implement of a work machine that engages a work material with a base edge of the implement to dig into the work material, the ground engaging tip comprising:
- a tip body having an exterior surface shaped to penetrate the work material into which the base edge of the implements digs, an adapter cavity surface defining an adapter cavity for receiving an adapter nose of an adapter of the ground engaging tooth assembly to mount the ground engaging tip on the adapter, and a first wear sensor cavity surface defining a first wear sensor cavity within the ground engaging tip, wherein the tip body is fabricated from a ground engaging tool (GET) body material having a GET body material density;
a first wear sensing body embedded in the tip body at a first location indicative of a first maximum GET wear point of the ground engaging tip, wherein the first wear sensing body is fabricated from a wear sensing body material having a wear sensing body material density that is not equal to the GET body material density; and
a first wear sensor assembly disposed within the first wear sensor cavity, the first wear sensor assembly comprising;
a first distance sensor for transmitting output distance sensor signals and for receiving reflected distance sensor signals that are reflected from an object or a surface of the tip body, anda first sensor assembly controller operatively connected to the first distance sensor, the first sensor assembly controller being configured to;
cause the first distance sensor to transmit the output distance sensor signals,detect receipt of the reflected distance sensor signals at the first distance sensor,determine whether the first wear sensing body is still embedded in the tip body proximate the first maximum GET wear point based on a value of the reflected distance sensor signals, andcause a GET replacement message to be transmitted from the first wear sensor assembly in response to determining that the first wear sensing body is no longer embedded in the tip body.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wear life sensing system may use nondestructive testing techniques to determine when ground engaging tools (GETs) are worn down and reach the ends of their useful wear lives. The wear life sensing system may include a wear sensing body and a wear sensor assembly embedded within the body of the GET. The wear sensing body is positioned proximate a maximum wear point of the GET and is fabricated from a material having a different material density than the material of the GET body. The wear sensor assembly outputs distance sensor signals in the direction of the wear sensing body and determines the presence or absence of the wear sensing body based on the reflected distance sensor signals received at the wear sensor assembly. The wear sensor assembly may transmit a GET replacement message when it no longer detects the presence of the wear sensing body.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A ground engaging tip of a ground engaging tooth assembly for an implement of a work machine that engages a work material with a base edge of the implement to dig into the work material, the ground engaging tip comprising:
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a tip body having an exterior surface shaped to penetrate the work material into which the base edge of the implements digs, an adapter cavity surface defining an adapter cavity for receiving an adapter nose of an adapter of the ground engaging tooth assembly to mount the ground engaging tip on the adapter, and a first wear sensor cavity surface defining a first wear sensor cavity within the ground engaging tip, wherein the tip body is fabricated from a ground engaging tool (GET) body material having a GET body material density; a first wear sensing body embedded in the tip body at a first location indicative of a first maximum GET wear point of the ground engaging tip, wherein the first wear sensing body is fabricated from a wear sensing body material having a wear sensing body material density that is not equal to the GET body material density; and a first wear sensor assembly disposed within the first wear sensor cavity, the first wear sensor assembly comprising; a first distance sensor for transmitting output distance sensor signals and for receiving reflected distance sensor signals that are reflected from an object or a surface of the tip body, and a first sensor assembly controller operatively connected to the first distance sensor, the first sensor assembly controller being configured to; cause the first distance sensor to transmit the output distance sensor signals, detect receipt of the reflected distance sensor signals at the first distance sensor, determine whether the first wear sensing body is still embedded in the tip body proximate the first maximum GET wear point based on a value of the reflected distance sensor signals, and cause a GET replacement message to be transmitted from the first wear sensor assembly in response to determining that the first wear sensing body is no longer embedded in the tip body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for sensing an amount of wear in a ground engaging tool for an implement of a work machine that engages a work material to dig into the work material, the method comprising:
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transmitting output distance sensor signals through a ground engaging tool (GET) body of the ground engaging tool from a first distance sensor of a first wear sensor assembly disposed within a first wear sensor cavity within the GET body, wherein the GET body is fabricated from a GET body material having a GET body material density, and wherein a first wear sensing body is embedded in the GET body at a first location indicative of a first maximum GET wear point of the ground engaging tool, and the first wear sensing body is fabricated from a wear sensing body material having a wear sensing body material density that is not equal to the GET body material density; receiving reflected distance sensor signals at the first distance sensor that are reflected from one of an object or a surface of the GET body; determining at the first wear sensor assembly whether the first wear sensing body is still embedded in the GET body proximate the first maximum GET wear point based on a value of the reflected distance sensor signals; and transmitting a GET replacement message from the first wear sensor assembly in response to determining that the first wear sensing body is no longer embedded in the GET body. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A ground engaging tool for an implement of a work machine that engages a work material to dig into the work material, the ground engaging tool comprising:
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a ground engaging tool (GET) body having an exterior surface shaped to penetrate the work material into which the implements digs, and a first wear sensor cavity surface defining a first wear sensor cavity within the GET body, wherein the GET body is fabricated from a GET body material having a GET body material density; a first wear sensing body embedded in the GET body at a first location indicative of a first maximum GET wear point of the ground engaging tool, wherein the first wear sensing body is fabricated from a wear sensing body material having a wear sensing body material density that is not equal to the GET body material density; and a first wear sensor assembly disposed within the first wear sensor cavity, the first wear sensor assembly comprising; a first distance sensor for transmitting output distance sensor signals and for receiving reflected distance sensor signals that are reflected from an object or a surface of the GET body, and a first sensor assembly controller operatively connected to the first distance sensor, wherein the first sensor assembly controller is configured to; cause the first distance sensor to transmit the output distance sensor signals, detect receipt of the reflected distance sensor signals at the first distance sensor, determine whether the first wear sensing body is still embedded in the GET body proximate the first maximum GET wear point based on a value of the reflected distance sensor signals, and cause a GET replacement message to be transmitted from the first wear sensor assembly in response to determining that the first wear sensing body is no longer embedded in the GET body. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification