Determination of undercarriage idler and roller wear based on final drive speed

• US 9,371,630 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Johannsen, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaud, Gertrude Arthur
• Application Number:
  US14/576,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20160177542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 701/34.4, 701/29.1, 180/6.7, 180/65.1, 198/502.1, 198/959, 305/163, 305/193
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 with tracks without ground wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/125 Final drives
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/14 Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/32 Assembly, disassembly, repair or servicing of endless-track systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/02 Travelling-gear, e.g. associated with slewing gears drives therefor E02F9/20; for motor vehicles B60B, B60G; undercarriages for locomotives or railroad cars B61F; track-laying vehicles B62D; for cranes B66C23/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

System and methods for determining wear of a rotational component of an undercarriage for a machine are disclosed. One method includes determining a rotational speed of a drive sprocket of the undercarriage, determining a rotational speed of the rotational component, determining a size parameter of the rotational component based on at least the determined rotational speed of the drive sprocket and the determined rotational speed of the rotational component, and determining the wear of the rotational component based on the determined size parameter of the rotational component.

Claims

1. A method for determining wear of a rotational component of an undercarriage system for a machine having a track chain assembly, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, information relating to a rotational speed of a drive sprocket of the undercarriage system, wherein the drive sprocket is configured to engage the track chain assembly at a first radial distance from a first axis of rotation;

receiving, by the one or more processors, information relating to a rotational speed of a rotational component of the undercarriage system, wherein the rotational component is configured to engage the track chain assembly at a second radial distance from a second axis of rotation;

determining, by the one or more processors, the second radial distance based on at least the determined rotational speed of the drive sprocket, the determined rotational speed of the rotational component, and the first radial distance; and

determining, by the one or more processors, the wear of the rotational component based on the determined second radial distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotational component comprises one or more of a roller assembly and an idler.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the rotational speed of the drive sprocket of the undercarriage system is received from a rotary encoder configured to measure rotation of the drive sprocket.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the rotational speed of the drive sprocket of the undercarriage system comprises a gear ratio of a transmission applying force to the drive sprocket.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the rotational speed of the rotational component of the undercarriage system is received from a rotary encoder configured to measure rotation of the rotational component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second radial distance comprises retrieving the first radial distance from a storage medium.

7. The method of claim 1, determining the wear of the rotational component comprises comparing the determined second radial distance to a stored size parameter.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory bearing instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system at least to;

determine a rotational speed of a drive sprocket of the undercarriage, wherein the drive sprocket is configured to rotate about a first axis;

determine a rotational speed of the rotational component, wherein the rotational component, is configured to rotate about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis;

determine a size parameter of the rotational component based on at least the determined rotational speed of the drive sprocket and the determined rotational speed of the rotational component; and

determine the wear of the rotational component based on the determined size parameter of the rotational component.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the rotational component comprises one or more of a roller assembly and an idler.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the rotational speed of the drive sprocket comprises receiving information from a rotary encoder configured to measure rotation of the drive sprocket.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the rotational speed of the drive sprocket is based at least on a gear ratio of a transmission applying force to the drive sprocket.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the rotational speed of the rotational component comprises receiving information from a rotary encoder configured to measure rotation of the rotational component.

13. The system of claim 8, determining the wear of the rotational component comprises comparing the determined size parameter of the rotational component to a stored size parameter.

14. A method for determining wear of a rotational component of an undercarriage for a machine, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, a rotational speed of a drive sprocket of the undercarriage, wherein the drive sprocket is configured to rotate about a first axis;

determining, by the one or more processors, a rotational speed of the rotational component, wherein the rotational component, is configured to rotate about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis;

determining, by the one or more processors, a size parameter of the rotational component based on at least the determined rotational speed of the drive sprocket and the determined rotational speed of the rotational component; and

determining, by the one or more processors, the wear of the rotational component based on the determined size parameter of the rotational component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rotational component comprises one or more of a roller assembly and an idler.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the rotational speed of the drive sprocket comprises receiving information from a rotary encoder configured to measure rotation of the drive sprocket.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the rotational speed of the drive sprocket is based at least on a gear ratio of a transmission applying force to the drive sprocket.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the rotational speed of the rotational component comprises receiving information from a rotary encoder configured to measure rotation of the rotational component.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the size parameter of the rotational component comprises calculating a radius of rotation of the rotational component.

20. The method of claim 14, determining the wear of the rotational component comprises comparing the determined size parameter of the rotational component to a stored size parameter.