Torque estimation for work machine power train

• US 9,856,967 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Morselli, Riccardo, Bulgrien, Garth H., Fiorati, Stefano, Faggioli, Eugenio
• Primary Examiner(s): Boes, Terence
• Application Number:
  US14/250,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20150292612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 74411, 180 145, 180338, 1802063, 280735, 32420713, 32420714, 324245, 324179, 324219, 324529, 384448, 384278, 384493, 384548, 384557, 464 23
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/012 of gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/016 Monitoring of overload conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/01 Monitoring wear or stress of gearing elements, e.g. for triggering maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/04 wherein the torque-transmitting element comprises a torsionally-flexible shaft
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/22 electrically or magnetically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/021 Gearings

Abstract

A work machine having a diesel engine driving a plurality of ground movement devices to tow an agricultural implement. A torque estimating system is employed to determine the level of torque in the drive train between the diesel engine and the ground movement devices. The torque estimation device is a sensor determining the axial and radial deflection of an input shaft as a function of the torque transmitted between a pair of adjacent gears in the power train.

Claims

1. A power train component comprising:

an input shaft;

a driving gear fixed to said input shaft;

a driven gear meshing with said driving gear;

at least one bearing assembly for supporting said input shaft;

a housing for mounting said bearing assembly; and

,

a sensor for detecting deflection of one of said driving and driven gears reacting to the level of torque transmitted between said driving and driven gears, wherein said sensor is positioned at an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of said input shaft so as to provide access around said bearing assembly.

2. The power train component as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor detects displacement of said input shaft adjacent said bearing assembly in response to bearing deflections reacting to the level of torque transmitted between said driving and driven gears.

3. The power train component as claimed in claim 2, wherein said driving gear is a pinion gear.

4. The power train component as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a ring telescoped over said input shaft and adjacent said bearing assembly, said ring having a conical face cooperating with the angled sensor to detect both axial and radial displacement.

5. The power train component as claimed in claim 2, wherein said sensor is an eddy-current sensor.

6. The power train component as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an electronic control unit (ECU).

7. The power train component as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a sensor for detecting temperature of said housing, said sensor providing a signal to said ECU for compensating the temperature variations of said bearing housing relative to displacement of said bearing assembly in response to torque inputs.

9. The work machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sensor detects displacement of said input shaft adjacent said bearing assembly in response to bearing deflections reacting to the level of torque transmitted between said driving and driven gears.

11. The work machine as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a ring telescoped over said input shaft and adjacent said bearing assembly, said ring having a conical surface cooperating with said angled sensor to determine both axial and radial displacement.

15. The power train component as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of bearing assemblies support said input shaft and said sensor is positioned between said pair of blearing assemblies.

8. A work machine comprising:

a chassis;

a prime mover providing a torque output;

a plurality of ground movement devices connected with said chassis;

a power train selectively connecting the torque output of said prime mover to said ground movement devices, said power train including;

an input shaft receiving torque from said prime mover;

a driving gear fixed to the input shaft and receiving torque inputs from said prime mover;

a driven gear meshing with said driving gear;

at least one bearing assembly for journaling said input shaft;

a housing for mounting said bearing assembly; and

,

a sensor for detecting displacement of one of said driving and driven gear deflections reacting to the level of torque transmitted between said driving and driven gears, wherein said sensor is positioned at an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of said input shaft so as to provide access around said bearing assembly.

10. The work machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said driving gear is a pinion gear and said driven gear is a ring gear.

12. The work machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said sensor is an eddy-current sensor.

13. The work machine as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an electronic control unit (ECU).

14. The work machine as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a sensor for sensing temperature of said housing and providing a signal therefrom to said ECU for compensating the displacement signal relative to temperature variations of said housing.

16. The work machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pair of bearing assemblies support said input shaft and said sensor is positioned between said pair of blearing assemblies.