Component life indicator

• US 20040122618A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Suzuki, Jin, Hinton, David Randal, Grembowicz, Conrad Gene, Gannon, Julie A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/181
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

A life indicator for a component of a machine is disclosed. The life indicator includes at least one sensor operably associated with the machine and configured to sense a property associated with the machine. The sensor is configured to output the sensed property as a data signal. The life indicator also includes a memory element having a first data structure that determines a damage factor for the component of the machine based at least in part on the data signal received from the at least one sensor. A processor executes the first data structure to determine the damage factor.

Claims

1. A life indicator for a component of a machine, the life indicator comprising:

at least one sensor operably associated with the machine and configured to sense a property associated with the machine, the sensor being configured to output the sensed property as a data signal;

a memory element including a first data structure that determines a damage factor for the component of the machine based at least in part on the data signal received from the at least one sensor; and

a processor for executing the first data structure to determine the damage factor.

2. The life indicator of claim 1, wherein the damage factor is expressed as damage units.

3. The life indicator of claim 2, further including a display configured to display the damage units in real-time.

4. The life indicator of claim 1, wherein the memory element includes designed component life data and wherein the processor is configured to compare the damage factor to the designed component life data to estimate the actual work life of the component of the machine.

5. The life indicator of claim 1, wherein the memory element includes a second data structure that determines an estimated actual work life of the component,

the processor being configured to execute the second data structure to determine the estimated actual work life based at least in part on the damage factor.

6. The life indicator of claim 1, further including a communication port associated with the processor and configured to communicate with a service tool.

7. The life indicator of claim 1, further including a transmitter associated with the processor, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal indicative of the damage factor;

and

a receiver disposed remote from the machine for receiving the transmitted signal.

8. A life indicator for a component of a machine, the life indicator comprising:

at least one sensor operably associated with the machine and configured to sense a property associated with the machine, the sensor being configured to output the sensed property as a data signal;

a memory element including a data structure that determines a damage factor of the component of a machine based at least in part on the data signal received from the at least one sensor, the memory element further including designed component life data;

a processor configured to execute the data structure to determine the damage factor and to compare the damage factor to the designed component life data to determine the actual work life of the component.

9. The life indicator of claim 8, further including a display configured to show the actual work life of the machine component.

10. The life indicator of claim 9, wherein the actual work life is displayed as a percentage of life used, a percentage of life remaining, or hours of usage remaining.

11. The life indicator of claim 9, wherein the display is a dash display in a cab of the machine.

12. The life indicator of claim 9, wherein the display is further configured to show a maintenance status, the maintenance status indicating that service of the component is required when a determined percentage of the designed component life is used.

13. The life indicator of claim 9, wherein the display is further configured to show a time, a period, a location, and a damage level when the damage factor exceeds a designated level.

14. The life indicator of claim 8, further including a second sensor operably associated with the machine and configured to sense a second property associated with the machine, the second sensor being configured to output the sensed property as a second data signal,

wherein a second data structure in the memory element is configured to determine a calculated property value based on the data signal received from the second sensor,

the second data structure being executable by the processor to determine the damage factor based at least in part on the calculated property value.

15. The life indicator of claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of the following:

a gear code sensor, a transmission output speed sensor, and a differential oil temperature sensor.

16. A method of monitoring the effect of operating conditions on a component of a machine, the method comprising:

sensing at least one property associated with the machine;

maintaining a data structure in a memory element that determines a damage factor of the component based at least in part on the at least one property; and

processing the data structure to determine the damage factor based on the at least one property.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further includes:

maintaining designed component life data in the memory element; and

comparing the damage factor to the designed component life data to estimate the actual work life of the component.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further includes displaying the actual work life of the component as at least one of a percentage of life used, a percentage of design life remaining, or hours of usage remaining.

19. The method of claim 17, further including determining that service of the component is required when a designated percentage of the actual work life remains.

20. The method of claim 16, further including:

processing a sequence of the data structure to obtain an estimated actual work life based on the damage factor.

21. The method of claim 16, further including transferring the damage factor into a servicing tool or a central processing computer, the servicing tool or central processing computer communicating with the processor through a communication port.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communication port is a wireless modem.

23. The method of claim 21, further including identifying a component requiring maintenance.

24. The method of claim 16, further including displaying the damage factor in a cab of the machine.

25. The method of claim 24, further including displaying at least one of:

a time, a period, a location, and a damage level when the damage factor exceeds a designated level.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the displaying step includes activating at least one of a visible or audible indicator when the damage factor exceeds a threshold.

27. The method of claim 16, further including transferring damage factor information from the memory element into a database that contains damage factor information on a plurality of machines;

and

comparing the information from each machine to prioritize machine maintenance of the plurality of machines.

28. The method of claim 16, further including assessing the damage factor to determine high use stresses;

and

changing operator behavior to reduce the impact of the high use stresses.

29. The method of claim 16, further including assessing the damage factor to determine high use stresses;

and

altering the high use stresses to reduce the impact of the high use stresses on the damage factor.

30. The method of claim 16, further including determining the impact of use stresses on the damage factor;

and

considering the impact of the use stresses on the component of the machine in pricing a service contract.

31. The method of claim 16, further including monitoring the damage factor on the component of the machine for a designated period of time;

and

developing the service contract based on the damage factor.

32. A life indicator of a component of a work machine, the life indicator comprising:

a plurality of sensors operably associated with the work machine, each sensor being configured to sense a property of the work machine and output the sensed property as data signals;

a computer system including a memory component containing an engine data structure and a processor for executing the engine data structure to determine engine output torque of the work machine based on at least a first data signal;

the memory component of the computer system further containing a lower drive data structure, the processor being configured to determine the transmission output torque of the work machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal,

the memory component of the computer system further containing a damage factor data structure, the processor being configured to determine the damage factor based on at least the transmission output torque and at least a third data signal;

the memory component of the computer system further containing a final drive life data structure, the processor being configured to estimate the actual work life of the component based on at least the damage factor.

33. The life indicator of claim 32, wherein the first data signal is provided by one or more of an atmospheric pressure sensor, a fuel flow sensor, a boost pressure sensor, a water temperature sensor, and an engine speed sensor,

wherein the second data signal is provided by one or more of a gear code sensor and a transmission speed sensor, and

wherein the third data signal is provided by at least an oil temperature sensor.