Component life indicator
First Claim
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1. A life indicator for a component of a machine, the life indicator comprising:
- a plurality of sensors operably associated with the machine, each sensor being configured to sense a property associated with the machine and output the sensed property as data signals;
a memory element including an engine data structure;
a processor for executing the engine data structure to determine engine output torque of the machine based on at least a first data signal;
the memory element further including a lower drive data structure, the processor being configured to process the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal,the memory element further including a damage factor data structure, the processor being configured to determine a damage factor based on at least the transmission output torque and at least a third data signal,the memory element further including a final drive life data structure, the processor being configured to process the final drive life data structure to estimate an actual work life of the component based on at least the damage factor; and
a display configured to show the actual work life of the machine component, 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 a designed component life is used.
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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.
47 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A life indicator for a component of a machine, the life indicator comprising:
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a plurality of sensors operably associated with the machine, each sensor being configured to sense a property associated with the machine and output the sensed property as data signals; a memory element including an engine data structure; a processor for executing the engine data structure to determine engine output torque of the machine based on at least a first data signal; the memory element further including a lower drive data structure, the processor being configured to process the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal, the memory element further including a damage factor data structure, the processor being configured to determine a damage factor based on at least the transmission output torque and at least a third data signal, the memory element further including a final drive life data structure, the processor being configured to process the final drive life data structure to estimate an actual work life of the component based on at least the damage factor; and a display configured to show the actual work life of the machine component, 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 a designed component life is used. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A life indicator for a component of a machine, the life indicator comprising:
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a plurality of sensors operably associated with the machine, each sensor being configured to sense a property associated with the machine and output the sensed property as data signals; a memory element including a data structure that determines a damage factor of the component of a machine based at least in part on data signals received from the plurality of sensors, the memory element further including designed component life data; a processor configured to execute the data structure to determine the damage factor, wherein the memory element further includes an engine data structure and the processor is configured to execute the engine data structure to determine engine output torque based on at least a first data signal, the memory element further including a lower drive data structure, the processor being configured to process the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal, the memory element further including 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, and the memory element further including a final drive life data structure, the processor being configured to process the final drive life data structure to estimate an actual work life of the component based on a comparison of the damage factor to the designed component life data; and a display configured to show the actual work life of the machine component, 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 a designed component life is used. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of monitoring the effect of operating conditions on a component of a machine, the method comprising:
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sensing at least one property associated with the machine; maintaining a data structure in a memory element that determines a damage factor indicative of an instantaneous stress applied to 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; displaying the damage factor in a cab of the machine; displaying at least one of;
a time, a period, a location, and a damage level when the damage factor exceeds a designated level; andestimating a work life of the component based on the damage factor, wherein the data structure includes an engine data structure, a lower drive data structure, a damage factor data structure, and a final drive life data structure, and wherein processing the data structure includes; processing the engine data structure to determine engine output torque of the machine based on at least a first data signal, processing the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal, processing the damage factor data structure to determine the damage factor based on at least the transmission output torque and at least a third data signal, and processing the final drive life data structure to estimate the work life of the component based on at least the damage factor. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of monitoring the effect of operating conditions on a component of a machine, the method comprising:
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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; 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, wherein the data structure includes an engine data structure, a lower drive data structure, a damage factor data structure, and a final drive life data structure, and wherein processing the data structure includes; processing the engine data structure to determine engine output torque of the machine based on at least a first data signal, processing the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal, processing the damage factor data structure to determine the damage factor based on at least the transmission output torque and at least a third data signal, and processing the final drive life data structure to estimate a work life of the component based on at least the damage factor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A life indicator of a component of a machine, the life indicator comprising:
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a plurality of sensors operably associated with the machine, each sensor being configured to sense a property of the 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 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 process the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the 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 a 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 process the final drive life data structure to estimate an actual work life of the component based on at least the damage factor. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of monitoring the effect of operating conditions on a component of a machine, the method comprising:
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sensing at least one property associated with the machine; maintaining a data structure in a memory element that determines a damage factor indicative of an instantaneous stress applied to 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; displaying at least one of;
a time, a period, a location, and a damage level when the damage factor exceeds a designated level; andestimating a work life of the component based on the damage factor, wherein the data structure includes an engine data structure, a lower drive data structure, a damage factor data structure, and a final drive life data structure, and wherein processing the data structure includes; processing the engine data structure to determine engine output torque of the machine based on at least a first data signal, processing the lower drive data structure to determine a transmission output torque of the machine based on at least the engine output torque and at least a second data signal, processing the damage factor data structure to determine the damage factor based on at least the transmission output torque and at least a third data signal, and processing the final drive life data structure to estimate the work life of the component based on at least the damage factor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification