Rapid onset overload prediction and protection
AssigneeWPT Power Corporation
InventorsJohn G. Boland, Fredric A. Bland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch controller provides protective disengagement of a clutch between an engine and driven machinery to prevent engine failure due to rapid onset overload. Sensor signals of measured parameters are used by the controller to determine potential engine failure. Multiple, successive sensor signals and elapsed times are assessed during which the current sensor signal value and the scaled rate of change in signal values is compared against a predefined amount. The clutch controller sends a clutch disengagement signal if a calculation result is indicative of imminent failure.
Claims30
A clutch assembly and clutch control system for conditional disengagement of a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery to prevent a rapid onset overload event, comprising:
- a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery, the clutch assembly movable between engaged and disengaged positions;
- a sensor operatively connected to the engine, driven machinery, or clutch assembly for monitoring a system physical parameter and communicating sensor signals corresponding thereto;
- a clutch actuation assembly operably connected to selectively disengage the clutch assembly in response to a corresponding clutch control signal;
- a clutch controller interconnected between the sensor and clutch actuation assembly, the clutch controller receiving sensor signals and communicating clutch disengagement signals;
- and
- wherein the clutch controller determines a potential engine failure due to a rapid onset overload of the driven machinery from an assessment of multiple, successive sensor signals and corresponding times during which a sum of a current sensor signal and a scaled rate of change between successive sensor signals is compared to a predefined threshold value;
- and
- the clutch controller sends a clutch disengagement signal to the clutch assembly to disengage the clutch assembly in response to the determination of potential engine failure and prior to actual engine failure due to the rapid overload event.
A clutch assembly and clutch control system for conditional disengagement of a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery to prevent a rapid onset overload event, comprising:
- a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery, the clutch assembly movable between engaged and disengaged positions;
- a sensor operatively connected to the engine, driven machinery, or clutch assembly for monitoring a system physical parameter and communicating sensor signals corresponding thereto;
- a clutch actuation assembly operably connected to selectively disengage the clutch assembly in response to a corresponding clutch control signal;
- a clutch controller interconnected between the sensor and clutch actuation assembly, the clutch controller receiving sensor signals and communicating clutch disengagement signals;
- the clutch controller disengages the clutch assembly in response to a determination of potential engine failure and prior to actual engine failure due to the rapid overload event, the determination in response to assessment of successive sensor signal values and corresponding time values and at least a first or higher order derivative thereof.
A clutch assembly and clutch control system for conditional disengagement of a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery to prevent a rapid onset overload event, comprising:
- a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery, the clutch assembly movable between engaged and disengaged positions;
- a sensor operatively connected to the engine, driven machinery, or clutch assembly for monitoring a system physical parameter and communicating sensor signals corresponding thereto;
- a clutch actuation assembly operably connected to selectively disengage the clutch assembly in response to a corresponding clutch control signal;
- a clutch controller interconnected between the sensor and clutch actuation assembly, the clutch controller receiving sensor signals and communicating clutch disengagement signals;
- the clutch controller disengages the clutch assembly in response to a determination of potential engine failure, and prior to actual engine failure, due to the rapid overload event, the determination in response to assessment of successive sensor signal values, the rate of change of the signal values, and the rate of change of the rate of change of the signal values, and so forth.
A method for selectively disengaging a clutch assembly interposed between an engine and driven machinery to prevent a rapid onset overload event, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a computer program operable on a computer having a non-transitory memory, successive sensor signals indicative of current operating parameters of the engine, driven machinery, or cluth assembly;
- assessing the successive sensor signals and corresponding signal times and at least a first or higher order derivative thereof;
- determining, in response to the assessment, a potential imminent engine failure;
- transmitting a disengagement signal to a clutch actuation assembly for selectively disengaging the clutch assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.