Ground engaging tool monitoring system
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsJohn Michael Plouzek, Mitchell Chase Vlaminck, Nolan S. Finch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The electronic control unit includes a memory including computer executable instructions for recognizing a ground engaging tool; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to: determine a dimension of a ground engaging tool installed on a work tool; compare the determined dimension of the ground engaging tool installed on a work tool to the theoretical dimension of a new ground engaging tool installed on the work tool; and calculate the difference between the determined dimension and the theoretical dimension.
Claims16
A method for monitoring the condition of a ground engaging tool of a machine using a ground engaging tool monitoring system, the method comprising:
- determining a dimension of the ground engaging tool installed on a work tool using a plurality of sensors receiving signals from the ground engaging tool from different angles simultaneously;
- comparing the determined dimension of the ground engaging tool installed on a work tool to a theoretical acceptable dimension of the ground engaging tool;
- calculating a difference between the determined dimension and the theoretical dimension;
- and
- determining whether images are taken when the ground engaging tool is covered by mud, dirt, sand, or ice.
A ground engaging tool (GET) monitoring system for monitoring the condition of a ground engaging tool installed on a work tool, the system comprising:
- a plurality of sensors configured to take measurements of a ground engaging tool installed on a work tool from at least two different angles at the same time;
- and
- an electronic controller unit coupled to the plurality of sensors, wherein the electronic controller unit is configured to:
- determine a dimension of the ground engaging tool installed on a work tool;
- compare the determined dimension of the ground engaging tool installed on a work tool to a theoretical dimension of a new ground engaging tool installed on the work tool;
- and
- calculate a difference between the determined dimension and the theoretical dimension;
- wherein the electronic controller unit is configured to compare the difference between the determined dimension and the theoretical dimension to a threshold value, if the difference is below the threshold value, then the electronic controller unit is configured to create an alert that the ground engaging tool needs to be serviced, if the difference is above the threshold value, then the electronic controller unit is configured to create an alert that the ground engaging tool is damaged or missing, requiring immediate maintenance, and the electronic controller unit is further configured to store a database of data templates for various ground engaging tools and to compare the determined dimension of various ground engaging tools to one or more data templates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.