# US 12,601,648 B2 · Belt tension measurement system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,601,648 B2 - Document ID: US12601648B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/539,450 - Filed: 2023-12-14 - Published: 2025-06-19 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-12-14 - Assignees: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc. - Inventors: Jacob J. McAlpine; John Lee Marsolek; Jeremy Wayne Lee; Matthew Thomas Hanson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12601648B2 ## CPC - G01L 5/10: using electrical means - E01C 23/127: {rotary, e.g. rotary hammers} - E01C 2301/00: Machine characteristics, parts or accessories not otherwise provided for - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) ## Abstract A cold planer includes a conveyor system having a conveyor belt, a frame, and a roller rotatably coupled to the frame, a motor coupled to the conveyor belt and configured to drive the conveyor belt, a tension screw coupled between the roller and the frame, a tension sensor configured to measure the tension on the conveyor belt, and a controller communicably coupled with the tension sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to receive the tension from the tension sensor and calculate, based on the tension from the tension sensor, a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cold planer, comprising: a conveyor system including a conveyor belt, a frame, and a roller rotatably coupled to the frame; a motor coupled to the conveyor belt and configured to drive the conveyor belt; a tension screw coupled between the roller and the frame; a tension sensor configured to measure the tension on the conveyor belt; and a controller communicably coupled with the tension sensor and the motor, the controller being configured to: receive the tension from the tension sensor; and calculate, based on the tension from the tension sensor, a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cold planer of claim 1, wherein the tension sensor comprises a load cell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cold planer of claim 1, wherein the tension sensor is coupled to the tension screw. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cold planer of claim 3, wherein the tension sensor is configured to measure an axial force along the tension screw that is correlated to the tension of the conveyor belt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cold planer of claim 1, wherein the tension sensor is arranged axially between a belt tensioner block and a frame plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cold planer of claim 5, wherein the tension sensor is coupled to an adapter sleeve, the adapter sleeve being coupled to the belt tensioner block. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cold planer of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to select, based on the tension of the conveyor belt, a mass flow rate calculation method from a plurality of mass flow rate calculation methods, wherein the mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt is calculated using the selected mass flow rate calculation method. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cold planer of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to change, based on the tension exceeding or dropping below a threshold tension value, the selected mass flow rate calculation method. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cold planer of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust, based on a change in the tension of the conveyor belt, the calculated mass flow rate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cold planer of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to apply, based on a change in the tension of the conveyor belt, a correction factor to a variable used in the calculated mass flow rate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The cold planer of claim 10, wherein the variable is a hydraulic pressure associated with the motor, a hydraulic temperature, an angle of the conveyor belt, a speed of the conveyor belt, or a load acting on the conveyor belt. ### Claim 12 A cold planer, comprising: a conveyor system including a conveyor belt, a frame, and a roller rotatably coupled to the frame; a motor coupled to the conveyor belt and configured to drive the conveyor belt; a tension screw coupled between the roller and the frame; a tension load cell mounted axially along the tension screw and configured to measure the tension on the conveyor belt; and a controller communicably coupled with the tension load cell and the motor, the controller being configured to: calculate a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt; detect, from the tension load cell, a change in the tension of the conveyor belt; and adjust, based on the change in the tension, the calculated mass flow rate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cold planer of claim 12, wherein the tension load cell is configured to measure an axial force along the tension screw that is correlated to the tension of the conveyor belt. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The cold planer of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to select, based on the tension of the conveyor belt, a mass flow rate calculation method from a plurality of mass flow rate calculation methods, wherein the mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt is calculated using the selected mass flow rate calculation method. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cold planer of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to change, based on the tension exceeding or dropping below a threshold tension value, the selected mass flow rate calculation method. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The cold planer of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to apply, based on a change in the tension of the conveyor belt, a correction factor to a variable used in the calculated mass flow rate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The cold planer of claim 16, wherein the variable is a hydraulic pressure associated with the motor, a hydraulic temperature, an angle of the conveyor belt, a speed of the conveyor belt, or a load acting on the conveyor belt. ### Claim 18 A method for calculating a mass flow rate of material on a cold planer, the method comprising: measuring, via a tension sensor coupled to a tension screw, a tension of a conveyor belt; calculating, based on the tension measured by the tension sensor, a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt; detecting a change in the tension of the conveyor belt; and in response to detecting the change in the tension of the conveyor belt, adjusting the calculated mass flow rate of material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein adjusting the calculated mass flow rate of material comprises: changing a mass flow rate calculation method for the calculated mass flow rate from a first calculation method to a second calculation method. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein adjusting the calculated mass flow rate of material comprises: applying a correction factor to a variable used in the calculated mass flow rate, wherein the variable is a hydraulic pressure associated with a motor driving the conveyor belt, a hydraulic temperature, an angle of the conveyor belt, a speed of the conveyor belt, or a load acting on the conveyor belt.