Monitoring belt operation to predict belt lifespan
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorGrant J. Wonderlich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and a method for monitoring a belt to predict a lifespan for the belt are described. An indicator of belt speed and an indicator of torque from a motor for driving the belt can be determined for a first time interval. A belt service value can be determined for the first time interval based upon the indicators of belt speed and torque from the motor. The belt service value can indicate a deviation from one or more reference belt speeds and torques from the motor. An effective service interval can be determined for the operation of the belt during the first time interval, based upon the belt service value. An indicator of a remaining operational lifespan for the belt can then be determined, based upon the effective service interval.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method for monitoring a belt driven by a motor, in order to predict an operational lifespan for the belt, the method comprising:
- determining, via a first sensor, an indicator of belt speed for a first time interval;
- determining, via a second sensor, an indicator of torque from the motor for the first time interval;
- determining a belt service value for the first time interval based upon the indicators of belt speed and torque from the motor, the belt service value indicating a deviation from one or more reference belt speeds and torques from the motor;
- determining an effective service interval for the operation of the belt during the first time interval, based upon the belt service value;
- and
- determining an indicator of a remaining operational lifespan for the belt, based upon the effective service interval.
A system for monitoring a belt driven by a motor, in order to predict an operational lifespan for the belt, the system comprising:
- one or more sensors configured to detect an indicator of torque from the motor for a first time interval and an indicator of belt speed for the first time interval;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine a belt service value based upon the indicators of belt speed and torque from the motor, the belt service value indicating a deviation from one or more reference belt speeds and torques from the motor;
- determine an effective service interval for the operation of the belt during the first time interval, based upon the belt service value;
- and
- determine an indicator of a remaining operational lifespan for the belt, based upon the effective service interval.
A monitoring system for a seeding machine, the seeding machine configured to move seeds with a seed belt driven by a belt motor, the monitoring system comprising:
- a first sensor configured determine an indicator of belt speed for a first time interval;
- a second sensor configured to determine an indicator of torque from the belt motor for the first time interval;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- compare the indicators of belt speed and torque from the belt motor to corresponding reference indicators;
- determine a belt service value based upon a deviation of the indicators of belt speed and torque from the belt motor from the reference indicators;
- determine an effective service interval for operation of the belt during the first time interval, based upon multiplying the belt service value by the first time interval;
- and
- determine an indicator of a remaining operational lifespan for the belt based upon one of adding the effective service interval to a cumulative service counter and subtracting the effective service interval from a remaining service counter, the cumulative service counter indicating an effective cumulative operating time for the belt and the remaining service counter indicating an effective remaining operating time in the operational lifespan of the belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.