Wear part monitoring
AssigneeESCO Corporation
InventorsEric L. Bewley, Noah Cowgill, Joseph E. Blomberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and tool for monitoring the status, health, and performance of wear parts used on earth working equipment. The process and tool allow the operator to optimize the performance of the earth working equipment. The tool has a clear line of site to the wear parts during use and may be integrated with a bucket or blade on the earth working equipment.
Claims43
A tool for monitoring wear parts used on earth working equipment, the tool comprising at least one electronic sensor, a securement mechanism for securing the at least one electronic sensor to a first earth working wear part to monitor the first wear part and a second earth working wear part secured to the first wear part, a programmable logic device receiving information from the at least one electronic sensor and making a determination of at least one of presence, wear, impact, fill, and performance of the first wear part and the second wear part.
A bucket for use with excavating equipment, the bucket comprising:
- a plurality of walls defining a containment portion for gathering earthen material to be excavated;
- a leading edge to initially contact the earthen material, the leading edge extending along one of the said walls defining the containment portion;
- and
- at least one electronic sensor mounted to one of the said walls of the bucket to monitor at least one of impact, fill, and performance of the bucket.
A wear assembly used on earth working equipment, the wear assembly comprising:
- a base secured to the earth working equipment, the base having a unique feature having no supporting function and detectable by an electronic sensor when visible;
- a wear member including a front end and a rear end, the rear end having a mounting portion to receive the base;
- and
- a securement mechanism to releasably secure the wear member to the base wherein the unique feature is hidden when the wear member is mounted on the base and the unique feature is visible when the wear member is not mounted on the base to indicate the absence of the wear member.
A bucket for use with excavating equipment, the bucket comprising:
- a plurality of walls defining a containment portion for gathering earthen material to be excavated;
- a leading edge to initially contact the earthen material, the leading edge extending along one of the said walls defining the containment portion;
- wear parts secured along the leading edge;
- and
- at least one electronic sensor mounted to one of the said walls of the bucket to monitor at least one of presence or wear of a plurality of the wear parts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.