System and method for determining efficiency of an industrial machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10773352-B2
Application number	US-201816000330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

An industrial machine including an actuator, a gear reducer, a cutter drum, a cutter bit, a sensor, and a controller. The gear reducer is configured to receive a first rotational energy from the actuator and output a second rotational energy. The cutter drum is supported by a chassis. The cutter drum is driven by the second rotational energy. The cutter bit is coupled to the cutter drum. The sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of the industrial machine. The controller, having a processor and memory, is configured to receive the characteristic of the industrial machine, determine a cutting efficiency based on the characteristic of the industrial machine, and output the cutting efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An industrial machine comprising:
an actuator;
a gear reducer configured to receive a first rotational energy from the actuator and output a second rotational energy;
a cutter drum supported by a chassis of the industrial machine, the cutter drum driven by the second rotational energy;
a cutter bit coupled to the cutter drum;
a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the industrial machine, wherein the characteristic is stress wave energy; and
a controller, having a processor and memory, the controller configured to
receive the characteristic of the industrial machine,
determine a cutting efficiency based on the characteristic of the industrial machine, and
output the cutting efficiency.

2. The industrial machine of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

3. The industrial machine of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a speed sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor.

4. The industrial machine of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the industrial machine is a characteristic of the gear reducer.

5. The industrial machine of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the industrial machine is a characteristic of the cutter drum.

6. An industrial machine comprising:
an actuator;
a gear reducer configured to receive a first rotational energy from the actuator and output a second rotational energy;
a cutter drum supported by the chassis, the cutter drum driven by the second rotational energy;
a cutter bit coupled to the cutter drum;
a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the industrial machine, wherein the characteristic is stress wave energy; and
a controller, having a processor and memory, the controller configured to
receive the characteristic of the industrial machine,
determine the cutter bit is worn based on the characteristic of the industrial machine, and
output a signal when the cutter bit is determined to be worn.

7. The industrial machine of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

8. The industrial machine of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a speed sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor.

9. The industrial machine of claim 6 , wherein the characteristic of the industrial machine is a characteristic of the gear reducer.

10. The industrial machine of claim 6 , wherein the characteristic of the industrial machine is a characteristic of the cutter drum.

11. A method of determining a cutting efficiency of an industrial machine, the method comprising:
sensing, via a sensor, a characteristic of at least one selected from the group consisting of a gear reducer and a cutter drum, and wherein the characteristic is stress wave energy;
analyzing, via a controller, the characteristic;
determining, based on the characteristic, a cutting efficiency of the industrial machine; and
outputting the cutting efficiency.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

13. A method of determining if a cutter bit of an industrial machine is worn, the method comprising:
sensing, via a sensor, a characteristics of at least one selected from the group consisting of a gear reducer and a cutter drum, and wherein the characteristic is stress wave energy;
analyzing, via a controller, the characteristic;
determining, based on the characteristic, if the cutter bit is worn; and
outputting a signal when the cutter bit is determined to be worn.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

15. A method of determining if a cutter bit of an industrial machine is worn, the method comprising:
sensing, via a sensor, a first characteristic of at least one selected from the group consisting of a gear reducer and a cutter drum at a first time, wherein the first characteristic is stress wave energy;
sensing, via a sensor, a second characteristic of the at least one selected from the group consisting of a gear reducer and a cutter drum at a second time, wherein the second characteristic is stress wave energy;
comparing, via a controller, the first characteristic and the second characteristic;
determining, based on the comparison, if a cutter bit is worn; and
outputting a signal when the cutter bit is determined to be worn.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

17. An industrial machine comprising:
an actuator;
a gear reducer configured to receive a first rotational energy from the actuator and output a second rotational energy;
a cutter drum supported by the chassis, the cutter drum driven by the second rotational energy;
a cutter bit coupled to the cutter drum;
a sensor configured to sense a first characteristic of the industrial machine at a first time and a second characteristic at a second time, wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic are stress wave energy; and
a controller, having a processor and memory, the controller configured to
receive the first and second characteristics,
compare the first and second characteristics,
determine, based on the comparison, if a cutter bit is worn, and
output a signal when the cutter bit is determined to be worn.

18. The industrial machine of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a speed sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of a speed sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor.

21. An industrial machine comprising:
an actuator;
a gear reducer configured to receive a first rotational energy from the actuator and output a second rotational energy;
a cutter drum supported by a chassis of the industrial machine, the cutter drum driven by the second rotational energy;
a cutter bit coupled to the cutter drum;
a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the industrial machine, wherein the sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, a speed sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor; and
a controller, having a processor and memory, the controller configured to
receive the characteristic of the industrial machine,
determine a cutting efficiency based on the characteristic of the industrial machine, and
output the cutting efficiency.

22. The industrial machine of claim 21 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

23. An industrial machine comprising:
an actuator;
a gear reducer configured to receive a first rotational energy from the actuator and output a second rotational energy;
a cutter drum supported by the chassis, the cutter drum driven by the second rotational energy;
a cutter bit coupled to the cutter drum;
a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the industrial machine, wherein the sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, a speed sensor, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor; and
a controller, having a processor and memory, the controller configured to
receive the characteristic of the industrial machine,
determine the cutter bit is worn based on the characteristic of the industrial machine, and
output a signal

Assignees

• Joy Global Underground Mining Llc

Inventors

• Stewart Christopher

Classifications

• E21C27/24 Primary

  by milling means acting on the full working face {, i.e. the rotary axis of the tool carrier being substantially parallel to the working face (similar machines for tunneling E21D9/1026)} · CPC title

• G01N3/58

  Investigating machinability by cutting tools; Investigating the cutting ability of tools · CPC title

• E21D9/1006

  with rotary cutting tools (for cutting simultaneously the whole cross-section E21D9/11; drill bits E21B10/00) · CPC title

• E21B3/00

  Rotary drilling · CPC title

• E21C35/18

  Mining picks; Holders therefor (planing knives E21C27/44) · CPC title