Work machines incorporating encoder systems, drive assemblies therefor, and methods of measuring torque using encoder systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11808014-B2
Application number	US-202017068240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2020
Priority date	Oct 12, 2020
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

Work machines, drive assemblies for work machines, and methods of measuring torque of a driven component of a work machine are disclosed herein. A work machine includes a frame structure, a rotational power source supported by the frame structure, and a driven component supported by the frame structure that is coupled to the rotational power source to receive rotational power therefrom in use of the work machine. The driven component extends between a first end and a second end arranged opposite the first end. Additionally, the work machine includes a first encoder system coupled to the first end of the driven component, a second encoder system coupled to the second end of the driven component, and a control system supported by the frame structure that includes a controller communicatively coupled to the first encoder system and the second encoder system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work machine comprising:
a frame structure;
a rotational power source supported by the frame structure;
a shaft supported by the frame structure that is coupled to the rotational power source to receive rotational power therefrom in use of the work machine, wherein the shaft extends between a first end and a second end arranged opposite the first end;
a first encoder system coupled to the first end of the shaft, wherein the first encoder system includes a first disk mounted to the shaft for rotation therewith and a first pair of sensors mounted in close proximity to the first disk that are spaced from one another, and wherein each one of the first pair of sensors is configured to provide a first input signal indicative of a distance between the one of the first pair of sensors and an outer edge of the first disk or an outer face of the first disk in use of the work machine;
a second encoder system coupled to the second end of the shaft, wherein the second encoder system includes a second disk mounted to the shaft for rotation therewith and a second pair of sensors mounted in close proximity to the second disk that are spaced from one another, and wherein each one of the second pair of sensors is configured to provide a second input signal indicative of a distance between the one of the second pair of sensors and an outer edge of the second disk or an outer face of the second disk in use of the work machine; and
a control system supported by the frame structure that includes a controller communicatively coupled to the first encoder system and the second encoder system, wherein the controller includes memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by a processor in use of the work machine to cause the processor to receive the first input signals from the first pair of sensors and the second input signals from the second pair of sensors and to calculate a torque of the shaft based at least partially on the first input signals and the second input signals.

2. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second disks is an eccentric circular disk having a disk center that is offset from a center of the shaft.

3. The work machine of claim 2 , wherein the first pair of sensors are mounted in close proximity to the first disk such that the first pair of sensors are circumferentially spaced 90 degrees from one another about the disk center of the first disk, and wherein the second pair of sensors are mounted in close proximity to the second disk such that the second pair of sensors are circumferentially spaced 90 degrees from one another about the disk center of the second disk.

4. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second disks is a lobed disk having at least one lobe.

5. The work machine of claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second disks is an elliptical disk having a pair of lobes.

6. The work machine of claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second disks has three lobes.

7. The work machine of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second disks is offset from a center of the shaft.

8. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein each one of the first pair of sensors is configured to provide the first input signal indicative of the distance between the one of the first pair of sensors and the outer edge of the first disk in use of the work machine, and wherein each one of the second pair of sensors is configured to provide the second input signal indicative of the distance between the one of the second pair of sensors and the outer edge of the second disk in use of the work machine.

9. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein each one of the first pair of sensors is configured to provide the first input signal indicative of the distance between the one of the first pair of sensors and the outer face of the first disk in use of the work machine, and wherein each one of the second pair of sensors is configured to provide the second input signal indicative of the distance between the one of the second pair of sensors and the outer face of the second disk in use of the work machine.

10. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory are executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine minimum and maximum distances between the first pair of sensors and the outer edge of the first disk based on the first input signals, to determine minimum and maximum distances between the second pair of sensors and the outer edge of the second disk based on the second input signals, to calculate an orientation angle of the first disk based on the first input signals and the determined minimum and maximum distances between the first pair of sensors and the outer edge of the first disk, and to calculate an orientation angle of the second disk based on the second input signals and the determined minimum and maximum distances between the second pair of sensors and the outer edge of the second disk.

11. The work machine of claim 10 , wherein the instructions stored in the memory are executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine a stiffness of the shaft, to determine a difference between the calculated orientation angles of the first disk and the second disk at a reference load, and to calculate the torque of the shaft based on the determined stiffness, the calculated orientation angle of the first disk, the calculated orientation angle of the second disk, and the determined difference between the calculated orientation angles of the first disk and the second disk at the reference load.

12. A drive assembly for a work machine, the drive assembly comprising:
a shaft to receive rotational power from a rotational power source in use of the drive assembly, wherein the shaft extends between a first end and a second end arranged opposite the first end;
a first encoder system coupled to the first end of the shaft for rotation therewith, wherein the first encoder system includes a first disk mounted to the shaft and a first pair of sensors mounted in close proximity to the first disk that are spaced from one another, and wherein each one of the first pair of sensors is configured to provide a first input signal indicative of a distance between the one of the first pair of sensors and an outer edge of the first disk in use of the drive assembly;
a second encoder system coupled to the second end of the shaft for rotation therewith, wherein the second encoder system includes a second disk mounted to the shaft and a second pair of sensors mounted in close proximity to the second disk that are spaced from one another, and wherein each one of the second pair of sensors is configured to provide a second input signal indicative of a distance between the one of the second pair of sensors and an outer edge of the second disk in use of the drive assembly; and
a control system that includes a controller communicatively coupled to the first encoder system and the second encoder system, wherein the controller includes memory having instructions stored therein that are executable by a processor in use of the work machine to cause the processor to receive the first input signals from the first pair of sensors and the second input signals from the second pair of sensors and to calculate a torque of the shaft based at least partially on the first input signals and the second input signals.

13. The drive assembly for a work machine of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second disks is an eccentric circular disk having a disk center that is offset from a center of the shaft.

14. The drive assembly for a work machine of claim 13 , wherein the first pai

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Rhodes Michael L
• White Robert J

Classifications

• E02F9/264 Primary

  Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool · CPC title

• A01B79/005

  Precision agriculture · CPC title

• E02F9/0808

  Improving mounting or assembling, e.g. frame elements, disposition of all the components on the superstructures (for disposition of specific components, E02F9/0858) · CPC title

• E02F9/10

  Supports for movable superstructures mounted on travelling or walking gears or on other superstructures · CPC title

• G01L3/105 Primary

  involving inductive means (G01L3/102, G01L3/104 take precedence) · CPC title