Track roller assembly with a wear measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9868482-B2
Application number	US-201414527625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A roller of an undercarriage track system for a machine is disclosed. The roller includes a body and a sensed feature. The body is a solid of revolution formed about a roller axis. The body includes a bore surface and a roller contact surface. The bore surface defines a bore extending through the body. The bore surface is a radially inner surface of the body. The roller contact surface is located outward from the bore surface. The sensed feature is located at the body. The sensed feature is configured to rotate with the body and to be detectable by a sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track roller assembly of an undercarriage track system for a machine, the track roller assembly comprising:
a roller including
a body formed as a solid of revolution about a roller axis, the body including
a bore surface defining a bore extending through the body, the bore surface being a radially inner surface of the body and being a cylindrical shape, and
a roller contact surface located outward from the bore surface, the roller contact surface being a surface of revolution about the roller axis, and

a sensed feature protruding from the body into the bore;

a roller shaft including a shaft body extending through the bore;
a bearing disposed between the roller and the shaft; and
a sensor embedded in the shaft body, the sensor being axially aligned with the sensed feature and radially positioned to detect the sensed feature when the sensed feature rotates past the sensor.

2. The track roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft body includes a shaft flange axially aligned with the sensed feature and the sensor is embedded in the shaft flange.

3. The track roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a magnetic speed sensor.

4. The track roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensed feature is a tooth extending from and integral to the body.

5. The track roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a first roller contact flange and the roller contact surface is an outer surface of the first roller contact flange.

6. The track roller assembly of claim 5 , wherein the body includes a second roller contact flange spaced apart from the first roller contact flange forming an outer recess there between, the second roller contact flange including a second roller contact surface.

7. The track roller assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a wire extending from the sensor and through the shaft.

8. A wear system including the track roller assembly of claim 1 , the wear system further comprising an electronic control system electronically connected to the sensor, the electronic control system being configured to determine a size parameter of the roller based on revolutions of the roller detected by the sensor, the size parameter being related to wear of the roller.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Rust Craig Richard
• Diekevers Mark Steven

Classifications

• G01N3/56

  Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion · CPC title

• B62D55/08

  Endless track units; Parts thereof · CPC title

• B62D55/15 Primary

  Mounting devices, e.g. bushings, axles, bearings, sealings {(with lubrication means B62D55/092)} · CPC title

• B62D55/14 Primary

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title