Patent Grant
9956839
The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for increasing stiffness and/or strength in a light-duty machine component. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a retro-fittable system for increasing stiffness and/or strength in a light-duty machine component.
Manufacturers of earth moving machines have been manufacturing separate machine components depending on whether the components are for use in a heavy-duty application or a light-duty application. As the magnitude of loads and other forces typically encountered in heavy-duty applications is large, machine components that are configured for use in light-duty applications cannot be used to accomplish jobs associated with the heavy-duty applications.
In order to manufacture machine components to different specifications and meet unique load handling requirements associated with heavy-duty applications and light-duty applications, manufacturers often install separate production lines to produce such machine components. Installation and use of such separate production lines may however, entail increased energy, costs, effort, and time associated with production of the machine components.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,442 (hereinafter referred to as “the '442 patent”) discloses a suspension system that includes a laterally extending axle and an arm assembly welded to the axle. The arm assembly includes a longitudinally extending arm body having top and bottom surfaces, an axle connector welded to the axle and an end of the arm body, and a plate extending longitudinally over and welded to the arm body top surface, wrapped about and welded to the axle connector, and extending longitudinally over and welded to the arm body bottom surface.
However, it may be noted the system of the '442 patent is configured for use in suspension systems alone. Moreover, the '442 patent does not disclose a retro-fittable system that can be implemented across various types of machine components. Hence, there is a need for a retro-fittable system that can be used for increasing an amount of stiffness and/or strength in existing light-duty machine components and configuring such light-duty machine components for use in heavy-duty applications.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, a system for increasing stiffness and/or strength of a light-duty machine component having propensity for flexing along an elongated axis is provided. The system includes a pair of receptacles disposed on the machine component, wherein each of the receptacles is located in a spaced apart relation to one another and disposed parallel to the elongated axis. The system further includes at least one backing member corresponding to a distance between the pair of receptacles. The backing member is configured to define at least a pair of openings therethrough. The pair of openings is configured to axially align with the pair of receptacles defined on the machine component. The system further includes a plurality of fasteners such that at least one fastener is received in each pair of axially aligned receptacles and openings for releasably securing the backing member to the machine component.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the backing member can include a pair of ends that are configured to releasably engage with the pair of receptacles defined on the machine component. Moreover, a portion of the backing member that is disposed partway along a length of the backing member is configured to resiliently abut with the machine component.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for increasing stiffness and/or strength of a light-duty machine component having propensity for flexing along an elongated axis includes defining at least a pair of receptacles on the machine component such that each of the receptacles is located in a spaced apart relation to one another and disposed parallel to the elongated axis. The method further includes determining, using sensors provided on the machine component, if the machine component is being used in a light-duty application or a heavy-duty application. If a controller, communicably coupled to the sensors, determines that the machine component has reached a threshold of the heavy-duty application, then the method further includes positioning at least one backing member on the machine component such that a pair of ends on the backing member are configured to releasably engage with the pair of receptacles defined on the machine component; and a portion of the backing member, disposed partway along a length of the backing member, is configured to resiliently abut with the machine component.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to same or like parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular may also be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims.
Referring to
The present disclosure relates to a system 200 for increasing stiffness and/or strength in a light-duty machine component. The terms ‘light-duty machine component’ disclosed herein is generally representative of a machine component that is capable of withstanding low operational loads and/or forces. For purposes of the present disclosure, the axle assembly is configured to withstand low operational loads and/or forces i.e., the axle assembly alone is configured for a light-duty application and can therefore, be regarded as a light-duty machine component. As such, one skilled in the art will acknowledge by that maximum limits pertaining to the magnitude of the light operational loads and/or forces, if disclosed, are exemplary and non-limiting of this disclosure. These maximum limits of the light operational loads and/or forces can vary from one application to another depending on specific requirements of an application.
As shown in
The system 200 of the present disclosure is directed towards preventing a flexure or limiting a propensity for bending of the axle assembly 100 about axis A-A′. Moreover, the system 200 of the present disclosure is directed towards facilitating the use of a light-duty machine component as a heavy-duty machine component, when desired by operators or when required for use in heavy-duty applications. With reference to
The system 200 further includes at least a pair of receptacles 204 disposed on the support members 202 (See
The system 200 further includes at least one backing member 206 corresponding to a distance D between the pair of receptacles 204. For example, two backing members 206 are shown in the illustrated embodiments of
Each backing member 206 defines at least a pair of openings 208 therethrough such that the pair of openings 208 is configured to axially align with the pair of receptacles 204 defined on the support members 202. The system 200 further includes fasteners 210 that are received in each pair of axially aligned receptacles 204 and openings 208 for releasably securing each of the backing members 206 to the machine component 100. In an embodiment, the receptacles 204, disclosed herein, may be formed with use of for e.g., through-holes defined in the support members 202 while the fasteners 210 may include a bolt and nut arrangement.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, a portion 212 of the backing member 206, disposed partway along a length L of the backing member 206, could be configured to resiliently abut with the machine component 100. This way, the backing member 206 can operably resist flexing of the machine component 100 i.e., the axle assembly 100 along the elongated axis A-A′.
Although it is disclosed herein that the support members 202 are disposed on the outer surface 112 of the machine component 100, and that the receptacles 204 are located on the support members 202, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the receptacles 204 can be directly defined and located on the outer surface 112 of the machine component 100 thereby allowing one skilled in the art to do away with use of the support members 202. An exemplary configuration of such an embodiment is shown in the illustration of
In this embodiment, the receptacles 204 and the ends 214 of the backing member 206 may be configured so as to accomplish a releasable engagement and dis-engagement using commonly known structures such as, but not limited to, latches, sockets, bayonet lock connectors, pawls, ratchets, clasping mechanisms, and/or other interlocking mechanisms known to one skilled in the art. However, in an alternative embodiment as shown in
Referring again to
For example, if the sensors 216 provided on the machine component 100 record operational loads that are lower in magnitude than threshold values (pre-determined or known-beforehand) for the given machine component 100, then feedback from the sensors 216 would be indicative of the machine component 100 performing as intended and that no backing members 206 or additional backing members 206 are required for supporting the machine component 100 against overload. However, if the sensors 216 record operational loads that are equal to or greater than the threshold values for the given machine component 100, then the sensors 216 could beneficially provide feedback that is suggestive of adding more backing members 206 to the machine component 100 and increasing the amount of stiffness and/or strength in the machine component 100. This way, feedback from the sensors 216 can beneficially assist in the determination of whether additional backing members 206 are required for mounting onto the machine component 100 or not depending on the magnitude of operational loads and/or forces encountered by the machine component 100.
Moreover, as shown in
The controller 218 disclosed herein may be an electronic controller that operates in a logical fashion to perform operations, execute control algorithms, store and retrieve data and other desired operations. The controller 218 may include or access memory, secondary storage devices, processors, and any other components for running an application. The memory and secondary storage devices may be in the form of read-only memory (ROM) or random access memory (RAM) or integrated circuitry that is accessible by the controller 218. Various other circuits may be associated with the controller 218 such as power supply circuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, driver circuitry, and other types of circuitry. In an example, the controller 218 disclosed herein can be embodied in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) (not shown) or any other type of visual or audio rendering device known to persons skilled in the art.
The controller 218 may be a single controller or may include more than one controller disposed to control various functions and/or features of the sensors 216 and/or the machine. The term “controller” is meant to be used in its broadest sense to include one or more controllers and/or microprocessors that may be associated with the machine and that may cooperate in controlling various functions and operations of the machine. The functionality of the controller 218 may be implemented in hardware and/or software without regard to the functionality employed. The controller 218 may also use one or more data maps relating to the operating conditions of the machine component 100 that may be stored in the memory of the controller 218. Such data maps may be obtained from theoretical models, statistical models, experimental test data, or any other data source pertaining to a specific application and/or type of machine component.
As shown in
At step 504, the method 500 further includes determining, using sensors 216 provided on the machine component 100, if the machine component 100 is being used in a light-duty application or a heavy-duty application. At step 506, if the controller 218 determines that the machine component has reached a threshold of the heavy-duty application, then at step 508, the method 500 further includes positioning the backing member 206 on the machine component 100 such that the pair of ends 214 of the backing member 206 are configured to releasably engage with the pair of receptacles 204 defined on the machine component 100; and the portion 212 of the backing member 206, disposed partway along the length L of the backing member 206, is configured to resiliently abut with the machine component 100.
The method 500 of the present disclosure also includes defining the backing member 206 with the pair of openings 208 therethrough such that the pair of openings 208 is disposed in axial alignment with the pair of receptacles 204 defined on the machine component 100. Moreover, the method 500 also includes releasably securing the backing member 206 to the machine component 100 by providing fasteners 210 such that at least one fastener is received in each pair of axially aligned receptacles 204 and openings 208.
In an embodiment of this disclosure, the method 500 could alternately include defining the pair of support members 202 on the outer surface 112 of the machine component 100 such that each of the support members 202 are located in a spaced apart relation to one another and disposed parallel to the elongated axis A-A′ of the machine component 100. Moreover, in this embodiment, the receptacles 204 could be located on the pair of support members 202.
In one embodiment, the method 500 could further include disposing one or more sensors 216 on the machine component 100 for measuring the amount of operative load on the machine component 100; and providing feedback based on the measured operative load, the feedback from the sensors 216 being determinative of whether additional backing members 206 should be releasably affixed to the machine component 100 or not.
Various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the illustrative and explanatory sense, and should in no way be construed as limiting of the present disclosure. All joinder references (e.g., attached, affixed, coupled, engaged, connected, and the like) are only used to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and may not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the systems and/or methods disclosed herein. Therefore, joinder references, if any, are to be construed broadly. Moreover, such joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected to each other.
Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited to, “first”, “second”, “third”, or any other ordinary and/or numerical terms, should also be taken only as identifiers, to assist the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations and/or modifications of the present disclosure, and may not create any limitations, particularly as to the order, or preference, of any element, embodiment, variation and/or modification relative to, or over, another element, embodiment, variation and/or modification.
It is to be understood that individual features shown or described for one embodiment may be combined with individual features shown or described for another embodiment. The above described implementation does not in any way limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood although some features are shown or described to illustrate the use of the present disclosure in the context of functional segments, such features may be omitted from the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present disclosure have applicability for use and implementation in increasing an amount of stiffness and/or strength of existing machine components, esp. light-duty machine components.
With use of embodiments disclosed herein, manufacturers of machine components can standardize the production of machine components to light-duty machine components. Thereafter, with use of the system 200 disclosed herein, operators, service personnel, and/or technicians can easily retro-fit the system 200 onto the light-duty machine components and facilitate use of such machine components as heavy-duty machine components i.e., for use in heavy-duty applications. Therefore, embodiments disclosed herein obviate the need for separate manufacturing or production lines to distinctly produce light-duty machine components and heavy-duty machine components. Further, embodiments of the present disclosure also have applicability for use and implementation in reducing costs, energy, effort, and labor previously associated with production of machine components to distinct specifications or configurations depending on the specific requirements of an application for e.g., depending on whether the application is a light-duty application or a heavy-duty application.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems, methods and processes without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4693486 | Pierce et al. | Sep 1987 | A |
| 5636857 | Tandy, Jr. | Jun 1997 | A |
| 7717442 | Chalin | May 2010 | B2 |
| 8678407 | Eveley | Mar 2014 | B2 |
| 20020185914 | Clay | Dec 2002 | A1 |
| 20030168820 | Hagan | Sep 2003 | A1 |
| 20070145705 | Ramsey | Jun 2007 | A1 |
| 20080100017 | Bitter | May 2008 | A1 |
| 20110175314 | Ohra-aho | Jul 2011 | A1 |
| 20160280026 | Phillips | Sep 2016 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 203600903 | May 2014 | CN |
| 1839906 | Oct 2007 | EP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170106708 A1 | Apr 2017 | US |
