JP2003040160A - Maintenance timing determining device of crawler type vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain continuous life information of a suspension without going to work site, and to speedily determine an optimal maintenance timing with minimum man-hours. SOLUTION: A vehicle body is provided with an infrared radiation temperature gauge 21 for detecting a temperature near an end surface of a connecting pin 16. The infrared radiation temperature gauge 21 detects the temperature near the end surface of the connecting pin 16, and outputs an abnormal detection signal when the detected temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a crawler-type vehicle maintenance timing determining device for sensing a reduction in lubricating oil enclosed between a crawler belt pin and a crawler belt bush to determine maintenance timing of a crawler belt link assembly. .

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a crawler belt in a crawler type vehicle such as a bulldozer has a pair of left and right track links arranged in the front-rear direction, a connecting pin (crawler track pin) for connecting adjacent track links, and a crawler track. It comprises a bush and a shoe plate mounted on the tread of the track link. In this case, in order to smoothly rotate the track link and suppress internal wear of the connecting pin / crawler belt bushing, a sealed lubrication type in which lubricating oil is sealed in the internal space of the connecting pin and the contact surface between the connecting pin and the crawler belt bushing. The thing of many is used.

By the way, in this hermetically-sealed crawler belt, when it is used for a long time, the lubricating oil filled between the connecting pin and the crawler belt bush decreases, so that the part heats up unexpectedly. Things will happen. For this reason, conventionally, a service person regularly visits the work site, collects information by measuring the temperature around the connecting pin while the vehicle is stopped, and abnormal situations such as running out of lubricating oil have occurred. It is determined whether or not there is. When an abnormal situation occurs, a predetermined abnormality process such as crawler belt exchange is performed.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, the service person has to go to the work site one by one, and at the work site, temperature data etc. of a large number of connecting pins are transferred one by one. Since it is necessary to measure and record, not only is it extremely inefficient, but it is not possible to obtain the life information of the crawler track in real time, and there is a problem that vehicle failure diagnosis cannot be performed accurately.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to obtain continuous service life information of a link assembly of a crawler track without going to a work site. Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a maintenance timing determination device for a crawler type vehicle that can determine an optimal maintenance timing at an early stage.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the crawler type vehicle maintenance timing determining device according to the first aspect of the present invention detects a decrease in the lubricating oil enclosed between the crawler pin and the crawler bush. A maintenance time determination device for a crawler type vehicle for determining maintenance time of a link assembly of a crawler track, comprising: (a) a non-contact device provided in a vehicle body for detecting a temperature near an end face of the crawler belt pin or a surface of a crawler belt bush. Contact type track temperature detecting means and (b) abnormality detecting means for outputting an abnormality detection signal when the temperature of the vicinity of the end face of the track pin or the surface of the track bush detected by the track temperature detecting means exceeds a predetermined temperature. It is characterized by that.

In the present invention, the non-contact type track temperature detecting means provided in the vehicle body detects the temperature of the vicinity of the end face of the track pin or the surface of the track bush to collect the life information of the track, and this detection is performed. When the temperature to be exceeded exceeds a predetermined temperature, the abnormality detection signal is output. Therefore, it is possible to obtain continuous service life information of the link assembly of the crawler belt even if the service engineer does not go to the work site, and it is possible to determine the optimum maintenance time with a minimum number of steps and at an early stage.

Next, a crawler-type vehicle maintenance timing determining device according to a second aspect of the invention is a crawler-type vehicle that determines the maintenance timing of a crawler belt link assembly by detecting a decrease in lubricating oil enclosed between a crawler belt pin and a crawler belt bush. (A) a non-contact type track temperature detecting means provided on the vehicle body for detecting the temperature near the end face of the track pin or on the surface of the track bush;
(B) Reference temperature detecting means for detecting the outside air temperature or vehicle body temperature, and (c) Temperature near the end face of the track pin or on the surface of the track bush detected by the track temperature detecting means and the reference temperature detecting means. It is characterized in that it is provided with an abnormality detection means for outputting an abnormality detection signal when the temperature difference from the reference temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

According to the present invention, the non-contact type track temperature detecting means provided in the vehicle body detects the temperature of the vicinity of the end face of the track pin or the surface of the track bush to collect the life information of the track, and The outside temperature or the vehicle body temperature is detected by the reference temperature detecting means. Then, the temperature near the end surface of the crawler belt pin or the surface of the crawler belt bush detected by the crawler belt temperature detecting means is compared with a reference temperature such as an outside air temperature or a vehicle body temperature, and when the temperature difference between the two exceeds a predetermined temperature. An abnormality detection signal is output. Thus
It is possible to obtain suspension life information without being affected by the usage status of the vehicle including environmental conditions.

In each of the above inventions, there is provided rotation speed detecting means for detecting the rotation speed of the sprocket on which the crawler belt is wound, and the abnormality detecting means is such that the rotation speed detected by the rotation speed detecting means is within a predetermined rotation speed range. In this case, it is preferable that the crawler belt temperature detecting means detects the temperature near the end face of the crawler belt pin or the surface of the crawler belt bush (third invention). By doing so, the temperature of the sprocket is detected by the track temperature detecting means when the speed of rotation of the sprocket is at a speed at which the track temperature detecting means can sample, so that the temperature of the vicinity of the end face of the track pin or the surface of the track bush is more improved. It can be reliably detected.

In each of the above inventions, the abnormality detecting means is provided in each of the plurality of vehicles, and the abnormality detecting signals detected by the abnormality detecting means are collected through the communication means to check the operating state of each vehicle. A monitoring center for monitoring is preferably provided (fourth invention). If you do this,
Even if the work site is remote, the operating state of a plurality of vehicles can be grasped at the monitoring center at an early stage, and abnormality monitoring can be performed more accurately.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, a concrete embodiment of a maintenance time determination device for a crawler type vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a side view (a) and a rear view (b) of a bulldozer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 shows an enlarged side view of the crawler track, and FIG. 3 shows
2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2, and FIG.
An enlarged view (a) and a horizontal partial sectional view (b) thereof are respectively shown.

The bulldozer 1 of this embodiment includes a vehicle body 2 and
Crawler belts 3 are provided on both sides of the vehicle body 2 to move the vehicle body 2 forward, backward, and turn. A hood 4 for accommodating an engine and the like, and a cab 5 for a driver's cab for driving and operating the bulldozer 1 are provided on the vehicle body 2. On the left and right sides of the vehicle body 2, a base end of a straight frame 6 is supported by a trunnion 7, and a blade 8 is pivotally supported at the tip of the straight frame 6 so as to be able to move up and down. Further, the blade 8 is provided with a pair of left and right blade lift cylinders 9 for raising and lowering the blade 8, a brace (not shown) for tilting the blade 8 to the left and right, and a blade tilt cylinder 10. Although not shown in the figure, a controller that controls various controls of the bulldozer 1 is mounted at an appropriate place on the vehicle body 2, and the data analyzed and accumulated by this controller is monitored by a monitoring center (not shown). An antenna 11 for transmitting and receiving data to and from is attached to the cab 5 for the cab.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the crawler belt 3 is wound around the sprockets of the idle wheel 12 and the drive wheel 13, and is provided with a track link 14, a crawler belt bush 15, and a connecting pin ( Crawler track pin 16 and shoe (track)
It is composed of 17 etc. Thus, the track 3
The crawler belt bush 15 located at the connecting portion of each track link 14 meshes with the drive wheel 13, and the drive wheel 13 is rotationally driven to perform a circulating operation between the idle wheel 12 and the drive wheel 13. The vehicle body 2 is driven or turned by the vehicle.

The track link 14 has an outer link portion 18 at one end side in the longitudinal direction and an inner link portion 19 at the other end side. Then, the outer link portion 18 has a pin insertion hole 18a through which the connecting pin 16 is inserted.
Is provided, and the sealing device 20 is provided in a stepped hole (seal mounting hole) formed inside the outer link portion 18.
Is inserted. Further, the inner link portion 19 is provided with a bush insertion hole 19a through which the crawler belt bush 15 is inserted.

The crawler belt bush 15 is press-fitted into the bush insertion hole 19a of each inner link portion 19,
Both ends thereof are inserted into the seal mounting holes so as to face the outer link portion 18. Further, the connecting pin 16 is slidably inserted into the crawler belt bush 15, and both ends thereof are
It is fitted in the pin insertion hole 18a of the outer link portion 18 in a press-fitted state.

Further, the inner space of the connecting pin 16 is an oil reservoir 16a in which lubricating oil is sealed, and the connecting pin 1 is provided from the oil reservoir 16a through an oil passage 16b.
6, the lubricating oil is supplied to the contact surface between the track 6 and the track bush 15,
The contact surface is configured to be oil-lubricated, and the sealing device 20 is provided to prevent leakage of the enclosed lubricating oil.

In this embodiment, there is provided a maintenance timing determination system which senses that the lubricating oil on the contact surface between the connecting pin 16 and the crawler belt bush 15 has decreased and notifies the maintenance timing of the crawler belt 3. This system will be described in detail below.

An infrared radiation thermometer 21 is mounted on the rear left and right sides of the lower part of the vehicle body 2 of the bulldozer 1 and at positions facing the inner end surface of the connecting pin 16 through which the connecting pin 16 of the crawler belt 3 passes. ing. This infrared radiation thermometer 21
It is a non-contact type temperature sensor that senses infrared rays emitted from an object and measures the temperature of the object.

During traveling / turning of the bulldozer 1, the infrared radiation thermometer 21 has an interval longer than the sampling cycle (for example, if the sampling cycle of the infrared radiation thermometer 21 is 0.05 seconds, the temperature measurement cycle). Is set to 0.25 seconds), the temperature of a portion where the inner end surface (the end surface on the vehicle body 2 side) of the connecting pin 16 passes is measured continuously.
Here, when the lubricating oil sealed between the connecting pin 16 and the crawler belt bush 15 decreases, the sliding surface of the connecting pin 16 and the crawler belt bush 15, in other words, the joint portion of the crawler belt, generates heat. It is desirable to use it as a target for temperature measurement (temperature measurement). In this embodiment, the infrared radiation thermometer 21 is arranged so as to be located near the radial end surface of the connecting pin 16 on the vehicle body 2 side when the passing connecting pin 16 is at the target position for temperature measurement. Has been done. In addition,
The temperature measurement diameter is set to 20 mm. Although the target of temperature measurement is the surface of the crawler belt bush 15, the degree of exposure of the crawler belt bush 15 to the outside is much larger than that of the connecting pin 16, but it is advantageous from the viewpoint of temperature measurement, but the infrared radiation thermometer. Since it is necessary to project 21 from the vehicle body 2, it is disadvantageous in that problems such as sediment accumulation occur.

When the temperature is measured in this way, the object of temperature measurement is not limited to the end face of the connecting pin 16, but an unspecified portion inside the crawler belt 3. However, since the abnormal heat generation of the track due to the operation of the vehicle having the sealed lubrication type track is usually caused by the decrease of the lubricating oil enclosed between the connecting pin and the track bush,
Even in such a temperature measuring method, if there is an abnormally high temperature, that portion may be regarded as the joint portion of the crawler belt.

Next, in this embodiment, the controller (abnormality detecting means) that receives the output from the infrared radiation thermometer 21 executes the control as shown in the flowchart of FIG. Note that A1 to A5 indicate each step.

A1: Start measuring the temperature of the crawler belt 3. That is, in order to detect the heat generation due to the decrease in the lubricating oil on the contact surface between the connecting pin 16 and the crawler belt bush 15, the temperature near the end surface of the connecting pin 16 that is moved in the orbit is measured by the infrared radiation thermometer 21. A2: The temperature measurement value as the output from the infrared radiation thermometer 21 is stored from the temperature measurement start point, and when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed from the temperature measurement start point, only the latest predetermined time is stored, and The previous measured temperature value is deleted. A3: An average value of temperature measurement values for a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) is calculated.

A4 to A5: The temperature measurement value of the track temperature is compared with the average value of the temperature measurement values before the time when the temperature measurement value was obtained, and it is determined whether or not this difference is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature (+ 3 ° C.). judge. When the difference is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the track bush 1
5 determines that the lubricating oil between the connecting pin 16 and the connecting pin 16 has decreased and is in a heat generation state, and outputs an abnormality detection signal and also outputs the time change data of the temperature measurement result (relational data between time and temperature). To do. The time-dependent change data of the alarm signal and the temperature measurement result is transmitted to the monitoring center via the communication means, and the monitoring center collects the data. If the difference does not reach the predetermined temperature, step A
Return to 2 and repeat the flow. Here, the predetermined temperature that is the reference for the abnormality determination is set to be smaller than the temperature rise of the end portion of the connecting pin 16 due to the lack of lubricating oil, because the temperature measuring portion necessarily captures only the vicinity of the end surface of the connecting pin 16. Because there is no.

Next, a maintenance time determination system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In this embodiment, a rotation speed detecting means (not shown) for detecting the rotation speed of the sprocket of the drive wheel 13 is used.
Is provided, and the temperature data of the connecting pin 16 is sampled when the sprocket rotation speed detected by the rotation speed detecting means becomes a speed at which the infrared radiation thermometer 21 can sample. There is. Here, as the rotation speed data of the sprocket, it is preferable to use data from a rotation sensor that detects the rotation speed of the output shaft of the transmission.

In order to make a proper abnormality determination without being affected by the usage of the bulldozer 1 including the environmental conditions,
The outside air temperature or the vehicle body temperature (main frame temperature) is measured by a reference temperature detecting means (not shown), and this measured temperature is compared with the temperature measured by the infrared radiation thermometer 21 so that the optimum maintenance time can be determined. Has been done.

Next, the control flow of the maintenance time determination system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Note that B1 to B9 indicate each step.

B1 and B2: The rotation speed of the sprocket is measured, and whether or not the measured rotation speed is a speed at which the infrared radiation thermometer 21 can measure temperature, in other words, sampling can be performed by the infrared radiation thermometer 21. The controller determines whether the speed is less than or equal to this speed. As a result of this judgment,
When it is the temperature measurable speed, the process proceeds to the next step B3, and when it is not the temperature measurable speed, the process returns to the original step.

B3: The temperature measurement of the crawler belt 3 is started. That is, in order to detect the heat generation due to the decrease in the lubricating oil on the contact surface between the connecting pin 16 and the crawler belt bush 15, the temperature near the end surface of the connecting pin 16 that is moved in the orbit is measured by the infrared radiation thermometer 21. B4: The outside air temperature or the temperature of the main frame of the vehicle body 2 is measured as a reference temperature that serves as a reference for determining the maintenance timing of the crawler belt 3.

B5 to B6: It is judged whether or not the track temperature measured by the infrared radiation thermometer 21 is higher than the reference temperature by 20 ° C. or more (connecting pin), and there is a position higher than 20 ° C. In that case, it is determined that the lubricating oil on the contact surface between the connecting pin 16 and the crawler belt bush 15 has decreased at that location, and the heat is generated. Therefore, the controller (abnormality detection means) outputs an alarm signal and The time change data of the temperature measurement result (relational data between time and temperature) is output. The time-dependent change data of the alarm signal and the temperature measurement result is transmitted to the monitoring center via the communication means, and the monitoring center collects the data.

B7 to B9: Further, the measurement by the infrared radiation thermometer 21 is continued, and it is judged whether or not a portion higher than the reference temperature by 20 ° C. or more is reproduced. When reproducing, the controller (abnormality detecting means) abnormal signal is output and the temperature change data of the temperature measurement result is output. If the abnormality has not been reproduced, the signal in which the abnormality has not been reproduced is output, and the time-dependent change data of the temperature measurement result is output. In addition, in the monitoring center, a required command signal (for example, a vehicle driving stop command, a crawler track replacement command, etc.) is transmitted to the bulldozer 1 in response to the abnormality signal.

In this embodiment, the temperature is measured when the rotation speed of the sprocket is lower than the speed at which the infrared radiation thermometer 21 can measure the temperature. However, the number of connecting pins of the crawler belt is determined by the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to synchronize the temperature measurement timing and the sprocket rotation speed and measure the temperature in accordance with the position of the connecting pin. By doing so, the position of the connecting pin in the heat-generating state can be specified, and measures can be taken accordingly.

In this embodiment, the temperature of the main frame of the vehicle is measured as the reference temperature, but the vehicle temperature is not limited to the main frame as long as it is not affected by the heating element. You may measure the temperature of other places.

In this embodiment, the infrared radiation thermometer is used as the means for detecting the track temperature, but the non-contact type means may be used as the detecting means.
It is also possible to use other detection means such as one that detects temperature by image processing.

According to each of the above embodiments, an abnormality detection signal is output according to the frequency at which the temperature measured by the infrared radiation thermometer 21 exceeds a predetermined temperature, and the abnormality detection signal is monitored at a remote position. Since it is transmitted to the center, data of a plurality of vehicles can be collected at this monitoring center. Therefore, even if the service person does not regularly go to the work site, it is possible to obtain the continuous life information of the undercarriage, and it is possible to determine the optimal maintenance time with a minimum number of steps and at an early stage.

In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the bulldozer was described as an example, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other crawler type vehicles.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view (a) and a rear view (b) of a bulldozer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a crawler belt.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view (a) of a main part of FIG. 2 and a horizontal partial sectional view (b) thereof.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control flow of the maintenance time determination system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control flow of a maintenance time determination system according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Bulldozer 3 tracks 13 drive wheels 14 track links 15 Track bush 16 Connecting Pin (Crawler Track Pin) 16a oil sump 16b oil passage 21 Infrared radiation thermometer

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Akira Hashimoto             3-1-1 Ueno, Hirakata-shi, Osaka Co., Ltd.             Komatsu Manufacturing Osaka Plant F-term (reference) 2D015 HA03 HB03 HB07                 3D026 BA05 BA22 BA28

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A maintenance time determination device for a crawler type vehicle for determining the maintenance time of a crawler belt link assembly by detecting a decrease in lubricating oil enclosed between a crawler belt pin and a crawler belt bush, comprising: A non-contact type track temperature detecting means that is provided to detect the temperature of the end surface of the track pin or the surface of the track bush, and (b) near the end surface of the track pin or the surface of the track bush detected by the track temperature detecting means. A maintenance timing determination device for a crawler type vehicle, comprising: abnormality detection means for outputting an abnormality detection signal when the temperature of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined temperature. 2. A maintenance time determination device for a crawler type vehicle for detecting the reduction of the lubricating oil enclosed between the crawler belt pin and the crawler belt bush to determine the maintenance time of the crawler belt link assembly, comprising: A non-contact type track temperature detecting means provided to detect the temperature of the end surface of the track pin or the surface of the track bush, (b) reference temperature detecting means to detect the outside air temperature or the vehicle body temperature, and (c) the track temperature. Abnormality detection means for outputting an abnormality detection signal when the temperature difference between the end surface of the crawler belt pin detected by the detection means or the surface of the crawler belt bush and the reference temperature detected by the reference temperature detection means exceeds a predetermined temperature. A maintenance time determination device for a crawler-type vehicle, comprising: 3. A rotation speed detecting means for detecting a rotation speed of a sprocket on which a crawler belt is wound, said abnormality detecting means, when the rotation speed detected by said rotation speed detecting means is within a predetermined rotation speed range. 3. The maintenance timing determination device for a crawler type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the crawler belt temperature detecting means detects a temperature near an end surface of the crawler belt pin or a surface of a crawler belt bush. 4. A monitoring system in which the abnormality detecting means is provided for each of a plurality of vehicles, and abnormality detection signals detected by the abnormality detecting means are collected through communication means to monitor the operating state of each vehicle. A center is provided.
The maintenance time determination device for a crawler type vehicle according to any one of 1.