The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 06, 2019
Filed:
Feb. 02, 2017
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
John Michael Plouzek, Peoria, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Deerfield, IL (US);
Abstract
A wear life sensing system may use nondestructive testing techniques to determine when ground engaging tools (GETs) are worn down and reach the ends of their useful wear lives. The wear life sensing system may include a wear sensing body and a wear sensor assembly embedded within the body of the GET. The wear sensing body is positioned proximate a maximum wear point of the GET and is fabricated from a material having a different material density than the material of the GET body. The wear sensor assembly outputs distance sensor signals in the direction of the wear sensing body and determines the presence or absence of the wear sensing body based on the reflected distance sensor signals received at the wear sensor assembly. The wear sensor assembly may transmit a GET replacement message when it no longer detects the presence of the wear sensing body.