Wedge Position Monitoring Sensors for Earth-Moving Machine Adapters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring the position of wedges in earth-moving machines are unreliable, time-consuming, and unsafe, as they require visual inspection by personnel, which can lead to accidents and production losses due to the inability to detect precise wear and deformation, necessitating frequent shutdowns and manual measurements.
Innovation Solution
A system with sensors on the wedge or fixing element that detect a detection element on the other component, allowing continuous, automated, and remote monitoring of the wedge position, using magnetic or metal sensors connected to a control means for real-time feedback, enabling alerts for necessary interventions without machine shutdown or personnel presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual inspection by personnel is used to monitor wedge position, then the monitoring can be performed without additional sensors, but the method is unsafe, time-consuming, and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated sensor-based detection system. Sensors (optical, magnetic, or capacitive) mounted on the wedge or fixing element automatically monitor position and detect wear-induced shifts, eliminating the need for personnel to physically inspect the equipment and thereby removing safety risks while improving detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors as an intermediary between the wedge and the monitoring system. These sensors detect the wedge position indirectly through fields (optical, magnetic, or capacitive) rather than requiring direct physical contact or visual inspection by personnel, enabling safe and accurate remote monitoring.
2Productivity
If manual visual inspection is used to check wedge position, then no additional monitoring system is needed, but frequent shutdowns and production losses occur due to inability to detect precise wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous monitoring of wedge position through sensors that operate throughout machine operation. The detection system runs continuously without interruption, allowing real-time tracking of wedge position and wear, thereby eliminating the need for periodic shutdowns and manual inspections, and maintaining uninterrupted productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensors continuously monitor wedge position and provide real-time data to a control system. When wear-induced position shifts exceed predetermined thresholds, the system generates alerts or warnings, enabling timely maintenance interventions without requiring full shutdowns or production stoppages.
3Measurement precision
If no monitoring system is installed, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to detect precise wear and deformation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring function into separate sensor modules that can be independently mounted on either the wedge or the fixing element. This modular approach allows precise local measurement of wedge position while keeping each sensor unit relatively simple, and enables the system to be scaled or configured based on specific application needs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous, safe, and remote monitoring of wedge positions, reducing the risk of accidents and production losses by providing precise and timely alerts for maintenance, allowing for optimized operation without manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
said sensors (4) are magnetic field sensors or said sensors (4) are metal sensors
Implementation Method 2
said sensors (4) are magnetic field sensors or said sensors (4) are metal sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A system for fixing an adapter for earth-moving machines, which comprises: a fixing element (1) that fixes an adapter (2) to an edge (10) of a shovel of the earth-moving machine; and a wedge (3) placed in contact between the fixing element (1) and the edge (10), characterized in that the system comprises a plurality of sensors (4) arranged on the wedge (3) or on the fixing element (1) that detect at least one detection element (5) arranged in the other of the fixing element (1) or the wedge (3). It makes it possible continuously to detect and to monitor the position of the wedge relative to the fixing element without the need to check the position of the wedge visually.