AU2019100023A4 - Monitoring loader bucket condition - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract An app is used to collect data from an ultrasonic thickness tester measuring the condition of loader buckets. The app displays a visual representation of each measurement required. Once all measurements have been made, the app transmits the data to an external processor which is arranged to produce a report on the bucket condition. Mo,ia~m Number eon ~u Fig I Fig. 2

Description

An app is used to collect data from an ultrasonic thickness tester measuring the condition of loader buckets. The app displays a visual representation of each measurement required. Once all measurements have been made, the app transmits the data to an external processor which is arranged to produce a report on the bucket condition.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019

WearWaHJ’JLvZ

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

2019100023 10 Jan 2019

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

Invention title:

“MONITORING LOADER BUCKET CONDITION”

Applicant:

PJL GROUP PTY LTD

Associated provisional applications:

The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:

2019100023 10 Jan 2019 “MONITORING LOADER BUCKET CONDITION”

Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to the monitoring of loader bucket condition.

Background to the Invention [0002] Loader buckets are subject to extensive wear, particularly when used in hard rock mining. While exposed edges of the buckets are generally protected by ground engaging tools, the bucket bowls and side walls are continuously subjected to abrasive wear.

[0003] In order to monitor the condition of loader buckets, it is known to use an ultrasonic thickness tester. An ultrasonic thickness tester, applied to the surface of a bucket, will give a reading of the bucket thickness at that location. Readings taken at a variety of locations around a bucket can provide an overall indication of bucket condition, and identify any high-wear areas. A comparison of readings taken at different times can indicate the rate of bucket wear, and provide an indication of likely remaining bucket life.

[0004] In practice, however, the use of ultrasonic thickness testers to provide meaningful information about loader bucket condition has proved to be of limited value. Loader buckets are often used and maintained in harsh work environments. For this sort of testing to be useful a maintenance worker must take a series of measurements, record each of those measurements, and provide the record to a clerk; the clerk must then type the measurements into a spreadsheet and generate a report which can be sent to a supervisor for consideration. The potential for error in this process is significant. There can be transcription errors, either in the recording by the maintenance worker or in the typing of the records. There is often no way to identify where on the bucket a particular reading was taken, making the process unverifiable. The ability to compare individual buckets (possibly from different manufacturers) against standard base conditions is also limited.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019 [0005] The present innovation seeks to provide a means to make thickness testing of loader buckets more efficient and useful in a mining, industrial or civil environment.

Summary of the Invention [0006] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket (a physical bucket), the system including:

one or more processors;

at least	one	input	interface	operatively	associated	with	the
processor(s);
at least	one	output	interface	operatively	associated	with	the
processor(s);
at least	one	display	interface	operatively	associated	with	the

processor(s); and at least one storage medium containing program instructions for execution by the processor(s), said program instruction causing the processor(s) to execute the steps of:

displaying on the display interface an image of an loader bucket (a virtual bucket) including a series of predetermined locations on the surface of the virtual bucket;

receiving, via said at least one input interface, computer-readable input data representative of a measured thickness of the physical bucket at locations corresponding to the predetermined locations;

processing the input data to generate a computer-readable condition report for the physical bucket; and generating at said at least one output interface at least one output file for use in remotely collating and processing information about the condition of the physical bucket.

[0007] Preferably, the input interface includes a connection to a thickness measuring device. The connection may be wired, or wireless, with a Bluetooth connection being preferred. The thickness measuring device is preferably an ultrasonic thickness measuring device.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019 [0008] Preferably, the storage medium includes a plurality of virtual buckets, with an operator able to choose the particular virtual bucket corresponding to the physical bucket.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket (a physical bucket), the system including:

means for receiving computer readable input data representative of thickness data for an loader bucket;

means for comparing the input data with stored data representative of thickness for the same loader bucket;

means for generating at least one output file including information regarding rate of deterioration of bucket condition.

[0010] Preferably, the system further includes means to compare input data with stored data representative of nominal thickness for a particular type of loader bucket.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0011] It will be convenient to further describe the invention with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments are possible, and consequently the particularity of the following discussion is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention. In the drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 is a screen shot of a home page of a hand-held computer application embodying the present innovation; and [0013] Figure 2 is a screen shot of a page within the application of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments [0014] The present application has three physical components: an ultrasonic thickness measuring device; a hand-held computer or tablet programmed with a computer application (an ‘app’); and a remote processor and storage device.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019

The measuring device is arranged to provide data to the tablet by a wireless connection such as Bluetooth or a wired connection such as a USB connection. The tablet is arranged to provide data to the remote processor by wireless means such as via a communications network.

[0015] A maintenance worker tasked with recording measurements of an loader bucket (the physical bucket) will go to the physical bucket together with the tablet and the measuring device. The worker will open the app on the tablet, and negotiate to the home page as shown in Figure 1.

[0016] The worker will be invited to identify within the app the particular bucket to be measured, chosen from within a database contained in the app. In response, the app will show a virtual representation of the bucket (the virtual bucket).

[0017] The worker will then proceed to work through a number of ‘tabs’ in the app, relating to various parts of the virtual bucket. One such tab, the tab relating to ‘Floor liner’, is shown in Figure 2.

[0018] On each tab, the app will display a region of the virtual bucket, with a plurality of locations marked. The worker is required to work through each location in turn.

[0019] When a particular location on the virtual bucket has been selected on the tablet, the worker will use the measuring device to measure the thickness of the corresponding location on the physical bucket. The thickness measurement will be automatically relayed from the measuring device to the tablet, and recorded against that location in the app’s database.

[0020] The worker will sequentially move through all locations on all tabs. This provides a comprehensive data set of bucket thickness measurements.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019 [0021] The data set is then transferred to the remote processor. This transference may be instantaneous, or it may be delayed (for instance, until the tablet is within a suitable range for data transmission).

[0022] The remote processor is equipped to compare the data set both to previously recorded data for the same bucket, and also to generic data for the particular make of bucket. From this comparison, the remote processor is arranged to generate a report on bucket condition, which can be sent electronically to a recipient such as a maintenance supervisor.

[0023] It will be appreciated that the remote processor may be on-site, such as in an office at a mine-site. It may be off-site, such as at a remote controlcentre. In a preferred embodiment, the remote processor is maintained at a separate server. In such an embodiment a remote processor can service a number of distinct clients, using a common database of bucket types to produce individual condition reports for each bucket.

[0024] It will be appreciated that this system minimises the prospect of human error in the transcribing and identification of measurements. It will also be appreciated that this system allows for the automated, immediate preparation of a status report for a maintenance supervisor. Further, the system encourages consistency in measurements, allowing for meaningful comparisons to be made between buckets and for individual buckets over time.

[0025] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present innovation.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019

Claims (5)

1. A computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket (a physical bucket), the system including:

one or more processors;

at least one input interface operatively associated with the processor(s); at least one output interface operatively associated with the processor(s); at least one display interface operatively associated with the

processor(s); and at least one storage medium containing program instructions for execution by the processor(s), said program instruction causing the processor(s) to execute the steps of:

displaying on the display interface an image of an loader bucket (a virtual bucket) including a series of predetermined locations on the surface of the virtual bucket;

receiving, via said at least one input interface, computer-readable input data representative of a measured thickness of the physical bucket at locations corresponding to the predetermined locations;

processing the input data to generate a computer-readable condition report for the physical bucket; and generating at said at least one output interface at least one output file for use in remotely collating and processing information about the condition of the physical bucket.

2. A computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input interface includes a connection to a thickness measuring device.

3. A computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the storage medium includes a plurality of virtual buckets, with an operator able to choose the particular virtual bucket corresponding to the physical bucket.

2019100023 10 Jan 2019

4. A computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket, the system including:

means for receiving computer readable input data representative of thickness data for an loader bucket;

means for comparing the input data with stored data representative of thickness for the same loader bucket;

means for generating at least one output file including information regarding rate of deterioration of bucket condition.

5. A computer-implemented system for determining the condition of an loader bucket as claimed in claim 4, wherein the system further includes means to compare input data with stored data representative of nominal thickness for a particular type of loader bucket.

PJL GROUP PTY LTD

By its Patent Attorneys

ARMOUR IP

P2302AU00

2019100023 10 Jan 2019

Power Apps

WedfWoH.PJL.v2