CAPSULE FOR PROTECTING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE INSIDE A WEAR ELEMENT OF AN EARTH MOVING MACHINE

Abstract

Capsule for protecting an electronic device inside a wear element of an earth moving machine, corresponding wear element and machine. The capsule has a central axis defining an axial direction, a front end, and a rear end. The capsule comprises a container, extending in the axial direction from said front end, provided with an inner chamber for housing said electronic device, and has a front part provided with a flange, and a rear part. The capsule also comprises a cover that can be removably coupled to said container and configured for covering said rear part of said container.

Claims

1. A capsule for protecting an electronic device inside a wear element of an earth moving machine, having a central axis defining an axial direction, a front end, and a rear end opposite said front end in the axial direction; said capsule comprises: a container, extending in the axial direction from said front end, provided with an inner chamber configured for housing said electronic device, wherein said container has a front part provided with a flange, and a rear part; and a cover that can be removably coupled to said container and configured for covering said rear part of said container.

2. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said flange has extraction means configured for extracting said container from said wear element, preferably by means of pushing in the axial direction.

3. The capsule according to claim 2, wherein said extraction means comprise at least two threaded through holes, preferably three threaded holes.

4. The capsule according to claim 3, wherein said threaded holes are arranged in the axial direction, parallel to said central axis.

5. The capsule according to claim 4, wherein said threaded holes are all arranged at the same distance from said central axis, preferably separated from one another at regular intervals.

6. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said container is open at its rear end.

7. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the capsule has a diameter with respect to said central axis that decreases between said front end and said rear end, said capsule preferably having a frustum shape, more preferably a frustoconical shape.

8. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises first positioning means configured for cooperating with respective positioning means of said wear element for positioning said capsule inside said wear element.

9. The capsule according to claim 8, wherein said first positioning means are provided on said flange.

10. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises second positioning means configured for cooperating with respective positioning means of said electronic device for positioning said electronic device inside said capsule.

11. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises capsule fixing means configured for fixing said capsule to said wear element.

12. The capsule according to claim 11, wherein said capsule fixing means comprise projections provided on the perimeter of said flange, preferably longitudinally arranged.

13. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the capsule is manufactured in a polymer material, preferably biodegradable.

14. The capsule according to claim 13, wherein said material has a water absorption of less than 10%, preferably less than 1%, more preferably equal or less than 0.5%, measured according to the norm ISO 62:2008 published on February 2008.

15. The capsule according to claim 13, wherein said material has a moisture absorption of less than 4%, preferably less than 0.2%, measured according to the norm ISO 62:2008 published on February 2008.

16. The capsule according to claim 13, wherein said material has a dielectric constant equal or less than 5, preferably, equal or less than 4.

17. The capsule according to claim 13, wherein said material has a dielectric loss coefficient equal or less than 0.03, preferably, equal or less than 0.005.

18. The capsule according to claim 13, wherein said material comprises at least one of the list consisting in: polyamide 6, PA6; polyamide 6.6, PA6.6 polyether ether ketone, PEEK; and polyphenylene sulfide, PPS.

19. The capsule according to claim 13, wherein said material further comprises a glass fiber filler, preferably 30% by weight of glass fiber filler.

20. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said container and said cover are configured so that when said cover is coupled to said container said cover a covers said container up to the rear end of said flange.

21. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said container and said cover are configured so that when said cover is coupled to said container said cover is spaced from said flange.

22. The capsule according to claim 21, wherein the container comprises a wall part provided in the spacing between the rear end of the flange and the cover.

23. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said rear part is an oval base frustum.

24. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein said flange is an oval base frustum.

25. The capsule according to claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises a metal washer arranged at the rear end of said flange, so that said metal washer is interposed between said flange and said wear element when said capsule is inserted in said wear element; said washer having at least two threaded through holes.

26. The capsule according to claim 25, wherein said flange extends over said threaded through holes, said flange provided with corresponding access holes for accessing said threaded through holes from the front end of said flange.

27. The capsule according to claim 25, wherein said flange does not extend over said threaded through holes.

28. A wear element comprising an electronic device protected by the capsule according to claim 1.

29. An earth moving machine comprising at least one wear element according to claim 28.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] The advantages and features of the invention can be seen from the following description in which preferred embodiments of the invention are described in a non-limiting manner with respect to the scope of the main claim in reference to the drawings.

[0062] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a capsule according to one embodiment.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the same capsule of FIG. 1.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a view of the capsule according to the invention from the rear end.

[0065] FIG. 4 is a section of a capsule according to the invention, protecting an electronic device.

[0066] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a capsule according to the invention, with an electronic device to be protected by the capsule.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows the capsule of FIG. 5 in which the electronic device has already been introduced in the container.

[0068] FIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 10 show different views of the container of the capsule according to one embodiment. FIGS. 7 and 8 show perspective views, FIG. 9 shows a view from the rear end, and FIG. 10 shows a section view. The place where the section is performed is labeled with a horizontal line in FIG. 9.

[0069] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a wear element having incorporated therein a capsule according to the invention, in which the front end of said capsule can be seen.

[0070] FIG. 12 is a section of the wear element of FIG. 11.

[0071] FIG. 13 is a section view of an embodiment of the capsule according to invention.

[0072] FIG. 14 is a section view of another embodiment of the capsule.

[0073] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the capsule having a flattened shape.

[0074] FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the capsule of FIG. 15.

[0075] FIG. 17 contains several views of an embodiment of the capsule having a metal washer.

[0076] FIG. 17A is a view from the rear end, FIG. 17B is a perspective view and FIG. 17C is a view from the front end.

[0077] FIG. 18 contains several views of another embodiment of the capsule having a metal washer. FIG. 18A is a view from the rear end, FIG. 18B is a perspective view and FIG. 18C is a view from the front end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0078] The drawings show an embodiment of a capsule 1 for protecting an electronic device 2 inside a wear element 3 of an earth moving machine. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the capsule 1 has a central axis 4, represented by a discontinuous line. Said central axis 4 defines an axial direction. The capsule also has a front end 8 and a rear end 9 opposite said front end 8 in the axial direction. As indicated above, the terms front and rear are used only as a naming convention for describing the coordinates relative to the capsule 1 itself, given that it can be in different positions during use, storage, and transport.

[0079] The capsule 1 with the electronic device 2 is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the capsule 1, FIG. 6 shows the capsule 1 not yet closed but with the electronic device 2 already introduced therein. FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the capsule 1 assembled with the electronic device 2 inserted therein. Moreover, FIGS. 11 and 12 show the capsule 1 inside a wear element 3 of an earth moving machine. These wear elements 3 are also known as GETs.

[0080] The capsule 1 of the drawings comprises a container 5 shown separately in FIGS. 7 to 10. As shown in FIG. 7, said container 5 extends in the axial direction from said front end 8 of the capsule 1, such that the front end of the container 5 corresponds to the front end 8 of the capsule. The container 5 is provided with an inner chamber 53 configured for housing said electronic device 2. FIGS. 5, 6, and 10 show that said container 5 has a front part 51 and a rear part 52, the front part 51 being provided with a flange 7. For the example, both front part 51 and rear part 52 are integrally attached forming single body, particularly they are manufactured as a single part.

[0081] For the example of the drawings, the container 5 is open at its rear end such that the electronic device 2 can be introduced into said container 5 through its rear end. In other embodiments, the rear end of the container 5 is not open.

[0082] The capsule also comprises a cover 6 that can be removably coupled to said container 5 and configured for covering said rear part 52 of said container 5. For the example, the rear part 52 of the container 5 has an annular recess 54 in the area where it is attached with the front part 51. In turn, the cover 6 has an annular protuberance 64 at its front end. Said annular recess 54 and said annular protuberance 64 cooperate with one another as coupling means, allowing the cover 6 to be removably coupled to the container 5. Other embodiments have several of said annular recesses in the rear part 52 and several corresponding annular protuberances in the cover 6, thereby achieving a stronger coupling. Other embodiments have other types of coupling between the cover 6 and the container 5.

[0083] Therefore, in the examples of the drawings, the cover 6 covers the container 5 right up to the rear end of the flange 7: the container 5 can be inserted into the cover 6 and said cover 6 acts like a cap, tightly covering the container 5. A section view showing the interaction and the relative positions between the container 5 and the cover 6 can be seen in FIG. 4. It is seen in the same FIG. 4, and separately in FIG. 10, that the rear part 52 of the container 5 has a cylindrical tubular shape, whereas the cover 6 has a frustum shape, particularly a frustoconical shape which facilitates the extraction of the capsule from inside the wear element 3. This embodiment allows the capsule 1 to have a diameter with respect to the central axis 4 that decreases between the front end 8 and the rear end 9. Other embodiments have other profile types, for example, partially staggered profiles, profiles having a frustum shape but without circumferential symmetry, etc.

[0084] For the embodiment of the drawings, said flange 7 has extraction means 10 configured for extracting said container 5 from said wear element 3. Other embodiments do not have extraction means 10.

[0085] For the example of the drawings, the extraction means 10 comprise three threaded through holes in the axial direction located at regular intervals of 120 and at the same distance from the central axis 4, all of them being parallel to said central axis 4, as shown in FIG. 9. Once the capsule 1 is inserted in the wear element 3, said through holes are arranged facing the wear element 3 on the support surface for the flange 7. In this manner, extraction from inside the wear element 3 comprises introducing screws into said through holes and screwing them in. When the screws contact the wear element 3, an axial push which allows extracting said container 5 from the wear element 3 is produced. Indeed, for this example, as each screw is being screwed in for the extraction operation, said screw first contacts the support surface for the flange of the wear element 3, and as the screwing in continues the axial push which starts to separate the container 5 from the wear element 3 is initiated. As each screw continues to be screwed into the threaded hole, the extraction continues until said container 5 is completely extracted. In the case where the cover 6 has been fixed to the wear element 3, this extraction also separates the container 5 from the cover 6.

[0086] For some embodiments such as the one shown in the drawings, the capsule 1 further comprises first positioning means 11 configured for cooperating with respective positioning means of said wear element 3 for positioning said capsule 1 inside said wear element 3. FIG. 11 shows the capsule 1 inserted into the wear element 3. The way in which said first positioning means 11 are provided on said flange 7 and comprise the shape of the flange 7 can be seen in said figure, for the case of the example. In particular, the flange 7 of the example is in the form of a circumference with a substantially straight arch on the periphery thereof acting as first positioning means 11. It can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 8, and 9 that said arch is arranged between two of the through holes. Therefore, given that the wear element 3 has a complementary shape, the capsule 1 can only be inserted into the wear element 3 in a specific position. Other preferred shapes have other positioning means such as recesses, notches, or even combinations thereof.

[0087] In some embodiments like the one shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, the capsule 1 further comprises second positioning means 12 configured for cooperating with respective positioning means of said electronic device 2 for positioning said electronic device 2 inside said capsule 1. FIG. 8 shows a perspective view in which the inner chamber 53 of the container 5 can be seen. For the example, the chamber 53 has an annular rim 14 on which the electronic device 2 is supported when it is arranged inside the capsule 1. The same drawing also shows an axial rib acting as second positioning means 12, cooperating with an axial groove provided in the electronic device 2. Other embodiments have other types of positioning means 12, for example, based on the geometry of the electronic device 2 or on elements expressly provided for such purpose.

[0088] FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 also show how, for the embodiment of the example, the inner chamber 53 has reinforcement ribs 15. For the sake of clarity, only some of said reinforcement ribs 15 have been marked with reference numbers in the drawings.

[0089] In some advantageous embodiments like the one shown in the drawings, the capsule 1 further comprises capsule fixing means 13 configured for fixing said capsule 1 to said wear element 3. In particular, for the example said capsule fixing means 13 comprise scores provided on the perimeter of said flange 7, arranged perpendicular to said perimeter. In the example, given that the flange has a slightly frustoconical profile, the scores extend axially, not completely parallel to the central axis 4, but rather slightly oblique thereto.

[0090] In some embodiments, the capsule 1 is manufactured in a polymer material such as polyamide. In other embodiments, the capsule is manufactured in polyamide with glass fiber filler, particularly PA6.6+30% GF. In other embodiments, the material is biodegradable.

[0091] In the embodiments shown in the FIGS. 1 to 18, the capsule 1 is made of PPS+30% GF. This material has an 0.02% water absorption and a negligible moisture absorption, both measured according to the norm ISO 62:2008. Dielectric constant is 4 and dielectric loss coefficient is 0.004.

[0092] In other embodiments, the capsule 1 is made of PA6, PA6.6 or PEEK. In some of the embodiments, the material also includes a glass fiber filler. Some of the latter include a 30% by weight of glass fiber filler.

[0093] FIGS. 13 and 14 show two alternative embodiments of the capsule 1. In the embodiment shown in the FIG. 13, the container 5 and the cover 6 are configured so that, when the cover 6 is coupled to the container 5, the cover 6 covers the container 5 up to the rear end of said flange 7. The same feature is present in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 12.

[0094] By contrast, FIG. 14 shows an embodiment where the cover 6 is spaced from said flange 7 when the cover 6 is coupled to the container 5. In this embodiment, the container 5 comprises a wall part 100 provided in the spacing between the rear end of the flange 7 and the cover 6. The wall part 100 is considered to belong to the front part 51 of the container 5 in the embodiment shown in this figure.

[0095] FIGS. 15 and 16 show another embodiment of the capsule 1 according to the invention wherein the rear part 52 of the container 5 is an oval base frustum, thus having a slim and flattened shape compared to that of the frustoconical capsule of the first embodiment. The cover 6 has a shape complementary to the container 5, therefore, it also has a part having an oval base frustum shape, and a rounded end part at its rear end 9. In the embodiment, the flange 7 is an oval base frustum. In this embodiment, the flange 7 is also an oval base frustum.

[0096] The FIGS. 17A, 17B and 17C show another embodiment of the capsule 1 according to the invention, further comprising a metal washer 101 arranged at the rear end of said flange 7. When the capsule 1 is inserted in the wear element 3, said metal washer 101 is interposed between the flange 7 and the wear element 3. In the case of the embodiment, the washer 101 has two threaded through holes 102 at opposite ends of the washer along the longitudinal axis represented by a dashed line in FIG. 17C. In this embodiment, the flange 7 extends over the two threaded through holes 102, but the flange 7 is provided with corresponding access holes 103 for accessing said threaded through holes 102 from the front end of said flange 7.

[0097] The FIGS. 18A, 18B and 18C show an alternative embodiment to the one shown in the FIGS. 17A, 17B and 17C. In the case of this embodiment, the metal washer is wider than in the previous embodiment and the flange 7 does not extend over said threaded through holes 102, instead, the shape of the flange 7 is truncated in its ends in order to avoid covering the threaded through holes 102.