Patents by Inventor Richard Andrew Carpenter

Richard Andrew Carpenter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11430319
    Abstract: Cavitation that occurs within a pump of a machine, such as truck or other work machine, can potentially damage the pump and/or other components of the machine. The machine can have a cavitation monitor configured to detect cavitation and/or cavitation damage associated with the pump based on vibration data, speed data associated with mechanical movements of the pump, and operating data associated with the machine overall. If the cavitation monitor detects cavitation and/or cavitation damage, the cavitation monitor can cause corresponding alerts to be displayed to a machine operator or other user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan S Pauli, Pengfei Ma, Kalpeshkumar N. Patel, Richard Andrew Carpenter, James David Siegle, Vignesh Jayakumar, Richard Scott Cushing
  • Patent number: 10337537
    Abstract: A system for determining a health status of a tank is provided. The system includes a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a sensor coupled to a hydraulic actuator, a breather valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature and a volume of a fluid within the tank from the temperature sensor and the sensor coupled to the hydraulic actuator respectively. The controller is configured to determine an estimated pressure of the fluid within the tank based on the received signals and a breather performance curve. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a pressure of the fluid within the tank and compare it with the estimated pressure. The controller is also configured to determine the health status of the tank and to actuate one or more of an operator console display unit and the hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Brinkman, Richard Andrew Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20190063474
    Abstract: A system for determining a health status of a tank is provided. The system includes a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a sensor coupled to a hydraulic actuator, a breather valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature and a volume of a fluid within the tank from the temperature sensor and the sensor coupled to the hydraulic actuator respectively. The controller is configured to determine an estimated pressure of the fluid within the tank based on the received signals and a breather performance curve. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a pressure of the fluid within the tank and compare it with the estimated pressure. The controller is also configured to determine the health status of the tank and to actuate one or more of an operator console display unit and the hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Brinkman, Richard Andrew Carpenter
  • Patent number: 9752956
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a gearbox containing a lubricant is disclosed. The monitoring system may include a first sensor configured to measure a concentration of debris particles in the lubricant, a second sensor configured to generate data indicative of a deterioration of the gearbox, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to estimate a concentration of debris particles in the lubricant based on the data from the second sensor using a mathematical function, and estimate a remaining useful life of the gearbox based on a difference between concentration of debris particles measured by the first sensor and concentration of debris particles estimated to be in the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin Grendel McKimpson, Richard Andrew Carpenter
  • Patent number: 9732838
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a gearbox having at least one rotational component having a design lifetime and at least one design parameter is disclosed. The monitoring system may include a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a speed associated with the at least one rotational component, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a torque associated with the rotational component, and a controller electronically connected to the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to determine a remaining lifetime of the at least one rotational component based on the design lifetime, the at least one design parameter, and the first and second signals over a period of operating time, and generate a maintenance signal based on the remaining lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin Grendel McKimpson, Richard Andrew Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20170082188
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a gearbox having at least one rotational component having a design lifetime and at least one design parameter is disclosed. The monitoring system may include a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a speed associated with the at least one rotational component, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a torque associated with the rotational component, and a controller electronically connected to the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to determine a remaining lifetime of the at least one rotational component based on the design lifetime, the at least one design parameter, and the first and second signals over a period of operating time, and generate a maintenance signal based on the remaining lifetime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin Grendel McKIMPSON, Richard Andrew CARPENTER
  • Patent number: 9556887
    Abstract: A method for estimating health and remaining useful life of a hydraulic element of a machine is provided. The method includes determining a charge time of a hydraulic accumulator coupled to the hydraulic element in which a current pressure of a hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic accumulator reaches an upper threshold pressure, the current pressure being measured by a hydraulic accumulator pressure sensor coupled to the processor and the hydraulic accumulator. The method includes determining a discharging flow rate of the hydraulic element based upon the determined charge time of the hydraulic accumulator, a health indicator of the hydraulic element based upon a difference between the discharging flow rate and a stored discharging flow rate. The method includes determining a remaining useful life of the hydraulic element based upon the health indicator of the hydraulic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Andrew Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20160266006
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a gearbox containing a lubricant is disclosed. The monitoring system may include a first sensor configured to measure a concentration of debris particles in the lubricant, a second sensor configured to generate data indicative of a deterioration of the gearbox, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to estimate a concentration of debris particles in the lubricant based on the data from the second sensor using a mathematical function, and estimate a remaining useful life of the gearbox based on a difference between concentration of debris particles measured by the first sensor and concentration of debris particles estimated to be in the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin Grendel McKIMPSON, Richard Andrew CARPENTER
  • Publication number: 20160131164
    Abstract: A method for estimating health and remaining useful life of a hydraulic element of a machine is provided. The method includes determining a charge time of a hydraulic accumulator coupled to the hydraulic element in which a current pressure of a hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic accumulator reaches an upper threshold pressure, the current pressure being measured by a hydraulic accumulator pressure sensor coupled to the processor and the hydraulic accumulator. The method includes determining a discharging flow rate of the hydraulic element based upon the determined charge time of the hydraulic accumulator, a health indicator of the hydraulic element based upon a difference between the discharging flow rate and a stored discharging flow rate. The method includes determining a remaining useful life of the hydraulic element based upon the health indicator of the hydraulic element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Andrew Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20160116392
    Abstract: A method for estimating a remaining useful life of a filter is provided. The method includes determining, at a processor of a machine, a scaled delta pressure of the filter in the machine based on an input from a plurality of sensors. The method includes determining a plugging parameter of the filter based upon a non-linear relationship between the scaled delta pressure and the plugging parameter of the filter. The method includes estimating the remaining useful life of the filter at a time instant based upon a contamination rate estimate, the contamination rate estimate being determined based upon the determined plugging parameter. The method includes controlling, using a signal, a flow of a fluid entering the filter based on the plugging parameter, and outputting the estimated remaining useful life of the filter on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Andrew Carpenter, Patrick Opdenbosch