Patents by Inventor Francesco Grenzi

Francesco Grenzi 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).

  • Publication number: 20240083528
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a track roller for guiding a track of a tracked vehicle including a shaft extending in an axial direction, the shaft having a central portion and two axial end portions axially adjacent to the central portion on each side, wherein a transversal through-hole is provided in each axial end portion of the shaft, a roller shell mounted on the central portion of the shaft in a rotatable manner, two annular retainer caps fitted to the shaft, and sealing arrangements located between each of the retainer caps and the roller shell, wherein the shaft is flattened at least in a region of its axial end portions in such a way that at least one support surface which includes the through-hole is provided at each end portion for mounting the track roller to an undercarriage of the tracked vehicle, and the retainer caps are arranged within the central portion of the shaft in their entirety, and an undercarriage of a tracked vehicle comprising such a track roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicants: Berco S.p.A., thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Francesco GRENZI, Enrico MAGGIOLINI
  • Patent number: 11474003
    Abstract: A monitoring system is disclosed for automatically estimating and monitoring the alignment of tracks of a track-type vehicle. The track-type vehicle includes an undercarriage and two tracks. Each track includes a chain with a plurality of chain links and articulated joints. The monitoring system includes at least one undercarriage sensor fixable on the undercarriage, at least one chain sensor fixable on the chain of each of the two tracks, and a processor configured to combine the detections of the sensors to determine the alignment direction of the tracks and to compare the determined direction with a reference alignment direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: BERCO S.P.A., THYSSEN KRUPP AG
    Inventors: Francesco Grenzi, Enrico Maggiolini, Piero Bruno
  • Publication number: 20220258816
    Abstract: A track link is fixable to a track shoe with nuts and bolts. The track link comprises connecting holes that are spaced in a link pitch direction and receive connection members, first and second through holes that extend orthogonally to the connecting holes and receive bolts, a first surface in which the first through hole opens and on which a first nut is positionable, a second surface in which the second through hole opens and on which a second nut is positionable, first projecting portions that project from the first surface and face each other across the first through hole, and second projecting portions that project from the second surface and face each other across the second through hole. Only one of the first projecting portions engages the first nut. At least one of the second projecting portions engages the second nut that is positionable between the second projecting portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicants: Berco S.p.A., thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Francesco GRENZI, Enrico MAGGIOLINI
  • Publication number: 20220185399
    Abstract: A heavy-duty vehicle may include a crawler track on which a rest of the vehicle can roll so as to move. A sensor may be configured to detect a physical quantity of the crawler track, of the heavy-duty vehicle, or of the environment contained by or surrounding the crawler track or the heavy-duty vehicle. A power supply unit may be configured to supply the sensor with electric power. The power supply unit comprises a rectenna configured to receive electromagnetic power from an external electromagnetic source and to supply the sensor with at least part of the electromagnetic power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicants: Berco S.p.A., thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Francesco GRENZI, Enrico MAGGIOLINI, Raffaele DE SCISCIOLO
  • Publication number: 20210088416
    Abstract: A monitoring system is disclosed for automatically estimating and monitoring the alignment of tracks of a track-type vehicle. The track-type vehicle includes an undercarriage and two tracks. Each track includes a chain with a plurality of chain links and articulated joints. The monitoring system includes at least one undercarriage sensor fixable on the undercarriage, at least one chain sensor fixable on the chain of each of the two tracks, and a processor configured to combine the detections of the sensors to determine the alignment direction of the tracks and to compare the determined direction with a reference alignment direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicants: Berco S.p.A., thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Francesco Grenzi, Enrico Maggiolini, Piero Bruno
  • Patent number: 10597099
    Abstract: An undercarriage assembly for a track-type vehicle is described. The assembly comprises at least one closed-ring rubber belt, internally provided with a continuous insert made of a plurality of metal elements embedded in the rubber mass that constitutes the rubber belt. The metal elements are positioned at a fixed and predetermined distance apart from one another, which determines the pitch of the rubber belt. The rubber belt further encloses therein one or more reinforcing elements, each consisting of a metal wire bundle oriented according to an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal development central axis of the rubber belt. The assembly also comprises a plurality of rolling elements of each rubber belt, consisting of at least one drive sprocket, configured to mesh with the metal elements of the continuous insert and to rotationally move the respective rubber belt, of at least one idler wheel and of a plurality of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: BERCO S.P.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi
  • Publication number: 20180346040
    Abstract: An undercarriage assembly for a track-type vehicle is described. The assembly comprises at least one closed-ring rubber belt, internally provided with a continuous insert made of a plurality of metal elements embedded in the rubber mass that constitutes the rubber belt. The metal elements are positioned at a fixed and predetermined distance apart from one another, which determines the pitch of the rubber belt. The rubber belt further encloses therein one or more reinforcing elements, each consisting of a metal wire bundle oriented according to an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal development central axis of the rubber belt. The assembly also comprises a plurality of rolling elements of each rubber belt, consisting of at least one drive sprocket, configured to mesh with the metal elements of the continuous insert and to rotationally move the respective rubber belt, of at least one idler wheel and of a plurality of rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: BERCO S.P.A.
    Inventor: Francesco GRENZI
  • Patent number: 8851582
    Abstract: A track (10) for track-type vehicles is described, comprising a continuous sequence of articulated joints (12, 12?) of the hinge type, oriented according to a first axis (A-A) substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal development axis (B-B) of the track (10). The articulated joints (12, 12?), provided with pins (36, 36?), are connected to each other and maintained at a constant distance through pairs of links (14) having longitudinal development, arranged laterally and symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal central axis (B-B). Around each pin (36, 36?) a bushing (40) is mounted free to rotate with respect to the pin (36, 36?) itself and between each pin (36, 36?) and the links (14) at least one sliding bearing (44) is press-fitted. The geometric/size characteristics of the links (14) and of the sliding bearings (44) make it possible to improve the stability and the resistance to fatigue and wearing of the articulated joints (12, 12?) of the track (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Berco S.p.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi
  • Patent number: 8851583
    Abstract: A track (10) for track-type vehicles is described, comprising a continuous sequence of articulated joints (12, 12?) of the hinge type, oriented according to a first axis (A-A) substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal development axis (B-B) of the track (10). The articulated joints (12, 12?), provided with pins (36, 36?), are connected to each other and maintained at a constant distance through pairs of links (14) having longitudinal development, arranged laterally and symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal central axis (B-B). Around each pin (36, 36?) a bushing (40) is mounted free to rotate with respect to the pin (36, 36?) itself and at least one sliding bearing (44) is press-fitted between each pin (36, 36?) and the links (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Berco S.p.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi
  • Publication number: 20120068530
    Abstract: A track (10) for track-type vehicles is described, comprising a continuous sequence of articulated joints (12, 12?) of the hinge type, oriented according to a first axis (A-A) substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal development axis (B-B) of the track (10). The articulated joints (12, 12?), provided with pins (36, 36?), are connected to each other and maintained at a constant distance through pairs of links (14) having longitudinal development, arranged laterally and symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal central axis (B-B). Around each pin (36, 36?) a bushing (40) is mounted free to rotate with respect to the pin (36, 36?) itself and between each pin (36, 36?) and the links (14) at least one sliding bearing (44) is press-fitted. The geometric/size characteristics of the links (14) and of the sliding bearings (44) make it possible to improve the stability and the resistance to fatigue and wearing of the articulated joints (12, 12?) of the track (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Berco S.p.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi
  • Publication number: 20120056472
    Abstract: A track (10) for track-type vehicles is described, comprising a continuous sequence of articulated joints (12, 12?) of the hinge type, oriented according to a first axis (A-A) substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal development axis (B-B) of the track (10). The articulated joints (12, 12?), provided with pins (36, 36?), are connected to each other and maintained at a constant distance through pairs of links (14) having longitudinal development, arranged laterally and symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal central axis (B-B). Around each pin (36, 36?) a bushing (40) is mounted free to rotate with respect to the pin (36, 36?) itself and at least one sliding bearing (44) is press-fitted between each pin (36, 36?) and the links (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Berco S.p.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi
  • Patent number: 8113597
    Abstract: A track joint seal system comprises a pin (43) having, at each end, a first track link (41) rotatably coupled to the pin by means of interposition of a bushing (49) and an end element (42) coupled to the end of the pin (43); the end element (42) comprises an annular seat (57) bearing, housed, a seal group (56) cooperating with the bushing (49) to make the sealing of the joint; the bushing (49) is provided at the end with an annular head seat (58), provided to house a bushing insert (53) provided with an abutment surface (48) destined to be in contact with a seal portion (47) of the seal group (56).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Berco S.p.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi
  • Publication number: 20100090523
    Abstract: A track joint seal system comprises a pin (43) having, at each end, a first track link (41) rotatably coupled to the pin by means of interposition of a bushing (49) and an end element (42) coupled to the end of the pin (43); the end element (42) comprises an annular seat (57) bearing, housed, a seal group (56) cooperating with the bushing (49) to make the sealing of the joint; the bushing (49) is provided at the end with an annular head seat (58), provided to house a bushing insert (53) provided with an abutment surface (48) destined to be in contact with a seal portion (47) of the seal group (56).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: BERCO S.P.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Grenzi