Rotary positioning device equipped with back clearance measuring device, and back clearance measuring method of rotary positioning device.

Abstract

The purpose of this invention is to measure and evaluate backlash caused by wear and other factors during the operation of a device, thereby improving the device's operating efficiency. This invention includes a motor 22 that drives a pinion 24, an operation control device 21 that controls the motor 22, and a backlash measuring device 43 that measures the backlash generated between a large gear 25 and a pinion 24. The backlash measuring device 43 comprises: an input shaft angle sensor 12 that acquires data on the rotation angle of the motor 22; an angle torque measuring unit 13 that measures the rotation angle and torque of the motor 22 based on the data acquired from the input shaft angle sensor 12 and the operation control device 21; a data selection unit 14 that selects data related to the rotation angle and torque of the operating motor 22 from the angle torque measuring unit 13; and a backlash evaluation unit 15 that calculates the measured value of the backlash generated between the large gear 25 and the pinion 24 based on the data selected by the data selection unit 14.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a rotary positioning device with a back gap measuring device, and a method for measuring the back gap of the rotary positioning device. Prior Technology

[0002] Rotary platform drive units of machine tools, cab slewing devices in construction machinery such as hydraulic bulldozers, and nacelle slewing devices in wind power generation systems, in order to rotate a relatively large platform, include a large gear integrated with the platform, a small gear meshing with it, and an actuator that drives the small gear to rotate. Such devices are known as rotary positioning devices.

[0003] In rotary positioning devices, the backlash, located between the teeth of the large and small gears, directly affects the angular indexing accuracy of the stage. Therefore, backlash measurement and maintenance are necessary. Ideally, backlash should be measured periodically with the gear assembly in the device. However, measuring backlash with better accuracy while the gear assembly is in the device requires specialized skills and must be performed with the device stopped, which may not be feasible at the required timing and frequency.

[0004] In outboard motor assembly equipment, a method for measuring backlash while the gears are assembled into the device is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. In Patent Document 1, to measure the backlash between a first gear connected to a first drive shaft supported by a gearbox and a second gear connected to a second drive shaft, the following steps are performed: First, the gearbox is held in a predetermined position; second, a load is applied to the second gear and the first drive shaft rotates forward; third, the inertial rotation of the first drive shaft is suppressed and forward rotation is stopped; fourth, the rotation of the first drive shaft is detected while maintaining the load applied to the second gear; and fifth, the backlash value is calculated by an electronic control unit. Furthermore, a rotational position sensor and a rotational torque sensor are used as rotational status sensors in step fourth. With this configuration, the backlash between gears assembled into the gearbox can be measured without special expertise. [Previous Technical Documents] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-149919 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve] On the other hand, in the aforementioned rotary positioning device, for example, there may be a standby position when the operation is completed, or the working position of the work object may be set to a frequently used part of the gear teeth corresponding to the rotation position of the platform. Sometimes, due to wear, the backlash in specific parts of the gear may selectively increase. From the perspective of equipment maintenance, it is necessary to detect the location and amount of backlash increase and take countermeasures. However, no solution for this requirement was found in the technology described in Patent Document 1. That is, Patent Document 1 measures the initial backlash when the gear assembly is inserted into the device in the assembly equipment of the outboard motor, and does not consider the measurement of backlash caused by wear and tear during the use of the device.

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a rotary positioning device and a method for measuring the backlash of the rotary positioning device, which are capable of measuring and evaluating backlash caused by wear and tear during the operation of the device, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the device. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is characterized as a rotary positioning device equipped with a backlash measuring device, comprising: a rotary stage for mounting a workpiece; a driven gear fixed to the output shaft of the rotary stage; a drive gear meshing with the driven gear; an electric motor driving the drive gear; a operation control device connected to the electric motor and controlling the electric motor; and a backlash measuring device connected to the electric motor and the operation control device to measure the backlash generated between the driven gear and the drive gear; and the backlash measuring device... The device comprises: an input shaft angle sensor that acquires data on the rotation angle of the motor; an angle torque measuring unit that measures the rotation angle and torque of the motor based on data acquired from the input shaft angle sensor and the operation control device; a data selection unit connected to the angle torque measuring unit that selects data related to the rotation angle and torque of the motor in operation from the angle torque measuring unit; and a backlash evaluation unit that calculates the measured value of the backlash generated between the driven gear and the drive gear based on the data selected by the data selection unit.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized by being a method for measuring the backlash of a rotary positioning device, wherein the rotary positioning device comprises: a rotary stage for mounting a workpiece; a driven gear fixed to the output shaft of the rotary stage; a drive gear meshing with the driven gear; and an electric motor driving the drive gear; and the backlash measurement method of the rotary positioning device performs the following steps: Step 1, based on data of the rotation angle of the operating electric motor, detecting a state in which the electric motor rotates more than a predetermined angle in the forward or reverse direction and then stops; Step 2, based on data of the rotation angle of the operating electric motor, detecting a state in which the electric motor rotates in the opposite direction to that in Step 1. The process involves: 1) rotating to a state above a predetermined angle; 2) detecting the interval where the torque of the motor in step 2 matches a predetermined torque, based on the rotation angle and torque data of the motor in operation; 3) detecting the state where the torque increase gradient is within a predetermined range at the end position of the interval detected in step 3, based on the rotation angle and torque data of the motor in operation; 4) and 5) setting the interval detected in step 3 as an idling interval and calculating the backlash when steps 1 through 4 are met. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, a rotary positioning device and a method for measuring the backlash of the rotary positioning device are provided, which are equipped with a backlash measuring device that measures and evaluates backlash caused by wear and tear of the device during operation, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the device. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0011] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of the rotary positioning device with back gap measuring device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the rotation angle and torque characteristics of the motor shaft 22a of the motor 22 in the meshing state of the large gear 25 and the small gear 24 of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the back gap measurement method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 4 shows the configuration of the slewing device 67 of the wind power generation system in Embodiment 2 of the present invention, which includes a back clearance measuring device 43. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the tooth surface phase state of each rotary device 67a~67d in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Implementation

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, in all drawings, the same elements are generally labeled with the same symbols. Also, descriptions of parts having the same function are omitted. Additionally, the following description is merely an example, and the embodiments of the present invention are not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments described below. [Example 1]

[0013] Using Figures 1 to 3, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of the rotary positioning device with a backlash measuring device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This embodiment is a configuration example using a relatively small-scale rotary positioning device, such as a rotary table suitable for a machine tool.

[0014] In Figure 1, the rotary positioning device 42 includes: a rotary stage 30 for mounting the workpiece; an output shaft 26 connected to the rotary stage 30; a plurality of output shaft bearings 28 rotatably supporting the output shaft 26; a large gear 25 (driven gear) configured to be clamped by the output shaft bearings 28 and fixed to the output shaft 26 to drive the output shaft 26 to rotate; and an output shaft brake 29 for inhibiting the rotation of the output shaft 26. The output shaft brake 29 functions as a braking device that allows the holding force to change in stages, enabling the brake to slide while in use.

[0015] Furthermore, the rotary positioning device 42 includes: a small gear 24 (driving gear) that meshes with a large gear 25 and has a smaller diameter than the large gear 25; a reducer 23 coaxially arranged with the small gear 24; a motor 22 coaxially arranged with the reducer 23 and driving the small gear 24 via the reducer 23; and a backlash measuring device 43 connected to the motor 22 to measure the backlash between the large gear 25 and the small gear 24. In this embodiment, the small gear 24 is designated as the driving gear, and the large gear 25, with a larger diameter than the small gear 24, is designated as the driven gear.

[0016] The high-speed side of the reducer 23 is connected to the motor 22, and the low-speed side is connected to the pinion 24. The reducer performs the deceleration action as observed from the motor 22. The large gear 25 and the pinion 24 are housed in the gearbox 27. The large gear 25, the pinion 24, and the reducer 23 constitute the power transmission mechanism 41.

[0017] The motor 22 is controlled by an operation control device 21 electrically connected to the motor 22. Furthermore, the operation control device 21 obtains data such as the input power of the motor 22.

[0018] An input shaft angle sensor 12 is provided on the motor shaft 22a, which serves as the rotating shaft of the motor 22, to obtain data on the rotation angle (rotational position) of the motor 22. The input shaft angle sensor 12 and the operation control device 21 are respectively connected to the angle torque measuring unit 13, which measures the rotation angle and torque of the motor 22. That is, the angle torque measuring unit 13 measures the rotation angle and torque of the motor 22 based on the data obtained from the input shaft angle sensor 12 and the operation control device 21. Furthermore, the torque of the motor shaft 22a of the motor 22 can be calculated, for example, based on the current of the motor 22 obtained by the operation control device 21.

[0019] A data selection unit 14 is connected to the angle torque measuring unit 13, and a backlash evaluation unit 15 is further connected to the data selection unit 14. The data selection unit 14 selects data related to the rotation angle and torque of the operating motor 22 from the angle torque measuring unit 13.

[0020] In this embodiment, a backlash measuring device 43 is constructed by an input shaft angle sensor 12, an angle torque measuring unit 13, a data selection unit 14, and a backlash evaluation unit 15.

[0021] In the rotary positioning device 42 configured as described above, when the motor 22 is driven to rotate according to the command of the operation control device 21, the rotational motion of the motor shaft 22a is decelerated in the power transmission mechanism 41 and transmitted to the output shaft 26 to rotate the rotary stage 30. The rotation angle and torque of the motor 22 are obtained in the input shaft angle sensor 12 and the operation control device 21, respectively. The data measured by the angle torque measuring unit 13 and usable by the data selection unit 14 are selected and discarded. The backlash evaluation unit 15 calculates the selected data to obtain the measured value of the backlash.

[0022] Next, the method for measuring backlash will be explained in detail using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a graph showing the rotation angle and torque characteristics of the motor shaft 22a of the motor 22 in the meshing state of the large gear 25 and the small gear 24 of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In Figure 2, the measured result of the rotation angle of the motor shaft 22a of the motor 22 is defined as the rotation angle of the motor 22. The relationship between the rotation angle and torque characteristics of the motor shaft 22a of the motor 22 shown in Figure 2 is calculated by the angle torque measuring unit 13. In this embodiment, the rotation in the direction in which the left tooth surface 50 of the small gear 24 tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 52 of the large gear 25 tooth 25a is defined as forward rotation, and the rotation in the direction in which the right tooth surface 51 of the small gear 24 tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 53 of the large gear 25 tooth 25b is defined as reverse rotation.

[0023] When measuring backlash, firstly, the motor 22 is rotated clockwise in the direction where the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a, and then stopped. At the point when the rotational speed of the gear 25 is sufficiently low and the motor 22 stops rotating, the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a remains in contact with the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a. However, if there is concern about separation, the output shaft brake 29 can be activated to apply a load to the gear 25. In this state, the right tooth surface 51 of the pinion 24 is not in contact with the tooth surface 53 of the adjacent tooth 25b of the gear 25's tooth 25a. As described above, the state 54 where the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a is set as the starting point for backlash evaluation.

[0024] Next, the motor 22 is rotated in the reverse direction, separating the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a from the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25a. At this point, neither the left tooth surface 50 nor the right tooth surface 51 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a is in contact with the tooth surfaces 52 and 53 of the gear 25a; this is referred to as the idle interval 55. During the idle interval 55, the torque of the rotating shaft of the motor 22 is the frictional loss of the power transmission mechanism 41, and its value is extremely small.

[0025] As the motor 22 rotates further, the right tooth surface 51 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 53 of the gear 25's tooth 25b, state 56. As the motor 22 rotates further, the torque of the motor 22's rotating shaft increases due to the acceleration caused by the inertia of the gear 25 and the rotating platform 30. This is referred to as the acceleration range 57.

[0026] When the rotation angle of the motor shaft 22a measured from the left tooth surface contact state of the pinion 24 to the acceleration interval 57 is correlated with the torque of the motor shaft 22a, an angular torque characteristic curve 58 can be obtained. In this angular torque characteristic curve 58, the interval where the torque value is small and approximately fixed is the idle interval 55. The rotation angle of the motor 22 in the idle interval 55 is divided by the reduction ratio of the reducer, and then multiplied by the meshing radius of the pinion 24 (the radial distance between the meshing point with the large gear 25 and the rotation center of the pinion 24) to obtain the measured value of the backlash. The backlash obtained in the above order includes the backlash of the reducer 23, but since the wear inside the reducer 23 is sufficiently small, if the increase in backlash since the start of use is evaluated, it becomes the increase in backlash caused by wear between the large and small gears.

[0027] In the above sequence, the state in which the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a is set as the starting point for backlash measurement. However, the state in which the right tooth surface 51 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 53 of the gear 25's tooth 25a can also be set as the starting point. Furthermore, as the operation control device 21, it is preferably a converter for driving an electric motor. If a function that establishes a correspondence between the motor drive current and the drive torque value and outputs it is used, then a torque sensor is not required, and system costs can be reduced.

[0028] Furthermore, the input shaft angle sensor 12 is preferably a general rotary encoder, but a combination of an electromagnetic sensor that outputs a sine wave by means of changes in the electromagnetic field and a circular plate gear can also be used.

[0029] By using the above configuration and sequence, the motor 22 is operated, and the rotation angle (rotation angle of the motor 22) and torque of the motor shaft 22a are measured. In this way, regardless of whether one is skilled or not, the backlash at any position between the large and small gears can be measured at a high frequency. Therefore, the position and amount of backlash increase can be detected.

[0030] Here, the measurement of the rotation angle and torque of the motor shaft 22a is not limited to the aforementioned idling range 55 and acceleration range 57, and can be performed at any time. Furthermore, for backlash assessment, a device stop time can be omitted, and backlash assessment can be performed during normal business operations. In this case, the data selection unit 14 selects data similar to the aforementioned operating mode from the automatically acquired angular torque characteristic curves, allowing backlash assessment to be performed using only the available data.

[0031] Next, the sequence of the data selection unit 14 will be explained using FIG3. FIG3 is a flowchart showing the back gap measurement method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0032] First, in step S1 (step 1), the data selection unit 14 detects the state in which the motor 22 rotates more than a preset angle in the forward or reverse direction and then stops, based on the rotation angle data of the motor 22 obtained by the input shaft angle sensor 12.

[0033] Next, in step S2 (the second step), the data selection unit 14 detects the state in which the motor 22 rotates at an angle greater than or equal to the preset angle in the opposite direction to step S1, based on the rotation angle data of the operating motor 22 obtained by the input shaft angle sensor 12.

[0034] Next, in step S3 (the third step), the data selection unit 14 detects the range (range of the rotation angle of the motor 22) in step S2 that is approximately consistent with the torque of the motor 22 obtained by the input shaft angle sensor 12 and the torque of the motor 22 obtained by the operation control device 21.

[0035] Next, in step S4 (step 4), the data selection unit 14, based on the rotation angle data of the operating motor 22 obtained by the input shaft angle sensor 12 and the torque data of the operating motor 22 obtained by the operation control device 21, detects the state that the torque increase gradient is within a preset range at the end position of the interval detected in step S3.

[0036] Finally, in step S5 (the fifth step), when steps S1 to S4 are successful, the backlash evaluation unit 15 sets the range detected in step S3 (the range of the rotation angle of the motor 22) as the idle range 55, calculates the backlash, and thus obtains the backlash.

[0037] As explained above, according to this embodiment, since the rotary positioning device 42 is equipped with a backlash measuring device 43, anyone, regardless of skill level, can measure the backlash at any position between the large and small gears at a high frequency. Therefore, it can not only detect the position and amount of backlash increase, but also perform backlash assessment in normal business operations, thereby improving the operating rate of the rotary positioning device 42. [Example 2]

[0038] Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described using Figures 4 and 5. Detailed descriptions of components common to Embodiment 1 are omitted. Figure 4 shows the configuration of the slewing device 67 of the wind power generation system in Embodiment 2 of the present invention, which includes a backlash measuring device 43.

[0039] A slewing device 67 (rotation positioning device) for rotating the wind turbine nacelle 66 is installed on the top of the cylindrical wind turbine tower 63. The slewing device 67 includes a slewing brake disc 64, a slewing bearing 62 that rotatably supports the wind turbine nacelle 66, a large gear 25 formed on the outer periphery of the stationary side of the slewing bearing 62, and a small gear 24 disposed at a position that meshes with the large gear 25.

[0040] The nacelle base 61 (rotating platform) is rotatably mounted relative to the wind turbine tower 63 via a slewing bearing 62. A slewing brake caliper 65, which holds the slewing brake disc 64, and a speed reducer 23 are fixed to the upper part of the nacelle base 61. The slewing brake, composed of the slewing brake disc 64 and the slewing brake caliper 65, functions as a braking device that allows for phased changes in holding force, enabling the slewing brake disc 64 to slide while in use.

[0041] The high-speed side of the reducer 23 is connected to the motor 22, and the low-speed side is connected to the pinion 24. The reducer is observed to perform the deceleration action from the motor 22.

[0042] The electric motor 22 is controlled by an operation control device 21 electrically connected to the electric motor 22. An input shaft angle sensor 12 is provided on the rotating shaft of the electric motor 22 to obtain data on the rotation angle of the electric motor 22. The input shaft angle sensor 12 and the operation control device 21 are respectively connected to the angle torque measuring unit 13, which measures the rotation angle and torque of the rotating shaft of the electric motor 22. A data selection unit 14 is connected to the angle torque measuring unit 13. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the data selection unit 14 is connected to an external machine.

[0043] In this embodiment, the aforementioned machine constitutes the rotary device 67. Furthermore, a plurality of rotary devices 67 (67a~67d) are provided for each wind turbine, each meshing with a plurality of pinions 24 relative to a large gear 25, causing the wind turbine nacelle 66 to rotate. That is, the rotary device 67 in this embodiment, relative to a nacelle base 61 (rotating platform) and a large gear 25, is composed of a plurality of pinions 24, a reducer 23, a motor 22, and a backlash measuring device 43.

[0044] A plurality of wind turbines A, B, and C are installed in the wind farm 68. Communication lines 69 are led out from the data selection unit 14 installed in the nacelles 66 of these wind turbines and connected to an external network 71. Similarly, a monitoring computer 73 installed on a status monitoring website 72 is connected to the external network 71, and the monitoring computer 73 and the data selection unit 14 are communicatively connected via the external network 71.

[0045] The angle torque characteristic curve of the motor 22 obtained by the data selection unit 14 of the rotary device 67 is sent to the monitoring computer 73 via the external network 71. After calculating the back gap, the calculation result of the back gap is established and saved in correspondence with the date of data acquisition.

[0046] In this embodiment, the machine configuration for backlash measurement and the sequence of backlash measurement are largely the same as in Embodiment 1, but the difference lies in that: a plurality of rotating devices 67 are provided relative to one windmill; and a backlash evaluation unit for performing backlash evaluation is equipped on a monitoring computer 73 (external machine). In this embodiment, the monitoring computer 73 constitutes the backlash evaluation unit. That is, in this embodiment, the backlash evaluation unit is equipped on an external machine, namely the monitoring computer 73, and is connected to the data selection unit 14 via an external network 71.

[0047] Figure 5 illustrates the differences in the backlash measurement sequence in this embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the tooth surface phase state in each of the rotating devices 67a-67d in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0048] In this embodiment, four rotating devices 67 (rotating devices 67a~67d) are provided for each windmill. When the rotating motion is repeated little by little, the positional relationship of the tooth surfaces of the pinion 24 and the gear 25 of each rotating device (rotating device 67a~67d) shifts to a state 81 where the tooth surface positions are inconsistent due to the deviation between the rotating devices.

[0049] In the rotary device 67a, the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a. However, in the other rotary devices 67b to 67d, the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a does not contact the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a.

[0050] When all rotating devices 67a-67d are rotated a certain angle in the same direction from state 81 where the tooth surface positions are inconsistent, the left tooth surface 50 of the pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 52 of the gear 25's tooth 25a. That is, the rotating devices 67a-67d move to state 82 where the tooth surface positions are consistent, becoming a state where backlash assessment can be set as the starting point for any gear.

[0051] From state 82, when the tooth surfaces are aligned, for example when measuring the backlash of rotary device 67a, the other rotary devices 67b-67d remain stationary, and only rotary device 67a rotates in reverse. When rotary device 67a rotates in reverse, the right tooth surface 51 of pinion 24's tooth 24a contacts the tooth surface 53 of gear 25b's tooth 25. That is, rotary device 67a moves to measurement state 83 and begins backlash measurement. Since the backlash calculation method is the same as in Example 1, the explanation is omitted.

[0052] To prevent interference with other rotating devices 67b-67d, backlash assessment is required for each rotating device in this embodiment. Although an example is shown where rotating devices 67a-67d are rotated in the forward direction to achieve a state of tooth surface alignment, and then only one device (rotating device 67a) is rotated in the reverse direction, it is also possible to rotate in the forward direction after rotating in the reverse direction.

[0053] Wind farms 68 are sometimes located in remote areas such as mountainous regions, where inspectors may be unable to access the wind turbine nacelles 66 due to adverse weather conditions such as snowfall. Therefore, there are instances where angular torque characteristic curves are transmitted to a monitoring computer 73 connected via an external network 71 to perform backlash assessments at remote locations. In such cases, as shown in the example, the backlash assessment unit can be integrated into the monitoring computer 73.

[0054] Using the above-described structure and method, even in large-scale systems with multiple rotating devices, skilled personnel can frequently measure the backlash at any position between large and small gears, thus detecting the location and amount of backlash increase. Furthermore, backlash assessment can be performed remotely without entering the windmill.

[0055] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various variations. For example, the embodiments described above are detailed for ease of understanding and illustration of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to having all the described components. Also, a portion of the configuration of one embodiment may be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of another embodiment may be applied to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, for a portion of the configuration of each embodiment, other components may be added, deleted, or replaced.

[0056] 12: Input shaft angle sensor 13: Angle Torque Measurement Unit 14: Data Selection Department 15: Backspace Assessment Department 21: Operation control device 22: Electric motor 22a: Motor shaft 23: Gearbox 24: Small Gear 24a: Teeth 25: Large Gear 25a: Teeth 25b: teeth 26: Output shaft 27: Gearbox 28: Output shaft bearing 29: Output shaft brake 30: Rotating stage 41: Power transmission mechanism 42: Rotary positioning device 43: Back gap measuring device 50: Left tooth surface 51: Right tooth surface 52: Tooth surface 53: Tooth surface 54: Left tooth surface contact state 55: Idle Range 56: Right tooth surface contact state 57: Acceleration Zone 58: Angle Torque Characteristic Curve 61: Cabin base 62: Slewing bearing 63: Windmill Tower 64: Rotary Brake Disc 65: Slewing Brake Caliper 66: Wind turbine nacelle 67: Rotary device 67a: Rotary device 67b: Rotary device 67c: Rotary device 67d: Rotary device 68: Wind Farm 69: Communication line 71: External Network 72: Status Monitoring Website 73: Monitoring computer 81: Inconsistent tooth surface position 82: The state where the tooth surfaces are aligned 83: Measurement status of rotary device 67a A, B, C: Windmill S1~S5: Steps

Claims

1. A rotary positioning device with a backlash measuring device, comprising: a rotary stage for mounting a workpiece; a driven gear fixed to the output shaft of the rotary stage; a drive gear meshing with the driven gear; an electric motor driving the drive gear; a rotation control device electrically connected to the electric motor and controlling the rotation of the electric motor; and a backlash measuring device connected to the electric motor and the rotation control device for measuring the backlash generated between the driven gear and the drive gear; wherein the backlash measuring device... It comprises the following components: an input shaft angle sensor that acquires data on the rotation angle of the motor; an angle torque measuring unit that measures the rotation angle and torque of the motor based on data acquired from the input shaft angle sensor and the operation control device; a data selection unit connected to the angle torque measuring unit that selects data related to the rotation angle and torque of the motor in operation from the angle torque measuring unit; and a backlash evaluation unit that calculates the measured value of the backlash generated between the driven gear and the drive gear based on the data selected by the data selection unit.

2. The rotary positioning device with backlash measuring device as described in claim 1, wherein the drive gear is a pinion and the driven gear is a large gear with a diameter larger than the pinion.

3. The rotary positioning device with backlash measuring device as described in claim 2, comprising: a speed reducer, which is coaxially configured with the aforementioned pinion.

4. A rotary positioning device with a back clearance measuring device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the back clearance evaluation unit is equipped on an external machine and connected to the data selection unit via an external network.

5. The rotary positioning device with backlash measuring device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rotary positioning device, relative to one of the rotary platforms and the large gear, is composed of a plurality of the small gears, the reducer, the motor, and the backlash measuring device.

6. A method for measuring backlash in a rotary positioning device, the rotary positioning device comprising: a rotary stage for mounting a workpiece; a driven gear fixed to the output shaft of the rotary stage; a drive gear meshing with the driven gear; and an electric motor driving the drive gear; and the method for measuring backlash in the rotary positioning device performing the following steps: Step 1, based on data of the rotation angle of the operating electric motor, detecting a state in which the electric motor rotates more than a predetermined angle in the forward or reverse direction and stops; Step 2, based on data of the rotation angle of the operating electric motor, detecting a state in which the electric motor rotates more than a predetermined angle in the opposite direction to that in Step 1; Step 3, based on data of the rotation angle of the operating electric motor and data of the torque of the operating electric motor, detecting a range in which the torque of the electric motor in Step 2 matches a predetermined torque. Step 4, based on the rotation angle data and torque data of the motor in operation, detects the state where the torque increase gradient is within a preset range at the end position of the interval detected in Step 3; and Step 5, when Step 1 to Step 4 are met, sets the interval detected in Step 3 as the idling interval and calculates the backlash.

7. A method for measuring backlash in a rotary positioning device, the rotary positioning device comprising: a rotary stage for mounting a workpiece; a large gear fixed to the output shaft of the rotary stage; a small gear meshing with the large gear and having a smaller diameter than the large gear; an electric motor driving the small gear; a operation control device connected to the electric motor and controlling the electric motor; and a backlash measuring device connected to the electric motor and the operation control device for measuring the backlash generated between the large gear and the small gear; and the backlash measuring device comprising: The system includes an input shaft angle sensor that acquires data on the rotation angle of the motor; an angle torque measuring unit that measures the rotation angle and torque of the motor based on data acquired from the input shaft angle sensor and the operation control device; a data selection unit connected to the angle torque measuring unit that selects data related to the rotation angle and torque of the operating motor from the angle torque measuring unit; and a backlash evaluation unit that calculates the measured value of the backlash generated between the large gear and the small gear based on the data selected by the data selection unit. The backlash measurement method performs the following steps: Step 1, based on the rotation angle data of the operating motor acquired by the input shaft angle sensor, detects a state where the motor rotates more than a predetermined angle in the forward or reverse direction and stops; Step 2, based on the rotation angle data of the operating motor acquired by the input shaft angle sensor, detects a state where the motor rotates more than a predetermined angle in the opposite direction to Step 1. Step 3: Based on the rotation angle data of the operating motor obtained by the input shaft angle sensor and the torque data of the operating motor obtained by the operation control device, it detects the interval where the torque of the motor in Step 2 matches the preset torque. Step 4: Based on the rotation angle data of the operating motor obtained by the input shaft angle sensor and the torque data of the operating motor obtained by the operation control device, it detects the state where the torque increase gradient is within the preset range at the end position of the interval detected in Step 3. Step 5: When Steps 1 to 4 are successful, it sets the interval detected in Step 3 as the idling interval and calculates the backlash.

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