Mechanical components and monitoring systems

Abstract

The mechanical component (40) includes: a housing (41); a bearing (42) disposed within the housing (41) to support the shaft member (31) so as to be rotatable relative to the housing (41); and a temperature sensor (43b) disposed on the outer surface of the housing (41) to detect the temperature of the housing (41). When the housing (41) is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing (42), the temperature sensor (43b) overlaps with the part of the housing (41) where the stress generated by the force acting from the bearing (42) is the greatest.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to mechanical components and monitoring systems. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bearing unit for a conveying device as an example of a mechanical component. The mechanical component of Patent Document 1 includes a housing, a bearing disposed in the housing, a sensor for detecting the condition of the bearing, and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting information detected by the sensor.

[0003] The bearing, sensor, and transmitter are housed within the housing. The sensor, for example, is a temperature sensor that detects the bearing's temperature. When the bearing's condition changes, its temperature rises, sometimes causing bearing malfunctions. The mechanical component in Patent Document 1 facilitates the detection of bearing malfunctions based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-11312 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0008] The mechanical component in Patent Document 1 also includes a cover that encloses the sensor and transmitter inside the housing, as well as a sealing member to prevent dust and other contaminants from entering between the housing and the cover. Thus, the mechanical component in Patent Document 1 has an increased number of components due to the presence of sensors and the like inside the housing, making it difficult to construct simply. Furthermore, in mechanical components with bearings, it is desirable to detect bearing malfunctions as early as possible.

[0009] The purpose of this disclosure is to simplify the structure of mechanical components with bearings and to enable earlier detection of bearing anomalies in a monitoring system incorporating such mechanical components.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] A mechanical component of one of the technical solutions disclosed herein comprises: a housing; a bearing disposed within the housing to support a shaft member for rotation relative to the housing; and a temperature sensor disposed on the outer surface of the housing to detect the temperature of the housing, wherein, when the housing is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing, the temperature sensor overlaps with the portion of the housing where the stress generated by the force acting from the bearing is greatest.

[0012] Therefore, the temperature sensor is positioned on the outer surface of the housing. This simplifies the structure within the housing and the structure of the mechanical components. Furthermore, in a bearing, when a change in condition develops due to load from the shaft member, the temperature at the location where this change occurs rises. Heat from the bearing is transferred to the housing. The temperature at the point in the housing that contacts the location where the bearing's condition change is developing rises earlier than at other parts of the housing. Additionally, the point in the housing that contacts the location where the bearing's condition change is developing corresponds to the location with the highest stress due to the force acting from the bearing. Therefore, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor rises earlier than both the bearing temperature and the housing temperature. Thus, the mechanical components can benefit from earlier detection of bearing anomalies through the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0013] In addition, in a mechanical component of a technical solution disclosed herein, the axis of the bearing is inclined relative to the direction of gravity when the housing is mounted on the mounted component. When the housing is observed along the axis of the bearing while it is mounted on the mounted component, the temperature sensor is located on the lower side of the direction of gravity than the axis of the bearing.

[0014] Therefore, the portion of the housing located below the bearing axis in the direction of gravity corresponds to the area of ​​greatest stress caused by the force exerted by the bearing. Consequently, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor reliably rises earlier than both the bearing and housing temperatures. This facilitates the reliable early detection of bearing anomalies based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0015] In addition, in the mechanical component of one of the technical solutions disclosed herein, an RFID tag is provided, which is integrally formed with the temperature sensor and sends the detected temperature of the temperature sensor to the reader.

[0016] Thus, the mechanical components can output the detected temperature of the temperature sensor with a simple structure.

[0017] The monitoring system of this disclosure includes: a mechanical device comprising a plurality of said mechanical components; the reader / writer; and a terminal device electrically connected to the reader / writer for storing the detected temperature of the temperature sensor.

[0018] Therefore, the reader can obtain the detected temperatures from multiple mechanical components in a short time. Consequently, the terminal device can easily acquire the detected temperatures from multiple temperature sensors via the reader. Thus, even with multiple mechanical components, the monitoring system can achieve early detection of bearing anomalies with a simple structure. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1It is a diagram showing the structure of the monitoring system.

[0020] Figure 2 This is the front view of the mechanical component.

[0021] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the mechanical component shown along line III-III.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a top view of the temperature detection device.

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 An enlarged cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device shown.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a block diagram of an RFID tag.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component of a first variation of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component of a second variation of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component of a third variation of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component of a fourth variation of an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The structural elements of the various embodiments and modifications described below can be appropriately combined. In addition, sometimes some structural elements are not used.

[0030] <Monitoring System 1>

[0031] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the structure of monitoring system 1. Monitoring system 1 is a system for monitoring mechanical components 40 that include the bearing 42 described later. Monitoring system 1 includes mechanical devices 2, a reader / writer 3, and a terminal device 4. In addition, monitoring system 1 may also include multiple mechanical devices 2.

[0032] Mechanical device 2 is a roller conveyor that transports industrial products along the conveying direction W. Mechanical device 2 includes a pair of support platforms 10 and a plurality of roller devices 20. The support platforms 10 are equivalent to "mounted components". In this embodiment, the number of roller devices 20 is 10, but it is not limited to this number.

[0033] A pair of support platforms 10 support multiple roller devices 20. The pair of support platforms 10 are cuboid in shape and extend along the conveying direction W.

[0034] The roller assembly 20 includes a roller component 30 and a pair of mechanical parts 40.

[0035] The roller member 30 includes a shaft member 31 and a roller 32. The shaft member 31 is a cylindrical shape extending along a central axis.

[0036] Roller 32 is a cylindrical shape disposed on the circumferential side of shaft member 31 and rotates integrally with shaft member 31. Both ends of shaft member 31 protrude from roller 32.

[0037] A pair of mechanical components 40 support the roller member 30 so that it can rotate relative to each other. Specifically, a pair of mechanical components 40 support the two ends of the shaft member 31 so that they can rotate relative to each other. The mechanical component 40 is a shaft support. The mechanical component 40 includes a bearing 42 described later and an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag 43a integrated with a temperature sensor 43b. Details of the mechanical component 40 will be described later.

[0038] A pair of mechanical components 40 are fixed to a pair of support platforms 10, for example, using fixing bolts, thereby supporting a plurality of roller assemblies 20 on the pair of support platforms 10. The plurality of roller assemblies 20 are arranged such that the central axes of the shaft members 31 are parallel to each other and the central axes of the shaft members 31 are orthogonal to the conveying direction W.

[0039] The reader 3 communicates wirelessly with the RFID tag 43a on the mechanical component 40. The reader 3 can be carried by the user. The reader 3 is electrically connected to the terminal device 4 via wired or wireless means.

[0040] The user operates the reader 3 to send a carrier wave from the reader 3 to the RFID tag 43a. Correspondingly, the RFID tag 43a sends the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b (hereinafter referred to as the detection temperature of the temperature sensor 43b) to the reader 3. The reader 3 acquires the detection temperature of the temperature sensor 43b and sends it to the terminal device 4.

[0041] The reader 3 can simultaneously communicate wirelessly with multiple RFID tags 43a. Therefore, the reader 3 can obtain the detected temperatures of multiple temperature sensors 43b in a relatively short time. The reader 3 then sends the detected temperatures of the multiple temperature sensors 43b to the terminal device 4.

[0042] Terminal device 4 is a computer, which includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), internal storage, input interfaces, and output interfaces. The CPU, ROM, RAM, and internal storage are connected via an internal bus. The ROM stores programs such as the BIOS. The internal storage, such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory, stores the operating system program and application programs. The CPU executes programs stored in the ROM or internal storage using RAM as its working area to perform various functions.

[0043] Terminal device 4 obtains the detected temperature of temperature sensor 43b from reader 3. Terminal device 4 uses the detected temperature of temperature sensor 43b to detect abnormalities in bearing 42 prior to a failure of bearing 42 in mechanical component 40.

[0044] Because changes in the condition of bearing 42 (e.g., changes over time) develop due to the load acting from shaft member 31, an abnormality occurs in bearing 42. When the abnormality of bearing 42 is ignored, bearing 42 fails, and mechanical component 40 fails. That is, the terminal device 4 detects the abnormality of bearing 42 that occurred before bearing 42 fails.

[0045] As the condition of bearing 42 changes, the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b rises (details will be described later). If the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b is above a predetermined temperature, the terminal device 4 determines that bearing 42 is malfunctioning. Based on the determination result of the terminal device 4, the user investigates the mechanical component 40 that is determined to be malfunctioning.

[0046] Users can periodically check the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b using terminal device 4, thereby enabling early detection of abnormalities in bearing 42.

[0047] As described above, according to this embodiment, the monitoring system 1 includes: a mechanical device 2 comprising a plurality of mechanical parts 40; a reader 3; and a terminal device 4 electrically connected to the reader 3 and storing the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b.

[0048] Therefore, the reader 3 obtains the detected temperatures of the temperature sensors 43b from multiple mechanical components 40 in a relatively short time. Thus, the terminal device 4 can easily obtain the detected temperatures of multiple temperature sensors 43b via the reader 3. Therefore, even with multiple mechanical components 40, the monitoring system 1 can achieve early detection of bearing 42 anomalies with a simple structure.

[0049] <Mechanical Components 40>

[0050] In the following description, the Z direction in the illustration is defined as the vertical direction of the mechanical component 40, the X direction as the horizontal direction of the mechanical component 40, and the Y direction as the front-back direction of the mechanical component 40. The X, Y, and Z directions are orthogonal to each other. Furthermore, the X, Y, and Z directions are examples, and this disclosure is not limited to these directions.

[0051] Figure 2 This is the front view of mechanical component 40. Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 The mechanical component 40 shown is a cross-sectional view along line III-III. The mechanical component 40 includes a housing 41, a bearing 42, and a temperature detection device 43.

[0052] The housing 41 integrally has a main body portion 41a and a flange portion 41b. The main body portion 41a has a first through hole 41a1 through which the shaft member 31 passes.

[0053] Flange portions 41b are located on both sides of the main body portion 41a in the X direction. Flange portions 41b have second through holes 41b1 for bolts to pass through, which are used to mount mechanical components 40 to the support table 10.

[0054] Furthermore, the lower surface (the surface on the -Z side) of the housing 41 corresponds to the mounting surface F1 that contacts the support platform 10. The mounting surface F1 is flat. The mounting surface F1 is orthogonal to the Z direction. When the mechanical component 40 is mounted on the support platform 10, the Z direction is approximately parallel to the direction of gravity. Therefore, when the mechanical component 40 is mounted on the support platform 10, the mounting surface F1 is approximately orthogonal to the direction of gravity and faces downwards in the direction of gravity.

[0055] Bearing 42 is disposed within housing 41, supporting shaft member 31 so that it can rotate relative to housing 41. The axis Ax of bearing 42 extends along the Y direction. That is, with housing 41 mounted on support platform 10, the axis Ax of bearing 42 is approximately orthogonal to the direction of gravity. Furthermore, in this specification, the inclination of axis Ax relative to the direction of gravity includes the axis Ax being orthogonal to the direction of gravity. The axis Ax of bearing 42 is approximately parallel to the central axis of shaft member 31.

[0056] Bearing 42 is a ball bearing. Alternatively, bearing 42 can also be a roller bearing. Bearing 42 is disposed in the first through hole 41a1. Bearing 42 has an outer ring 42a, an inner ring 42b, and a plurality of balls 42c.

[0057] The outer ring 42a is fitted into the annular groove 41a2 on the inner circumferential surface of the first through hole 41a1. The outer ring 42a is fixed to the housing 41. The inner ring 42b is located inside the outer ring 42a. A shaft member 31 is fixed to the inner ring 42b in a manner that allows it to rotate integrally. A plurality of balls 42c are disposed between the outer ring 42a and the inner ring 42b.

[0058] When the shaft member 31 rotates relative to the housing 41, the inner ring 42b rotates relative to the outer ring 42a. At this time, a plurality of balls 42c roll relative to the outer ring 42a and the inner ring 42b.

[0059] A temperature detection device 43 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41 to detect the temperature of the housing 41. The temperature detection device 43 is disposed on the front surface F2 (the +Y side surface) of the outer surface of the housing 41. Furthermore, when the housing 41 is mounted on the support platform 10 and viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42, the temperature detection device 43 is located lower than the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the direction of gravity. The axial direction of the bearing 42 is the direction in which the axis Ax extends.

[0060] As described above, with the housing 41 mounted on the support platform 10, the mounting surface F1 of the housing 41 is approximately orthogonal to the direction of gravity, facing downwards in the direction of gravity. Therefore, as Figure 2 As shown, the temperature sensing device 43 is located on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 within a configuration area R1 that is -Z side closer to the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the configuration area R1 corresponds to the region in the front surface F2 of the housing 41 where the range H1 overlaps with the range H2 in the X direction of the bearing 42. The range H1 is the area between the imaginary line L passing through the axis Ax of the bearing 42 and parallel to the X direction and the mounting surface F1. Additionally, in this embodiment, the temperature detection device 43 is located in a local region R2 in the configuration area R1 that is on the -Z side in the Z direction compared to the outer peripheral surface of the bearing 42.

[0061] Furthermore, when viewing the housing 41 along the axial direction of the bearing 42 with the housing 41 mounted on the support platform 10, at least the temperature sensor 43b in the temperature detection device 43 (described later) may overlap with the configuration area R1 (or local area R2).

[0062] Figure 4 This is a top view of the temperature detection device 43. Figure 5 yes Figure 3 An enlarged cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device 43 shown. Figure 6 This is a block diagram of RFID tag 43a.

[0063] The temperature detection device 43 includes an RFID tag 43a, a temperature sensor 43b, a cover component 43c, and an adhesive component 43d. The RFID tag 43a and the temperature sensor 43b are integrally formed.

[0064] RFID tag 43a is a passive RFID tag. RFID tag 43a has the following characteristics: Figure 5 The substrate 43a1 shown is made of resin, ceramic, or plastic. The conductive portion of the substrate 43a1 is formed by metal plating on the surface of the substrate. Alternatively, the conductive portion can be formed from conductive foil. Furthermore, the conductive portion can be formed using polymer-type conductive ink via screen printing or inkjet printing. A temperature sensor 43b is disposed on the substrate 43a1. Figure 6 The antenna 43e and control circuit 43f are shown.

[0065] Temperature sensor 43b detects the temperature of housing 41. That is, the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b is equivalent to the temperature detected by temperature detection device 43.

[0066] like Figure 5 As shown, the temperature sensor 43b is disposed on the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. With the temperature detection device 43 disposed in the housing 41, the temperature sensor 43b faces the outer surface (front surface F2) of the housing 41. A space exists between the temperature sensor 43b and the outer surface of the housing 41. This suppresses the transmission of vibrations from the mechanical component 40 to the temperature sensor 43b, thus preventing damage to the temperature sensor 43b.

[0067] Figure 6 The control circuit 43f shown is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 43b and the antenna 43e. The antenna 43e receives a carrier wave from the reader 3. The antenna 43e employs a known construction. For example, the antenna 43e can adopt the inverted-F antenna construction described in Japanese Patent No. 4990858. In this case, the antenna 43e can also communicate even when the temperature detection device 43 is mounted on the surface of a metal component. The control circuit 43f is driven by power generated by the carrier wave.

[0068] The control circuit 43f acquires the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b and stores it in the storage area 43f1. The control circuit 43f then transmits the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b stored in the storage area 43f1 to the reader 3 via the antenna 43e.

[0069] Additionally, the control circuit 43f sends identification information (e.g., identification number) of the mechanical component 40, corresponding to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b, to the reader 3. This identification information is pre-stored by the reader 3 in the storage area 43f1. The terminal device 4 stores the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b in correspondence with the identification information. Therefore, the terminal device 4 is able to identify the mechanical component 40 that is determined to have an abnormality in the bearing 42.

[0070] Furthermore, the control circuit 43f can use an IC chip equipped with a temperature sensor 43b. In this case, the control circuit 43f and the temperature sensor 43b are integrated. Therefore, miniaturization of the RFID tag 43a is possible.

[0071] Figure 5 The cover member 43c shown protects the RFID tag 43a. The cover member 43c is a flat plate including a mounting surface 43c1. The mounting surface 43c1 is flat. The mounting surface 43c1 has a recess 43c2 for mounting the RFID tag 43a. When viewed from above, the recess 43c2 is located at the center of the cover member 43c.

[0072] Furthermore, when the RFID tag 43a is disposed in the recess 43c2, the mounting surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 are located on the same plane. That is, when the RFID tag 43a is disposed in the recess 43c2, the mounting surface 43c1 exists around the entire circumference of the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. Alternatively, the mounting surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 may also be located on different planes. Additionally, when the RFID tag 43a is disposed in the recess 43c2, the temperature sensor 43b protrudes relative to the mounting surface 43c1.

[0073] The material of the cover component 43c is thermoplastic resin. Specifically, the material of the cover component 43c is nylon resin, which is waterproof and oil-resistant. Therefore, the cover component 43c is waterproof and oil-resistant. The waterproof and oil-resistant properties of the cover component 43c mean that during the use of the mechanical part 40, changes in the properties of the cover component 43c caused by water, oil used in the mechanical part 40, and lubricating grease can be suppressed, and the operation of the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a will not be affected.

[0074] An adhesive member 43d is disposed on the mounting surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c, and adhesively attaches the RFID tag 43a and the cover member 43c to the outer surface (front surface F2) of the housing 41. The adhesive member 43d is also disposed on the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. The adhesive member 43d has a third through hole 43d1 for the temperature sensor 43b to be located inside. Thus, the temperature sensor 43b is positioned opposite the outer surface of the housing 41 across a space. Furthermore, the third through hole 43d1 reduces the space between the temperature sensor 43b and the outer surface of the housing 41. Therefore, the temperature sensor 43b can accurately detect the temperature of the housing 41.

[0075] The adhesive component 43d is a double-sided adhesive tape. The adhesive component 43d is waterproof. The adhesive component 43d is a so-called waterproof tape. The waterproof nature of the adhesive component 43d means that during the use of the mechanical component 40, changes in the properties of the adhesive component 43d due to water can be suppressed, and the operation of the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a will not be affected.

[0076] Furthermore, the adhesive member 43d is disposed around the RFID tag 43a on the mounting surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c. Therefore, water tightness is ensured between the cover member 43c and the outer surface of the housing 41, preventing water from adhering to the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0077] Next, the operation of mechanical component 40 when bearing 42 malfunctions will be explained.

[0078] exist Figure 1 When the mechanical device 2 shown transports industrial products, a downward load in the direction of gravity is applied from the shaft member 31 to the bearing 42. Due to the load from the shaft member 31, frictional forces are generated between the balls 42c and the inner ring 42b, and between the balls 42c and the outer ring 42a. When the condition of the bearing 42 changes due to these frictional forces, abnormalities such as damage to the bearing 42 may occur. When these abnormalities develop, failures such as bearing seizure may occur.

[0079] Furthermore, if the state change of bearing 42 caused by friction develops, the temperature of bearing 42 will rise. In bearing 42, the part with the highest temperature is the same as the part with the greatest friction, which is the part with the greatest load from shaft member 31.

[0080] The load on the shaft member 31 is transmitted to the housing 41 via the bearing 42. In the housing 41, the part of the housing 41 where the stress generated by the force acting from the bearing 42 is the part that contacts the part of the bearing 42 where the load acting from the shaft member 31 is the greatest.

[0081] In addition, heat from bearing 42 is transferred to housing 41. Within housing 41, the hottest part corresponds to the part of bearing 42 that is in contact with the hottest part of bearing 42.

[0082] As described above, in bearing 42, the location with the highest temperature is the same as the location under the greatest load from shaft member 31. Therefore, in housing 41, the location with the highest temperature is the same as the location under the greatest stress generated by the force acting from bearing 42. Consequently, in housing 41, the temperature of the location under the greatest stress generated by the force acting from bearing 42 rises earlier than the temperature of other locations.

[0083] In this embodiment, the bearing 42 is subjected to a downward load in the direction of gravity (along the Z direction toward the -Z side) from the shaft member 31. Therefore, in the housing 41, the part with the greatest stress caused by the force acting from the bearing 42 is the part closer to the -Z side than the axis Ax.

[0084] As described above, the temperature sensing device 43 is located on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 in a configuration area R1 that is -Z side closer to the axis Ax of the bearing 42. That is, when the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42, the temperature sensing device 43 overlaps with the part of the housing 41 where the stress generated by the force acting from the bearing 42 is the greatest.

[0085] Therefore, when the temperature of the bearing 42 and the housing 41 rises due to the load from the shaft member 31, the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 43, being located in the aforementioned configuration region R1, rises in advance in accordance with the temperature rise of the housing 41.

[0086] As described above, the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 43 is stored in the terminal device 4 via the reader / writer 3. Furthermore, if the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 43 is above a predetermined temperature, the terminal device 4 determines that the bearing 42 is malfunctioning. Therefore, by having the temperature detection device 43 located in the aforementioned configuration area R1, malfunctions in the bearing 42 can be detected in advance.

[0087] As described above, according to this embodiment, the mechanical component 40 includes: a housing 41; a bearing 42 disposed on the housing 41, supporting the shaft member 31 so as to be rotatable relative to the housing 41; and a temperature sensor 43b disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41 to detect the temperature of the housing 41. When the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42, the temperature sensor 43b overlaps with the part of the housing 41 where the stress generated by the force acting from the bearing 42 is the greatest.

[0088] Therefore, the temperature sensor 43b is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41. This simplifies the structure within the housing 41 and the structure of the mechanical component 40. Furthermore, in the bearing 42, when a change in condition develops due to the load from the shaft member 31, the temperature rises at the location where this change occurs. Heat from the bearing 42 is transferred to the housing 41. The temperature of the portion of the housing 41 in contact with the location where the bearing 42's condition change is developing rises earlier than other portions of the housing 41. Additionally, the portion of the housing 41 in contact with the location where the bearing 42's condition change is developing corresponds to the location with the greatest stress caused by the force acting from the bearing 42. Therefore, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b rises earlier in tandem with the temperature rise of both the bearing 42 and the housing 41. Thus, the mechanical component 40 can facilitate the early detection of abnormalities in the bearing 42 through the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b.

[0089] Furthermore, the axis Ax of the bearing 42 is tilted relative to the direction of gravity when the housing 41 is mounted on the support platform 10. When the housing 41 is viewed along the axis of the bearing 42 while it is mounted on the support platform 10, the temperature sensor 43b is located on the lower side of the direction of gravity than the axis Ax of the bearing 42.

[0090] Therefore, the portion of housing 41 located below the axis Ax of bearing 42 in the direction of gravity corresponds to the portion experiencing the greatest stress due to the force acting from bearing 42. Consequently, the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b reliably rises earlier when the temperature of bearing 42 increases. Thus, mechanical component 40 reliably facilitates the early detection of abnormalities in bearing 42 through the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b.

[0091] In addition, the mechanical component 40 is equipped with an RFID tag 43a, which is integrated with the temperature sensor 43b and sends the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b to the reader 3.

[0092] Thus, the mechanical component 40 can output the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b with a simple structure.

[0093] Next, regarding the monitoring system 1 and mechanical component 40 of the modified embodiment of the present disclosure, the differences between the monitoring system 1 and mechanical component 40 of the above-described embodiment will be explained.

[0094] For example, mechanical device 2 is not limited to a roller conveyor. Mechanical device 2 only needs to have multiple mechanical parts 40 with bearings 42.

[0095] Furthermore, the mechanical component 40 is not limited to a shaft assembly. The mechanical component 40 only needs to include the bearing 42.

[0096] Alternatively, RFID tag 43a can also be an active RFID tag. In this case, RFID tag 43a also has a power source.

[0097] Alternatively, the adhesive member 43d may also be elastic. In this case, the adhesive member 43d may, for example, have an elastic sheet-like substrate and adhesive layers disposed on both sides of the substrate. The substrate may be formed, for example, from a foamed resin such as foamed polyethylene. When the mechanical device 2 is in operation, the elasticity of the adhesive member 43d can suppress vibrations transmitted from the housing 41 to the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0098] Alternatively, the adhesive component 43d can also be formed by curing an adhesive (such as an epoxy-based adhesive). Alternatively, the adhesive component 43d can also be a butyl tape with waterproof and oil-resistant properties.

[0099] Alternatively, the temperature sensing device 43 may not have an adhesive member 43d. In this case, the temperature sensing device 43 may be fixed to the housing 41, for example, by bolts.

[0100] Alternatively, the cover member 43c may also be shaped to cover a portion of the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 while the temperature sensor 43b is exposed.

[0101] Alternatively, the placement area R1 may be located on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 at a position other than -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. As described above, when the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42, the temperature sensor 43b overlaps with the part of the housing 41 where the stress generated by the force acting from the bearing 42 is the greatest. For example, the position of the placement area R1 on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 varies depending on the posture of the mechanical component 40 mounted on the support 10. For example, when the mechanical component 40 is mounted on the support 10, and the mounting surface F1 is orthogonal to the direction of gravity and faces upward in the direction of gravity, the placement area R1 on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 is located on the +Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Furthermore, the position of the placement area R1 on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 varies depending on the direction of the load acting on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31. For example, when the direction of the load acting on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31 is along the X direction from the -X side to the +X side, the arrangement area R1 is located on the front surface F2 of the housing 41, on the +X side, regardless of the posture of the mechanical component 40. Alternatively, the mechanical component 40 may be mounted on the support 10 with the axis Ax of the bearing 42 extending along the direction of gravity.

[0102] Figure 7This is a cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device 43 in the mechanical component 40 of the first variation of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0103] The mechanical component 40 of this first modification also includes thermal paste 143g. The thermal paste 143g is, for example, a silicone-based thermal grease. However, the thermal paste 143g is not limited to silicone-based materials; any paste-like form is acceptable. Alternatively, the thermal paste 143g can also be a thermosetting resin (e.g., epoxy resin) containing Ag particles with high thermal conductivity.

[0104] Thermal paste 143g is filled into the third through hole 43d1 with the temperature sensing device 43 disposed in the housing 41. Thus, the temperature sensor 43b and the housing 41 are thermally connected via the thermal paste 143g.

[0105] In the mechanical component 40 of this first variation, compared with the mechanical component 40 of the above-described embodiment, the heat of the housing 41 is efficiently transferred to the temperature sensor 43b via the thermal paste 143g.

[0106] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device 43 in the mechanical component 40 of a second variation of the embodiments of this disclosure. In this second variation, the adhesive member 243d does not have a third through hole 43d1. The adhesive member 243d covers the entire RFID tag 43a. Thus, the temperature sensor 43b is covered by the adhesive member 243d. Thus, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the housing 41 via the adhesive member 243d.

[0107] In the mechanical component 40 of this second modification, compared to the mechanical component 40 of the above-described embodiment, the heat from the housing 41 is efficiently transferred to the temperature sensor 43b via the adhesive member 243d. Furthermore, the adhesive member 243d may also contain particles such as Ag with relatively high thermal conductivity. In this case, the heat from the housing 41 is transferred to the temperature sensor 43b more efficiently via the adhesive member 243d.

[0108] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the temperature sensing device 43 in the mechanical component 40 of the third modification of the present disclosure. In this third modification, the housing 41 has a recess 341a3 for embedding the temperature sensor 43b. The shape of the recess 341a3 is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate the temperature sensor 43b. Preferably, the shape of the recess 341a3 is such that the temperature sensor 43b approaches without contact even when the mechanical component 40 is in operation. Furthermore, the aforementioned thermally conductive paste 143g may be filled into the recess 341a3.

[0109] exist Figure 9In this third variation, the adhesive component 43d is omitted. In this variation, the adhesive component 43d may, for example, be a component cured from a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive. In this case, the thickness of the adhesive component 43d can be reduced.

[0110] In the mechanical component 40 of this third variation, the temperature sensor 43b is located inside the recess 341a3, thereby enabling the temperature sensor 43b to detect the temperature of the housing 41 with higher accuracy.

[0111] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device 444 in the mechanical component 40 of the fourth modification of the present disclosure. The temperature detection device 444 of this fourth modification does not include the RFID tag 43a and the cover member 43c. The temperature detection device 444 of this fourth modification includes a substrate 444a, a temperature sensor 444b, and an adhesive member 444c. The temperature sensor 444b is disposed on the main surface 444a1 of the substrate 444a. The substrate 444a has a terminal for outputting the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 444b.

[0112] In this configuration, the monitoring system 1 does not have a reader / writer 3, and the terminal device 4 obtains the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 444b through an electrical connection with the terminals of the substrate 444a. Alternatively, the substrate 444a may also have a display unit that shows the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 444b. In this configuration, the user can also confirm the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 444b through the display unit and input it to the terminal device 4.

[0113] The adhesive member 444c adheres the substrate 444a to the housing 41. The adhesive member 444c is, for example, double-sided tape. In addition, the temperature detection device 444 may also include a cover member to protect the substrate 444a.

[0114] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0115] 1: Monitoring system; 2: Mechanical device; 3: Reader / writer; 4: Terminal device; 10: Support platform (installed component); 31: Shaft component; 40: Mechanical part; 41: Housing; 42: Bearing; 43a: RFID tag; 43b: Temperature sensor; Ax: Bearing axis.

Claims

1. A mechanical component, wherein, This mechanical component has: case; Bearings, disposed within the housing, support the shaft member so that it can rotate relative to the housing; and A temperature sensor, disposed on the outer surface of the housing, detects the temperature of the housing. When the housing is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing, the temperature sensor overlaps with the part of the housing where the stress caused by the force exerted by the bearing is the greatest.

2. The mechanical component according to claim 1, wherein, The axis of the bearing is inclined relative to the direction of gravity when the housing is mounted on the mounted component. When the housing is installed on the mounted component and viewed along the axis of the bearing, the temperature sensor is located on the lower side of the direction of gravity than the axis of the bearing.

3. The mechanical component according to claim 1, wherein, The mechanical component is equipped with an RFID tag, which is integrated with the temperature sensor and sends the detected temperature of the temperature sensor to the reader.

4. A monitoring system, wherein, This monitoring system has the following features: A mechanical device comprising a plurality of the mechanical components as described in claim 3; The reader / writer; and A terminal device, which is electrically connected to the reader / writer, stores the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

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