Modular condition monitoring sensor

Abstract

Sensor (51) comprising a housing (52), an electrical power supply device (64) and at least one electronic card (65, 66, 67) housed in the housing (52). The electrical power supply device (64) and the at least one electronic card (65, 66, 67) are removable from the housing (52).

Description

The present invention relates to the field of sensors, particularly those used on rotating devices.Such devices can be used, for example, in heavy industry applications, e.g., in the food and beverage industry, in the pulp and paper industry, in moving devices, in tunnelling, in mining and in wind turbines.Regardless of its field of use, monitoring a rotating device is required. Various physical properties such as temperatures, vibrations, loads, stresses, speeds or others must be monitored and analyzed to control the condition of the device. Suitable sensors are used to check the various properties.For example, a temperature sensor may be used to check the heating degree of a ball bearing. A speed sensor is used to measure the speed of a wheel. A vibration sensor may be used to control the balancing of a wind turbine propeller.There are indeed a large number of sensors with different shapes, different materials, different means for fixing to a support and different means for transmitting the measurement values. Accordingly, the use of different sensors for different measurements is very widespread and often allows correct monitoring of the state of a device.For each application, a specific sensor is attached to the device at the appropriate location. The information provided by a sensor is retrieved in a wired or wireless manner depending on the configuration. The information may be viewed or used by a suitable monitoring system. The information may be processed by, for example, a computing device to generate alerts.Sensors generally function well and are satisfactory. However, the use of sensors has some disadvantages.Sometimes it is necessary to replace a sensor, either identical or by an equivalent model or even by an improved model. This may be due to a failure. This need may also be due to a possible improvement, e.g., an increase in robustness, sensitivity, precision, or others. This need may also be due to technological development, such as changing the type of communication with the environment.The replacement of a sensor is usually quite complicated, long and expensive, especially in the case of sensors installed by gluing.Moreover, maintenance often requires a large inventory of sensors of all types, which may be dedicated to machines with different functions or different brands. Management of a large inventory is complex and expensive.The present invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages, among other things. The invention seeks to improve the implementation and maintenance of sensors, in particular by making them simpler, faster and less expensive. The invention also seeks to reduce the number of sensors required for maintenance of a fleet of machines.The invention relates to a sensor comprising a housing, an electric power supply device and at least one electronic card housed in the housing. The electric power supply device and the at least one electronic card are removable from the housing.Each card may perform one or more functions, and the structure of the sensor allows for the renewal of each removable card. Accordingly, it is possible to assign one or more desired functions to the sensor. This also allows the replacement of a defective card. The sensor can thus be designed according to a certain need; its function is optimized. It is easier to meet the specifications to perform all or part replacement of components. Among the advantages that result from this, implementation and maintenance are simpler, faster and less expensive. With a reduced number of maps, the sensor addresses a significant number of problems. And a small number of components is sufficient.At least one electronic card is intended to acquire data. This allows the specific function of data acquisition to be adjusted or maintained.At least one electronic card is intended to process data. This allows the adaptation or maintenance of the specific function of the data processing.At least one electronic card is intended to transmit data. This allows the adaptation or maintenance of the specific function of the data transmission.One or more cards are housed in a card holder which in turn is removably housed in the housing. This protects the card and provides easier handling.A basket removably housed in the housing contains the electrical power supply device and one or more cards. This simplifies the configuration of the sensor. The basket allows quick and direct access to each card.The electric power supply device is a battery. This device structure is reliable and easy to implement.The sensor structure comprises a plurality of parts arranged in a reversible manner. The sensor can be disassembled and reassembled. The modularity of the sensor makes it possible to configure or modify its structure completely or partially. The sensor can therefore be formed according to a certain shape.The housing includes a base to which a body is attached and a cover attached to the body. This allows all sides of the sensor to be configured.The invention also relates to a method for implementing a sensor comprising a housing for housing an electric power supply device and at least one electronic card, the method comprising the steps of: opening the housing, inserting or replacing a removable electric power supply device and / or at least one removable electronic card, closing the housing.The present invention and its advantages will be better understood by studying the detailed description of specific embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a sensor according to a first embodiment of the invention,FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the sensor of FIG. 1,FIG. 3 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of the sensor of FIGS. 1 and 2,FIG. 4 is a description of the arrangement of the sensor of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,FIG. 5 is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of a sensor according to a second example of the invention,FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a subassembly of the sensor of FIG. 5.A sensor 1 according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a housing 2 which in turn comprises a base 3, a body 4 and a cover 5, wherein the body 4 is arranged between the base 3 and the cover 5. The various components of the sensor 1 are illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.The base 3 is, in a non-limiting manner, a guide nut. The base 3 comprises a portion 6 provided with sides 7 and a circular guide portion 8, although six sides 7 are provided, a different number could be suitable. The base 3 is traversed over its entire length by a continuous threaded hole 9, but alternatively a blind threaded hole could be provided which opens outside the sensor 1. By means of the hole 9, the base 3 of the sensor 1 can be attached to a component by screwing. The hole 9 is a means for mechanical connection.The body 4 extends longitudinally between a first connecting end 11 intended for attachment to the base 3 and a second connecting end 12 intended for attachment to the cover 5. The body 4 has the general shape of a cylinder. The interior of the body 4 has a shoulder 13, the distance between this 13 and the first end 11 delimiting an insert 14 which is fitted onto the circular guide portion 8 of the base 3.The locking of the body 4 on the base 3 is ensured by a fastening means which is produced by a screw-nut connection. The screws 15 are passed, for example, through holes 16 in the shoulder 13 to be then screwed into threaded holes 17 in the base 3. Thereby, the body 4 is held on the base 3 in a reversible manner. The connection between the body 4 and the base 3 is removable. The screws 15 and the threaded holes 17 are part of the removable mechanical connection between the base 3 and the body 4.The locking of the cover 5 on the body 4 is ensured by a means of securing which is produced by a screw-nut connection. The cover 5 is, for example, a circular part having an internal thread 21, and the second connecting end 12 of the body 4 has an external thread 22, and thus the cover 5 is held on the body 4 in a reversible manner. The connection between the cover 5 and the body 4 is removable. The internal thread 21 and the external thread 22 are part of the removable mechanical connection between the cover 5 and the body 4.Since the base 3, the body 4 and the cover 5 are removably connected to each other, the sensor 1 has a modular housing 2. in other words, the sensor structure comprises a plurality of parts 3, 4, 5 assembled in a reversible manner. It is therefore possible to replace only one or two parts of the housing 2. For example, the inner volume of the housing 2, which is also the inner volume of the sensor 1, can be changed. It is sufficient to replace the body 4 by another, shorter or longer.The housing 2 accommodates a plurality of components. The housing 2 houses, in a non-limiting manner, a first removable electronic card holder 23, a removable electric power supply device 24, and a second removable electronic card holder 25.The first removable electronic card holder 23 is in the form of a cover into which an electronic card 26 is inserted. The card 26 is frictionally held in the card holder 23. The shape of card 26 may be circular and the mechanical manufacturing tolerance allows it to be keyed into card holder 23.It is possible to release the card 26 from the card holder 23 by pushing it in the opposite direction of installation. For this purpose, an opening 27 is provided in the card holder 23. Press only with a suitable tool to push out the card 26.It is also possible to remove the card holder 23 from the housing 2 by means of a suitable tool, one end of which has a hooked shape or an equivalent shape. The hook is simply inserted into the opening 27 and then pulled out.In the same sense, the second removable electronic card holder 25 is in the form of a cover into which an electronic card 28 is inserted. The card 28 is frictionally held in the card holder 25. The shape of card 28 may be circular and the mechanical manufacturing tolerance allows it to be keyed into card holder 25.It is possible to release the card 28 from the card holder 25 by pulling it in the opposite direction of installation. Only draw with a suitable tool to express the card 28.The removable electric power supply device 24 is inserted inside the housing 2 between the two card holders 23, 25. The device 24 includes, but is not limited to, a set of electrical batteries 29. Alternatively, the device 24 could include a single battery 29.Moreover, an electrical connection 31 is provided in the interior of the housing 2. This terminal 31 can be used, for example, to activate an electrical wiring, not shown, inside the sensor 1.When all the components are accommodated in the housing 2 as shown in FIG. 2, the sensor is ready for use. It is possible to visually ensure the presence of the components: the cover 5 has a through hole 32 serving as a window.Each electronic card 26, 28 may perform various functions, such as measuring temperature, vibrations, or other values, or communicate with peripheral devices, e.g., in Wi-Fi mode, Bluetooth mode, RFID mode, or others. For this reason, the sensor 1 can transmit measured values to receivers.As shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to configure the sensor 1 by selecting maps having certain characteristics.An electronic card is selected which is adapted to be inserted into the first card holder 23. For the data transmission, it may be, for example, a Wi-Fi card 35, an NFC electronic card 36, a Bluetooth electronic card 37, or others. Otherwise, a map may perform one or more functions such as collecting data or processing data. In this sense, an electronic card is also selected which is designed to be inserted into the second card holder 25. It may be, for example, a Wi-Fi card 38, an NFC card 39 or a Bluetooth card 40. Again, a map may perform one or more other functions, such as collecting data or processing data. The cards 35, 36, 37 for the first holder 23 and the cards 38, 39, 40 for the second holder 25 are compatible, respectively. Then, each card holder 23, 25 containing a card and the electric power supply device 24 are placed in the housing 2, whereby the sensor 1 becomes operable.A sensor 51 according to the second example, as shown in FIG. 5, includes a housing 52 that in turn includes a base 53, a body 54, and a cover 55, the body 54 being disposed between the base 53 and the cover 55. As in the first example, the base 53, the body 54, and the cover 55 according to the second example are removably connected to each other, wherein the sensor 51 has a modular housing 52.The locking of the body 54 on the base 53 is ensured by a securing means which is produced by a screw-nut connection. For example, screws 56 cross through holes, not shown, inside the housing 54 to be then threaded into threaded holes 57 in the base 53. In this way, the body 54 is held on the base 53 in a reversible manner. The connection between the housing 54 and the base 53 is removable.The sensor 51 includes a basket 61 which is removably accommodated in the housing 52. The basket 61 is made of, for example, a synthetic material or an equivalent material.As seen in both Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the basket 61 is, for example, a hollow cylinder having a peripheral opening 62 and peripheral circular grooves 63 in its interior. It is possible to house inside the basket 61 one or more electric power supply devices 64 as well as one or more cards 65, 66, 67. Each electric power supply device 64 and each card 65, 66, 67 are reversibly clipped into the basket 61.The basket 61 houses, in a non-limiting manner, four components, namely an electric power supply device 64, a card 65 intended to acquire data, a card 66 intended to process data, and a card 67 intended to transmit data. The power supply device 64 may be a battery. In a non-limiting manner, all components have the same diameter and thickness. This facilitates placement in the basket, which can be done in a particular order or in any order, depending on the configuration.Moreover, the sensor 51 includes a shock absorber 68 housed between the basket 61 and the cover 55, and a receiving end 69 for the shock absorber 68 on the cover side. The shock absorber 68 may be made of any suitable material, such as rubber, synthetic foam, or others. The shock absorber 68 may be sized to compress slightly, thus immobilizing the basket 61 within the housing 52. This improves the shock resistance of the sensor 51.The invention is not limited to the examples described and includes all equivalents falling within the scope of the following claims.Any suitable materials may be used to make the various parts of the housing 2, 52. A circular cross-section for the sensor is not the only possible. Other shapes could be suitable, such as a square, rectangle, or others. Various electronic cards may be selected for the maintenance or configuration of the sensor 1, 51. In some cases, a single card may be provided, in other cases, more than two cards may be provided.

Claims

A sensor (1, 51) comprising a housing (2, 52) and an electric power supply device (24, 64) and at least one electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 65, 66, 67) housed in the housing (2, 52), characterized in that the electric power supply device (24, 64) and the at least one electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 65, 66, 67) are removable from the housing (2, 52).Sensor (1, 51) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 65) is intended to collect data.Sensor (1, 51) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 66) is intended to process data.Sensor (1, 51) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 67) is intended to transmit data.A sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one or more cards (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40) is or are accommodated in a card holder (23, 25) which in turn is or are removably accommodated in the housing (2).The sensor (51) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a basket (61) removably housed in the housing (52) includes the electric power supply device (64) and one or more cards (65, 66, 67).The sensor (1, 51) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the electric power supply device (29, 64) is a battery.The sensor (1, 51) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sensor structure is made up of a plurality of parts (3, 4, 5, 53, 54, 55) assembled in a reversible manner.The sensor (1, 51) according to claim 8, wherein the housing (2, 52) comprises a base (3, 53) to which a body (4, 54) is fixed, and a cover (5, 55) fixed to the body (4, 54).Method for implementing a sensor (1, 51) comprising a housing (2, 52) for housing an electric power supply device (24, 29, 64) and at least one electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 65, 66, 67), the method comprising the following steps: - opening the housing (2, 52), - inserting or replacing a removable electric power supply device (24, 29, 64) and / or at least one removable electronic card (26, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 65, 66, 67), - closing the housing (2, 52).

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