Sensor device for linear transmission mechanism

Abstract

Sensor device (10)(12)(14) for a linear transmission mechanism (1), comprising: a mounting seat (20)(70)(90) which is attached to the linear transmission mechanism (1) and has a first mounting hole (24)(92); a protective seat (30)(80)(100) with a lateral embedding groove (36) (83) (105) and a second mounting hole (38) (108) which is connected to the lateral embedding groove (36) (83) (105), wherein the protective seat (30) (80) (100) is detachably arranged on the mounting seat (20) (70) (90) via the lateral embedding groove (36) (83) (105), wherein the protective seat (30) (80) (100) further comprises a sensor mounting groove (34) (81) (107) and a magnet element mounting groove (35) (82) (106) which is arranged adjacent to the sensor mounting groove (34) (81) (107); a fastening element (40) (43) which is detachably arranged in the first fastening hole (24) (92) of the fastening seat (20) (70) (90) and the second fastening hole (38) (108) of the protective seat (30) (80) (100) to fasten the protective seat (30)(80)(100) to the fastening seat (20)(70)(90); a sensor (50) which is arranged in the sensor mounting groove (34)(81)(107) of the protective seat (30)(80)(100) and is directly adjacent to the linear transmission mechanism (1); and a magnetic element (62) arranged in the magnetic element mounting groove (35) (82) (106) of the protective seat (30) (80) (100) to attract the linear transmission mechanism (1).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to linear transmission mechanisms and in particular to a sensor device for use with a linear transmission mechanism. 2. State of the art

[0002] JP 2022-148888 A discloses that a sensor is attached to a bracket by means of a screw fastening, and the bracket is then attached to an outer end face of a nut by means of a screw fastening. However, in the aforementioned prior art, the sensor is separated from the nut by the bracket, so that the sensor does not come into direct contact with the nut. This results in the sensor not being able to accurately measure the relevant data of the nut during operation, thus impairing the measurement accuracy.

[0003] JP 007412152 discloses that a sensor is first attached to a mounting element by means of four mounting screws, and then the mounting element is attached to a nut by means of two mounting screws, thus completing the sensor installation. However, in the aforementioned prior art, the sensor is separated from the nut by the mounting element, so that the sensor does not come into direct contact with the nut. This means that the sensor cannot accurately measure the relevant data of the nut during operation, thus impairing the measurement accuracy. Furthermore, if the sensor requires maintenance, the four mounting screws must be removed individually, which is not only time-consuming but can also lead to inconveniences during maintenance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A main objective of the present invention is to provide a sensor device for use with a linear transmission mechanism that has high measurement accuracy and allows for convenient maintenance and replacement.

[0005] To solve the aforementioned problem, the sensor device of the present invention comprises a mounting seat, a protective seat, a fastening element, a sensor, and a magnetic element. The mounting seat is attached to the linear transmission mechanism and has a first mounting hole. The protective seat has a lateral embedding groove and a second mounting hole that communicates with the lateral embedding groove. The protective seat is removably mounted on the mounting seat via the lateral embedding groove. Furthermore, the protective seat has a sensor mounting groove and a magnetic element mounting groove, which is arranged adjacent to the sensor mounting groove. The fastening element is detachably arranged in the first mounting hole of the mounting seat and the second mounting hole of the protective seat to secure the protective seat to the mounting seat.The sensor is located in the sensor mounting groove of the protective seat and is directly adjacent to the linear transmission mechanism. The magnetic element is located in the magnetic element mounting groove of the protective seat to attract the linear transmission mechanism.

[0006] It is evident from the foregoing that the sensor device of the present invention, together with the sensor and the magnetic element, can be easily detached from the mounting seat by removing the fastening element, without disassembling the mounting seat, thus facilitating maintenance or replacement of the sensor. Furthermore, the sensor device of the present invention utilizes the magnetic element, which is attracted to the linear transmission mechanism, making both installation and removal very convenient. Moreover, the sensor device of the present invention ensures that the sensor is in direct contact with the linear transmission mechanism, thereby preventing interference from other components and achieving the goal of improved sensor accuracy.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the mounting seat comprises a first mounting section with the first mounting hole and a second mounting section which is connected to the first mounting section and attached to the linear transmission mechanism. Accordingly, the protective seat is detachably arranged on the second mounting section of the mounting seat via the lateral embedding groove in the radial direction of the first mounting hole.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the protective seat has an inner surface facing the linear transmission mechanism, and the sensor projects from the inner surface to ensure that the sensor is in direct contact with the linear transmission mechanism. Preferably, the sensor projects from the inner surface by a height in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the protective seat has an outer surface opposite the linear transmission mechanism, which is provided with a recess connected to the second mounting hole. The fastening element has a head section that is received in the recess of the protective seat, and a body section that is connected to the head section and fits firmly through the first mounting hole of the mounting seat and the second mounting hole of the protective seat. Accordingly, by applying a pulling force to the fastening element, the protective seat, together with the sensor and the magnetic element, can be removed from the mounting seat.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the protective seat has an end wall and two opposing side walls connected to the end wall to form the lateral embedding groove. One of the side walls has a first through-hole, and the other side wall has a first threaded hole. The fastening element has a head section and a threaded section connected to the head section, which is screwed through the first through-hole and the first mounting hole of the mounting seat into the first threaded hole. Accordingly, by removing the fastening element with a screwdriver, the protective seat, together with the sensor and the magnetic element, can be removed from the mounting seat.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the protective seat further comprises a second through-hole that communicates with the magnetic element mounting groove, and a second threaded hole that communicates with both the magnetic element mounting groove and the sensor mounting groove. Accordingly, the sensor is positioned in the sensor mounting groove by means of a mounting screw that passes through the second through-hole, is screwed into the second threaded hole, and whose end abuts the sensor.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a dust protection element is arranged on the protective seat and positioned around the sensor to prevent external factors from affecting the measurement accuracy of the sensor.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second mounting section of the mounting seat has a locking hole. The second mounting section of the mounting seat is fastened to the linear transmission mechanism by means of a screw that is inserted through the locking hole and screwed into the linear transmission mechanism.

[0014] Further advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood with reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the same components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sensor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, applied to a ball screw; Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sensor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 3 is an exploded view of the sensor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the sensor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 resembles Fig. 1 and shows that the protective seat is detached from the mounting seat; Fig. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sensor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a linear guide; Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the sensor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to a single-axis robot; Fig. 8 is a top view of the sensor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 9 is an exploded view of the sensor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the sensor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 11 is a perspective bottom view of the sensor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which a dust protection element is provided; Fig. Figure 12 is a perspective view of the sensor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 13 is an exploded view of the sensor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. Figure 14 is a sectional view of the sensor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] With reference to Fig. 1 is the one in Fig. Figure 1 shows a linear transmission mechanism comprising a ball screw which includes a movable element 2. The movable element 2 is formed by a nut and is attached to a bearing seat 4 and is movable back and forth along a spindle shaft 5.

[0016] With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 The sensor device 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a mounting seat 20, a protective seat 30, a fastening element 40, a sensor 50 and two sets of magnetic elements 60.

[0017] The mounting seat 20 has a first mounting section 21. The first mounting section 21 has a first straight section 22 and a first curved section 23. The first straight section 22 has a first mounting hole 24 that extends through its top and bottom surfaces. The first curved section 23 is integrally connected to a side edge of the first straight section 22. The mounting seat 20 further has a second mounting section 25. The second mounting section 25 has a second straight section 26 and a second curved section 27. The second straight section 26 has a locking hole 28 that extends through its top and bottom surfaces.The second curved section 27 is integrally connected between the first straight section 22 and the second straight section 26, so that there is a height difference between the first straight section 22 and the second straight section 26.

[0018] During assembly with the linear transmission mechanism 1, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, a hexagon screw 6 is inserted through the locking hole 28 of the second fastening section 25 of the mounting seat 20 and screwed into one of the threaded holes (not shown) of the movable element 2, thus securing the second fastening section 25 of the mounting seat 20 to an end face 3 of the movable element 2. It should be noted that, since the end face 3 of the movable element 2 is originally provided with several threaded holes for fastening to the bearing seat 4, no additional redundant threaded holes need to be provided on the end face 3 of the movable element 2. Therefore, the present invention can reduce manufacturing costs and facilitate installation of the present invention on the existing movable element 2 by the customer.

[0019] The protective seat 30 has a sensor mounting groove 34 and two magnetic element mounting grooves 35. The cross-sectional shape of the sensor mounting groove 34 is T-shaped, and the cross-sectional shape of each magnetic element mounting groove 35 is circular. The two magnetic element mounting grooves 35 are arranged adjacent to two opposite sides of the sensor mounting groove 34. The sensor mounting groove 34 and the two magnetic element mounting grooves 35 extend inward from an end face 31 of the protective seat 30 and penetrate an inner surface 32 of the protective seat 30 (the inner surface 32 here refers to a surface facing the movable element 2). In addition, the protective seat 30 has a lateral embedding groove 36 that penetrates its left and right surfaces, the contour of the lateral embedding groove 36 being the same as the contour of the first mounting section 21 of the mounting seat 20. As shown in the Fig. 3 and Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the protective seat 30 further comprises a recess 37 and two secondary mounting holes 38. The recess 37 is located on an outer surface 33 of the protective seat 30 (the outer surface 33 here refers to a surface opposite the movable element 2). The two secondary mounting holes 38 are vertically oriented. The upper secondary mounting hole 38 is connected to the recess 37 and the lateral embedding groove 36, and the lower secondary mounting hole 38 is connected to the lateral embedding groove 36 and the sensor mounting groove 34.

[0020] During assembly with the mounting seat 20, as described in the Fig. 2 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the protective seat 30 is adapted to the first mounting section 21 of the mounting seat 20 via the lateral embedding groove 36 along a radial direction of the first mounting hole 24 of the mounting seat 20, so that the two second mounting holes 38 of the protective seat 30 are in contact with the two ends of the first mounting hole 24 of the mounting seat 20.

[0021] In this embodiment, the fastening element 40 has a head section 41 and a body section 42 connected to the head section 41. During assembly, as in the Fig. 3 and Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the head section 41 of the fastening element 40 is received in the recess 37 of the protective seat 30, and the body section 42 of the fastening element 40 is firmly fitted through the two second fastening holes 38 of the protective seat 30 and the first fastening hole 24 of the fastening seat 20, thereby fastening the protective seat 30 to the first fastening section 21 of the fastening seat 20.

[0022] The sensor 50 comprises a housing 51, a sensor element 52 arranged in the housing 51, and several wires (not shown) arranged in the housing 51 and connected to the sensor element 52, as well as a sheath 53 covering the wires. During assembly, as shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the housing 51 can be embedded in the sensor mounting groove 34 of the protective seat 30, since the cross-sectional shape of the housing 51 matches the cross-sectional shape of the sensor mounting groove 34. After completion of the assembly, as shown in Figure 3, the housing 51 can be inserted into the sensor mounting groove 34. Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the housing 51 protrudes from the inner surface 32 of the protective seat 30 by a height H in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, so that the sensor 50 can lie directly against the end surface 3 of the moving element 2 in order to accurately record relevant data of the moving element 2 (such as temperature, vibration, noise and pressure) during operation.

[0023] In this embodiment, each set of magnetic elements 60 comprises two abutting magnetic elements 62 (in practice, at least one is sufficient). The cross-sectional shape of each magnetic element 62 matches the cross-sectional shape of the magnetic element mounting groove 35, so that each set of magnetic elements 60 can be secured in the corresponding magnetic element mounting groove 35 of the protective seat 30 to attract the end face 3 of the movable element 2. In this embodiment, the magnetic element 62 is a magnet, but is not limited to this and can also be another material with magnetic properties.

[0024] As described above, the sensor device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can ensure that the sensor 50 is in direct contact with the end face 3 of the movable element 2, thereby preventing interference between them by other components, in order to achieve the purpose of improving sensor accuracy. When the sensor 50 needs to be serviced or replaced, as described in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the protective seat 30, together with the sensor 50 and the magnetic elements 62, can be removed from the mounting seat 20 along the radial direction of the first mounting hole 24 by simply pulling out the mounting element 40. This allows maintenance or replacement of the sensor 50 without disassembling the mounting seat 20, thus improving ease of maintenance. Furthermore, the protective seat 30 is attracted to the end face 3 of the movable element 2 by the magnetic elements 62, making both installation and removal very convenient.

[0025] It should be further explained here that the linear transfer mechanism 1 does not apply to the in Fig. The ball screw shown in 1 is limited, but can also be a linear guide, as in Fig. 6 shown. When used in conjunction with the in Fig. In Figure 6, the second mounting section 25 of the mounting seat 20 is attached to the movable element 2 formed by a slider on the linear guide rail. The method of assembly and disassembly, as well as the overall effects achieved, are the same as in the preceding embodiment and are therefore not described further here.

[0026] To implement various linear transmission mechanisms 1 (such as a uniaxial robot that is in Fig. In the sensor device 12 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the mounting seat 70 and the protective seat 80 are rectangular in shape, and the mounting seat 70 is attached at one end to a bearing seat 7. However, this embodiment can also be applied to the ball screw or a linear guide. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in the Fig. 8 and Fig. Figure 9 shows only one magnetic element mounting groove 82. Therefore, in this embodiment, only one set of magnetic elements 60 is provided. In addition, the sensor mounting groove 81 is designed with a circular cross-section to accommodate another sensor 50. As shown in the Fig. 9 and Fig. As shown in Figure 10, in this embodiment the lateral embedding groove 83 penetrates a side surface of the protective seat 80, so that the protective seat 80 can only be adapted to the first mounting section 71 of the mounting seat 70 along a single direction. It is worth noting that this embodiment can be provided with a dust protection element 84, depending on the actual requirements. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 11, the dust protection element 84 has a rectangular frame body 85 and two plugs 86. The rectangular frame body 85 is arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the protective seat 80 and surrounds the sensor 50 and the magnet element assembly 60. The two plugs 86 each close an opening of the sensor mounting groove 81 and an opening of the magnet element mounting groove 82 to prevent external factors from affecting the measurement accuracy of the sensor 50. As for the other components (the mounting element 40, the sensor 50, and the magnet element assembly 60), their detailed structures, their assembly method, and the effects achieved when used with the linear transmission mechanism 1 are the same as in the first embodiment described above and are therefore not described further here. With reference to Fig. 12 to 14, a sensor device 14 according to the third embodiment of the present invention is generally identical in its structure to the preceding second embodiment, with the difference that the assembly and disassembly method of the mounting seat 90 and the protective seat 100 differs.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first fastening section 91 of the fastening seat 90 is tubular and has a first fastening hole 92, and the second fastening section 93 of the fastening seat 90 is ring-shaped according to different requirements.

[0028] One side surface of the protective seat 100 projects outwards and forms an end wall 101 and two side walls 103, which are connected oppositely to the end wall 101 to form a lateral embedding groove 105. One of the side walls has a first through hole 102, and the other side wall 103 has a first threaded hole 104. Furthermore, the protective seat 100, as shown in the Fig. 12 and Fig.Figure 13 shows a second through-hole 108 at an end remote from the lateral embedding groove 105. This through-hole is vertically connected to a magnetic element mounting groove 106, and a second threaded hole 109 is vertically connected to the magnetic element mounting groove 106 and the sensor mounting groove 107. A fastening screw 110, which passes through the second through-hole 108 and is screwed into the second threaded hole 109, abuts the housing 53 of the sensor 50 at its end, thereby reliably positioning the sensor 50 in the sensor mounting groove 107.

[0029] In this embodiment, the fastening element 43 is a screw and has a head section 44 and a threaded section 45 connected to the head section 44. During assembly, the protective seat 100 is adapted to the first fastening section 91 of the fastening seat 90 via the lateral embedding groove 105 along the radial direction of the first fastening hole 92, and then the threaded section 45 of the fastening element 43 is guided through the first through hole 102 and the first fastening hole 92 of the fastening seat 90 and screwed into the first threaded hole 104, thereby securing the protective seat 100 to the first fastening section 91 of the fastening seat 90.

[0030] As can be seen from the foregoing, in the third embodiment of the present invention, when the sensor 50 needs to be serviced or replaced, the fastening element 43 is first unscrewed with a screwdriver, allowing the protective seat 100, together with the sensor 50 and the magnetic element set 60, to be removed from the mounting seat 90 along the radial direction of the first mounting hole 92. The fastening screw 110 is then removed with the screwdriver, thus enabling the servicing or replacement of the sensor 50 without disassembling the mounting seat 90, thereby achieving the goal of improved ease of maintenance.

[0031] The description of the invention indicates that it can be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be considered as a deviation from the scope and extent of the invention, and all modifications that are obvious to a person skilled in the art are included within the scope of the following claims.

[0032] A sensor device comprises a mounting seat and a protective seat. The mounting seat is attached to a linear transmission mechanism. The protective seat is equipped with a sensor adjacent to the linear transmission mechanism and a magnetic element that attracts the linear transmission mechanism. The protective seat has a lateral embedding groove and a second mounting hole that communicates with the lateral embedding groove. The protective seat is attached to the mounting seat via the lateral embedding groove. A fastener serves to detachably connect the protective seat and the mounting seat. Accordingly, the sensor device allows the protective seat, along with the sensor and the magnetic element, to be detached from the mounting seat simply by removing the fastener, without disassembling the mounting seat, thus facilitating maintenance or replacement of the sensor. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2022-148888 A

[0002] JP 007412152

[0003]

Claims

[1] Sensor device (10)(12)(14) for a linear transmission mechanism (1), comprising: a mounting seat (20)(70)(90) which is attached to the linear transmission mechanism (1) and has a first mounting hole (24)(92); a protective seat (30)(80)(100) with a lateral embedding groove (36) (83) (105) and a second mounting hole (38) (108) which is connected to the lateral embedding groove (36) (83) (105), wherein the protective seat (30) (80) (100) is detachably arranged on the mounting seat (20) (70) (90) via the lateral embedding groove (36) (83) (105), wherein the protective seat (30) (80) (100) further comprises a sensor mounting groove (34) (81) (107) and a magnet element mounting groove (35) (82) (106) which is arranged adjacent to the sensor mounting groove (34) (81) (107); a fastening element (40) (43) which is detachably arranged in the first fastening hole (24) (92) of the fastening seat (20) (70) (90) and the second fastening hole (38) (108) of the protective seat (30) (80) (100) to fasten the protective seat (30)(80)(100) to the fastening seat (20)(70)(90); a sensor (50) which is arranged in the sensor mounting groove (34)(81)(107) of the protective seat (30)(80)(100) and is directly adjacent to the linear transmission mechanism (1); and a magnetic element (62) arranged in the magnetic element mounting groove (35) (82) (106) of the protective seat (30) (80) (100) to attract the linear transmission mechanism (1). [2] Sensor device (10)(12)(14) according to claim 1, wherein the mounting seat (20)(70)(90) comprises a first mounting section (21)(71)(91) with the first mounting hole (24)(92) and a second mounting section (25)(93) which is connected to the first mounting section (21)(71)(91) and is attached to the linear transmission mechanism (1); the protective seat (30)(80)(100) is detachably arranged on the second mounting section (25)(93) of the mounting seat (20)(70)(90) via the lateral embedding groove (36)(83)(105) in the radial direction of the first mounting hole (24)(92). [3] Sensor device (10)(12)(14) according to claim 1, wherein the protective seat (30)(80)(100) has an inner surface (32) facing the linear transmission mechanism (1) and the sensor (50) protrudes from the inner surface (32). [4] Sensor device (10)(12)(14) according to claim 3, wherein the sensor (50) protrudes from the inner surface (32) by a height (H) in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. [5] Sensor device (10)(12) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the protective seat (30)(80) has an outer surface (33) opposite the linear transmission mechanism (1) which is provided with a recess (37) which is connected to the second mounting hole (38); the fastening element (40) has a head section (41) which is received in the recess (37) of the protective seat (30)(80) and has a body section (42) which is connected to the head section (41) and is firmly fixed through the first mounting hole (24) of the fastening seat (20)(70) and the second mounting hole (38) of the protective seat (30)(80). [6] Sensor device (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the protective seat (100) has an end wall (101) and two opposing side walls (103) which are connected to the end wall (101) to form the lateral embedding groove (105), wherein one of the side walls (103) has a first through hole (102) and the other side wall (103) has a first threaded hole (104); wherein the fastening element (43) has a head section (44) and a threaded section (45) connected to the head section (44) which is screwed through the first through hole (102) and the first fastening hole (92) of the fastening seat (90) into the first threaded hole (104). [7] Sensor device (14) according to claim 6, wherein the protective seat (100) further comprises a second through-hole (108) which is connected to the magnet element mounting groove (106) and a second threaded hole (109) which is connected to the magnet element mounting groove (106) and the sensor mounting groove (107); wherein the sensor (50) is positioned in the sensor mounting groove (107) by being pressed through a fastening screw (110) which passes through the second through-hole (108) and is screwed into the second threaded hole (109). [8] Sensor device (12) according to claim 1, which further comprises a dust protection element (84) which is arranged on the protective seat (80) and is located around the sensor (50). [9] Sensor device (10)(12)(14) according to claim 2, wherein the second fastening section (25)(93) of the fastening seat (20)(70)(90) has a locking hole (28) and the second fastening section (25)(93) of the fastening seat (20)(70)(90) is fastened to the linear transmission mechanism (1) by a screw (6) inserted through the locking hole (28).

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