Monitoring device and method for monitoring the wear condition of an electrical line

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (11) and a method for monitoring the wear condition of an electrical line (13) which is guided through a movable line guide device, in particular an energy chain (1). According to the invention, the monitoring device (11) is modular, wherein at least an evaluation unit (30), a signal unit (32) and an interface (24A, 24B) are incorporated in a module housing (21) and the module housing (21) has a display (20) for graphical and / or alphanumeric information display, which is arranged on or in the module housing (21) in order to display information about the wear condition.

Description

[0001] Monitoring device and method for monitoring the

[0002] Wear condition of an electrical cable

[0003] The invention generally relates to a solution for condition monitoring of one or more electrical cables used to transmit data and / or electrical energy. The invention particularly relates to wear condition monitoring of an electrical cable that is routed within or through a dynamic or movable cable guide device.

[0004] Dynamic cable guiding devices such as energy guiding chains are used to guide at least one cable, e.g. a data cable or power cable, between two connection points, of which at least one is movable relative to the other, and are known per se.

[0005] The cables routed therein are subjected to heavy stress, among other things due to the typically high number of movement cycles.

[0006] Regardless of the design of the cable routing system or energy chain, the cables are subjected to dynamic stress during operation. The cables are subject to unavoidable wear and therefore become more vulnerable to failure as the number of movement cycles increases. Therefore, especially with flexible cables, there is a need to monitor the aging of the electrical cable caused by unavoidable wear.

[0007] The monitoring systems and devices described here are not actual measuring devices, as they are not primarily designed or intended for the precise quantitative determination of physical quantities. Rather, they are monitoring devices designed and equipped to enable predictive maintenance in industrial applications, e.g., to prevent unavoidable failures and, in particular, to provide qualitative information about deteriorating line conditions or wear.

[0008] Line failures can lead to operational interruptions due to the failure of the supplied machine or system, resulting in high costs. Specific monitoring solutions are used to prevent such failures.

[0009] The applicant itself has already proposed solutions for monitoring the condition of one or more electrical lines in WO 2018 / 196949 A1 and in WO 2020 / 104491 A1.

[0010] In the solution according to WO 2018 / 196949 A1, line quality monitoring is carried out indirectly via a representative, dedicated measuring line or via measuring wires specifically integrated into the line to be monitored, which are used exclusively for monitoring. This allows for the use of particularly simple technology, such as resistance or conductance monitoring.

[0011] The solution from WO 2020 / 104491 A1 does not require separate test leads and is specifically designed for data transmission lines, such as Ethernet lines. This solution proposes using an informational quality characteristic of the data transmission, such as a protocol-inherent characteristic.

[0012] Another solution for determining the condition of an electrical line was proposed, for example, in EP 3 715 880 A1. To determine the condition of an electrical line, it is proposed to apply special measuring pulses to the line during operation. The reflected signal components are then evaluated to identify a corresponding reflection point, which can then be used to determine the condition of the electrical line. The measuring pulses are to be applied at time intervals between data packets of the useful signal.

[0013] All of the aforementioned solutions fundamentally allow monitoring during ongoing line operation. Typically—e.g., depending on the industrial application environment—the evaluation, or at least the transmission of information to the system user, takes place at a location remote from the line or application being monitored, e.g., at a plant control panel, a process control center, or a similar central location. For example, EP 3 715 880 A1 proposes connecting the device to a centralized computer where parts of the processes run or recorded data is stored.

[0014] Another solution for line monitoring for the condition of an electrical line subject to movement loads was proposed in WO 2012 / 061979 A1. The monitoring device proposed in WO 2012 / 061979 A1 is based on a similar, but simpler, principle than that in EP 3 715 880 A1. It comprises a test signal generator and a filter that extracts a test signal generated by the test signal, as well as an evaluation unit with at least one comparator that compares the test signal with a reference value to generate a warning signal when a threshold is exceeded.

[0015] Based on the prior art, one object of the present invention is to propose a solution for monitoring the condition of at least one electrical line that noticeably improves user-friendliness, particularly for maintenance personnel. The solution is intended to support the fastest and most effective maintenance possible, particularly predictive maintenance.

[0016] This is achieved by a monitoring device according to claim 1, a monitoring system according to claim 10 and by a method according to claim 11. Preferred embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

[0017] A device or apparatus is proposed for monitoring the wear condition of an electrical cable, particularly a cable that is guided through a dynamic or movable cable guide, such as a power chain. The monitoring device or apparatus comprises, in particular:

[0018] - a signal unit which is designed and configured for the transmission, processing and / or evaluation of signals, whereby the signals are transmitted by an electrical line to be monitored, whereby the signals can in particular also be intended useful signals; and

[0019] - an evaluation unit which interacts with the signal unit and is designed and configured to determine at least one piece of information on the state of wear of the line to be monitored, in particular on the basis of transmission, processing and / or evaluation by the signal unit.

[0020] For connection to the line, at least one interface, in particular a physical connection, is provided by means of which the signal unit can be connected to the line to be monitored.

[0021] According to the invention, it is proposed that the monitoring device is designed in a modular manner and comprises at least the evaluation unit, the signal unit and the interface combined in a module housing and that the monitoring device or module housing further comprises a display for, in particular, graphic and / or alphanumeric information representation.

[0022] The display can be used to show maintenance personnel on-site information about the wear status of the monitored system or machine. For example, a maintenance notice based on at least one piece of status information can be displayed directly on the monitoring module or device without requiring a connection to another device, such as a portable computer or similar device.

[0023] A key advantage is that the monitoring device, at least after configuration (possibly via a server), forms a self-contained module with regard to the necessary information for maintenance purposes. It can independently display relevant maintenance information to the user without the need for a higher-level computer or similar device. This increases user-friendliness, avoids delays in obtaining relevant information, and provides redundancy if necessary, e.g., in the event of a connection failure to the higher-level computer.

[0024] Particularly preferably, the display is designed for pixel-formatted information representation, in particular as a TFT display, LC display and / or OLED display or the like, in order to be able to display more complex information of various types and in selectable formats or languages.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the display is controlled by the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit can control the display, in particular, for displaying pixel-formatted image data and / or via a preferably serial IC interface, e.g., via I2C or similar.

[0026] In a particularly preferred combination with the display, a programmable integrated circuit is provided as the evaluation unit, in particular a microcontroller or microprocessor or the like, such as a DSP, FPGA, etc. This allows for high flexibility with regard to the basic settings or the uploading of optional firmware for monitoring different line types and correspondingly adapted or selectable information display on the display. Particularly preferably, the programmable integrated circuit comprises a non-volatile memory, in particular for storing firmware and the like.

[0027] The signal unit, in turn, can comprise a data transmission transceiver, particularly an Ethernet transceiver, preferably with a TDR-based line diagnostic function, especially if a data line is to be monitored. Commercially available transceivers feature TDR test functions for detecting errors during system installation, for example, to check correct line terminations, lengths, and other parameters. Such TDR-based line diagnostic functions can be advantageously utilized to enable and / or support ongoing condition monitoring.

[0028] In a further development, the module, in particular the evaluation unit, is preferably configured to detect a damaged area on the monitored line and determine a distance to the detected damaged area, and to display the determined distance on the display. For this purpose, a TDR-based line diagnostic function, as described in the introduction to EP 3 715 880 A1, can be used, for example.

[0029] Additionally or alternatively, the module, in particular the evaluation unit, is preferably configured to determine a transmission quality based on transmission, processing, and / or evaluation by the signal unit and to display the determined transmission quality via the display. For this purpose, an informational quality characteristic of the data transmission can be used, preferably based on at least one protocol-inherent function, such as at the data link layer of the OSI model, as proposed in WO 2020 / 104491 A1.

[0030] Furthermore, the module, in particular the evaluation unit, can preferably be configured to determine the cause of a failure based on transmission, processing, and / or evaluation by the signal unit and to indicate the impending or detected cause of the failure via the display. This can, for example, determine whether the deterioration in line quality is due to damage to the line, which line properties have changed, or whether the cause is due to deteriorated end-side connectors, for example.

[0031] In a preferred development, the monitoring device, in particular the evaluation unit, comprises a web server and has an interface, preferably a wireless interface, in particular a radio interface, for communication with the web server. The evaluation unit can preferably be configured for parameterization and / or data exchange via the web server. For example, the firmware can be updated or initialized with reference values ​​from a database with line-specific parameters. In this case, the type of display can also be selected, e.g., with regard to the content to be displayed and / or its format, its language, etc.

[0032] For monitoring one or more data lines, the monitoring device preferably has at least two physical line connections, in particular two control line or data line connections, such as RJ45 connections, DriveClique connections, M23 round connector connections, or the like. The signal unit can communicate or be connected to the connections via suitable interfaces, in particular ETHERNET interfaces, for the purpose of signal transmission, in particular data transmission.

[0033] For increased user-friendliness, the module or monitoring device can, in addition to the display, feature a number of signal lights for status indication, e.g., in the form of a traffic light display, indicating a good ("green"), a line condition requiring maintenance ("orange" or "yellow"), and a critical or failed ("red") line condition. The signal lights are additionally arranged next to the display on or in the module housing. Such signal lights then offer a means of checking that the module or monitoring device is functional and in operation.

[0034] In a practical embodiment, the module housing has a front side, in particular a narrow side, on which the display is arranged, and a rear side with a fastening device. The display preferably has a width:height ratio h of 2:1 and is arranged, for example, with its longitudinal axis parallel to the length of the narrow side. This allows, among other things, a compact design.

[0035] For industrial applications, it is particularly advantageous to mount the module in a control cabinet or similar device, as is common with industrial systems or machines. For this purpose, the module preferably has a fastening device on the rear of the module housing in the form of a snap-in fastening for mounting on a DIN / top-hat rail. It is also advantageous if the module housing is compact, e.g., essentially cuboid-shaped, and is dimensioned particularly for control cabinet mounting, with the front preferably having dimensions of 180 mm H x 60 mm W, so that a comparatively small width is taken up in the control cabinet.

[0036] The proposed solution is suitable for monitoring moving cables, in particular data cables, on or in industrial machines and systems during operation, i.e. during the intended use of the cable. The proposed monitoring module is particularly suitable for use in an industrial system, in particular a system with an industrial robot, comprising an electrical cable to be monitored, a movable cable guiding device, in particular a power chain, for guiding the cable between a first connection point and a second connection point that is movable relative thereto, in particular on an industrial robot, and a module according to the invention or a monitoring device that can be connected to the electrical cable to be monitored. The electrical cable to be monitored can in particular supply a device on the end effector or on the robot hand of the industrial robot.Due to the ever-increasing level of automation and the vulnerability of cables on robots, the proposed solution allows for a noticeable acceleration and simplification of maintenance and / or targeted preventive maintenance, particularly in this application.

[0037] According to a further aspect, a method for monitoring the wear condition of an electrical cable guided by a movable cable guide device, in particular by a power chain, is proposed. The proposed method utilizes a modular monitoring device that is connected to the cable to be monitored and has at least one evaluation unit and one signaling unit.

[0038] According to the invention, it is proposed that the modular monitoring device itself has a display and uses this display to show information on the wear condition of the line to be monitored.

[0039] The method and module can preferably be designed such that the monitoring of the wear condition is carried out as real-time monitoring during the ongoing operation of the line to be monitored, in particular by continuous monitoring of at least one data transmission property of the line to be monitored, wherein information on the wear condition of the line to be monitored is preferably displayed on the one hand by means of the display and on the other hand, in particular from the evaluation unit, is transmitted to a higher-level system via an interface, in particular for the purpose of initiating predictive maintenance.

[0040] A display of information on the wear status, in particular with maintenance instructions on the module and on a higher-level device, e.g. a central computer, allows for easier maintenance on site and, if necessary, an improvement in the planning and deployment of maintenance personnel.

[0041] The method and module can preferably be designed such that the monitoring of the wear condition is carried out based on an informational quality feature of the data transmission, preferably based on at least one protocol-inherent function, e.g. at the level of the OSI data link layer as in WO 2020 / 104491 A1, and / or based on a TDR line diagnosis of the line to be monitored.

[0042] Particularly preferred is the signal unit's TDR line diagnostic function, which determines the distance to a detected or previously identified fault, and displays the determined distance to the user on the module's display. This allows maintenance personnel to specifically replace the section of the line where the impending defect was detected earlier and, if necessary, also install a more robust line for continued operation.

[0043] Preferably, the modular monitoring device performs an initial initialization, during which at least one reference value is stored for the nominal data transmission properties of the cable to be monitored, or data transmission properties based on the new condition. This at least one reference value can then be used by the modular monitoring device when monitoring the wear condition, particularly during ongoing operation, for the early detection of potential damage. This simplifies application-specific monitoring, tailored to the cable type used and intended cable layout, etc., and largely avoids the need for complex manual parameterization of the modular monitoring device.

[0044] The proposed solution offers several additional advantages. For example, the display can simplify initialization for the user by offering options for the type of line to be monitored and other parameters to be selected for setup purposes, and confirming the selection or parameterization after initialization. Furthermore, the display can be used to indicate to maintenance personnel in a monitoring device for multiple lines which of the multiple lines is at risk of failure or has been detected.

[0045] Further advantageous features and effects of the invention are explained below, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, using preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] FIG.l: a schematic diagram in side view of a

[0047] Energy guiding chain with a monitoring system as generally described in WO 2020 / 104491 A1, in which a monitoring module according to the invention can be used;

[0048] FIG.2A-2B: schematic views of a monitoring module according to the invention in front view and perspective view;

[0049] FIG.3: a schematic block diagram of a monitoring module according to the invention; and

[0050] FIG.4: a side view of an industrial robot with a spatially deflectable energy chain, which can be equipped with a monitoring module according to FIG.2-3.

[0051] FIG. 1 schematically shows an energy guiding chain 1 as an example of a dynamic cable guiding device. The energy guiding chain 1 serves for the protected guidance of cables, hoses or similar lines, which are not shown in detail. Between a moving strand 2, here the upper strand, and a stationary strand 3, here the lower strand, the energy guiding chain 1 forms a moving deflection bend 4 with a predetermined curvature. To prevent cable breaks, the deflection bend 4 has, in particular, a predetermined, minimum curvature radius and thus ensures that the permissible curvature radii of the guided cables are not exceeded. The energy guiding chain 1 typically forms an inner guide channel in which an application-dependent number and type of cables are guided.

[0052] FIG.1 shows, purely by way of example, a linearly and horizontally movable energy guide chain 1. The moving strand 2 ends at a first connecting end 2A, e.g. in an end link that is fastened to a driver of a moving machine part (not shown). The stationary strand 3 ends at a second connecting end 3A, e.g. in an end link that is fastened to a fixed point on the machine or system. The deflection bend 4 follows the movement of the moving connecting end 2A at half the speed. The design of the energy guide chain 1 is not, however, critical to the invention; all energy guide chains 1 known per se, made up of individual pivotally connected chain links, are suitable, including, for example, spatially deflectable energy guide chains as shown in FIG.4.

[0053] FIG. 1 schematically shows, as an essential aspect of the system generally designated 10, a modular monitoring device 11 as the first device, subsequently a monitoring module 11 with an interface for data communication. The monitoring module 11 communicates in particular with a further, second device 12 via its data communication interface. In the example shown, the devices 11, 12 are set up for data communication, in FIG. 1, for example, according to the ETHERNET protocol or a protocol similar to or compatible with IEEE 802.3, such as PROFINET, and can thus exchange digital data with one another. The interfaces of both devices 11, 12 are connected for this purpose via an ETHERNET data line 13, e.g. a standard CAT5 data cable with a twisted pair. A longitudinal section of the data line 13 is guided and protected in the cable routing device or energy chain 1, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0054] The monitoring module 11 comprises, in addition to the ETHERNET interface to the data line 13, at least one signal unit and an evaluation unit, as explained further below in FIG.3, which interact to determine information on the status of the line to be monitored, here e.g. the data line 13 itself, based on an information quality feature of the data connection between the devices 11, 12, in particular using the OSI data link layer.

[0055] For the informational testing of the quality characteristic of the data connection between the devices 11, 12, a commercially available solution can be used which is suitable for packet-switched data transmission according to the IP protocol and which, inherently to the protocol, e.g. using the OSI data link layer, provides a function for reachability requests, such as an ICMP echo request or a PING message according to the TCP / IP protocol or comparable protocol families.

[0056] The monitoring module 11 continuously checks the quality of the data connection, e.g., at regular intervals, based on the absence of corresponding responses, e.g., ECHO responses or PONG messages from the second device 12, or based on changes in the properties of these responses compared to a reference response. For this purpose, the monitoring module 11 is equipped with suitable software functionality and also has a software diagnostic function that continuously checks the quality characteristic under consideration. The determined number of packet losses (Engi, "packet loss"), which typically represents an output value of an ICMP echo request or the PING function, can be used as a quality characteristic. If the number of packet losses exceeds a predetermined number, this indicates, in particular, wear or interruption of the data line 13 due to wear or malfunction.In principle, any protocol-compatible network device or network component can be used as the second device 12, which supports the selected protocol function, such as reachability requests, e.g., according to the TCP / IP protocol, or is at least capable of sending acknowledgements to the first device if, for example, a fieldbus protocol such as CAN bus, EIA-485, or the like is used instead of an ETHERNET data connection. In the latter case, the monitoring module 11 can, for example, monitor whether an acknowledgement of receipt is received from the second device 12 for each request and, if a predetermined error threshold is reached, also outputs a warning or error message.

[0057] The devices 11, 12 of the monitoring device 10 do not cause any significant impairment of the communication between a first area 15 of the data network or the data bus and a second area 16 of the data network or the data bus.

[0058] An application-specific device 12 that is already provided in the second area 16 as part of the machine or system can be used as the second device 12 that interacts with the monitoring module 11. The additional device 12 can, for example, be inherently configured to respond to an ECHO request or to acknowledge receipt of addressed bus data. Thus, no special second device is required.

[0059] The further teaching from WO 2020 / 104491 A1, in particular regarding line quality monitoring, is incorporated herein by reference for the sake of brevity.

[0060] With reference to FIG.2A-2B and FIG.3, an embodiment of the monitoring module 11 according to the invention is described in more detail below.

[0061] FIGS. 2A-2B show schematic views of the housing of the monitoring module 11. The monitoring module includes, as an essential feature, an integrated display 20, e.g., an OLED display, for displaying graphic information, which is provided on the narrow front side of the module housing 21 of the monitoring module. A snap-in fastening 22 for mounting on a DIN rail is provided on the opposite rear side of the module housing 21. The module housing 21 has compact dimensions, e.g., HxWxD < 180mm x 60mm x 240mm, and is approximately cuboid-shaped for switchboard mounting (FIG. 2B). On the front of the module housing 21, additional status indicators in the form of signal lights 23A, 23B, 23C are provided for the user. These indicate, for example, the status of the monitored line(s) according to a traffic light principle, so that when using multiple monitoring modules 11, it can be immediately identified where an early detection or error is indicated. For connection to the line, e.g.B. the ETHERNET data line 13, the module housing 21 has suitable control line or data line connections 24, e.g. RJ45 sockets.

[0062] An essential functionality of the monitoring module 11 is the direct display of information via the display 20 directly on the monitoring module 11 or module housing 21.

[0063] FIG.3 illustrates an example of a suitable circuit layout for implementing the monitoring module 11.

[0064] The display 20 is controlled by a programmable microprocessor 30 via a suitable IC bus, e.g., an I2C bus, for displaying pixel-formatted image data. The microprocessor 30 serves as an evaluation unit and is connected to and interacts with a signal unit 32, e.g., a COTS dual-port ETHERNET transceiver. The signal unit 32, here e.g., as an ETHERNET transceiver, is configured for data transmission according to IEEE 802.3 (or a similar protocol) and has an integrated line diagnostic function, e.g., a TDR line diagnostic function. Thus, the microprocessor 30 can determine information on the wear status of the line 12 to be monitored based on the line diagnostic function of the signal unit 32.

[0065] The signal unit 32 is connected to the line 13 to be monitored via the connections 24A, 24B. Furthermore, a diagnostic connection 24C is provided, which enables communication with the microprocessor 30 or its application-specific

[0066] Programming is permitted. The microprocessor 30 also has a

[0067] Input 33 for one or more manual input devices, e.g. control buttons on the module housing 21 (not shown) and a

[0068] Output 34 is used to control signal lights 23A, 23B, 23C, among others.

[0069] Furthermore, the microprocessor 30 in FIG.3 has an integrated web server 35 and a radio interface, e.g. a WLAN interface 36, for communication with the web server 35. The microprocessor 30 is programmed for the purpose of parameterization and / or for the purpose of data exchange via the web server 35 by or with a higher-level system.

[0070] In cooperation with a suitable signal unit 32, the microprocessor 30 can be programmed to

[0071] - to detect a damaged area of ​​the monitored line 13 and to determine a distance to the detected damaged area, e.g. by means of a TDR line diagnostic function of the signal unit 32, and to display the determined distance by means of the display 20; and / or

[0072] - to determine a transmission quality via the line 13 on the basis of protocol-inherent information, e.g. from the OSI data link layer from the signal unit 32 and to display an indication of the determined transmission quality by means of the display 20; and / or

[0073] - to determine a cause of failure based on information from the signal unit 32, in particular based on the line diagnostic functionality, and to display the cause of failure by means of the display 20.

[0074] Thanks to the display 20, the modular monitoring device 11 can display user-friendly on-site information on the wear status of the line(s) to be monitored.

[0075] With regard to the function, it should be noted that the wear condition is monitored in real time during ongoing operation of the line 13 to be monitored. This can be achieved, in particular, by continuously monitoring at least one data transmission property. Determined information on the wear condition of the line 13 to be monitored can be displayed on the one hand via the display 20 and also transmitted in parallel or on the other hand, e.g., via the web server 35 and the radio interface 36, to a higher-level system, which, for example, triggers predictive maintenance.

[0076] Different techniques for monitoring the wear condition can be considered, e.g. according to the teaching of WO 2020 / 104491 A1, using an informational quality feature of the data transmission or e.g. according to the principle of a TDR line diagnosis of the line 13 to be monitored.

[0077] The architecture in FIG.3 further enables the modular monitoring device 11 to perform an initial initialization in which at least one reference value corresponds to nominal signal or

[0078] The data transmission characteristics of the line to be monitored are stored in a memory of the microprocessor 30. The microprocessor 30 can then use this reference value when monitoring the state of wear, particularly during operation, for the early detection of potential damage. For example, if the transmission characteristics begin to deteriorate, this can be used as an immediate indicator for timely line replacement to avoid unplanned plant or machine downtime.

[0079] Detailed information on the detected deterioration in transmission properties and, for example, the distance to the affected line section can be displayed directly on the monitoring module 20 using the display 20. This allows maintenance work to be carried out quickly and efficiently on the affected line segment. The aforementioned information can also be transmitted to a higher-level system, e.g., via the radio interface 36, in the context of an IoT solution.

[0080] FIG. 4 shows, as an example application for a monitoring system 10 with the monitoring module 11 from FIGS. 2-3, an articulated arm robot 40, e.g. for the fully automatic handling of workpieces in a manufacturing process. From the stationary base 40A of the articulated arm robot, a first linearly movable energy guide chain 1 leads to a rotary joint, from which a spatially deflectable second energy guide chain 41 (e.g. according to WO 2004 / 093279 A1) continues to the end effector 42 or end-side robot tool. Typically, a number of actuators and sensors are provided on the end effector 42 which are already suitable for a common fieldbus protocol, the ETHERNET protocol or, for example, the PROFINET protocol and which can comprise the communicating second device 12. The address of these field devices or network devices is known in advance or can be predetermined or programmed. Using the principle from FIG.1-3, at least one or more data lines routed through the energy chains 1, 41 can be monitored for wear. This requires only an inexpensive module 11, as shown in FIG. 2-3. The proposed monitoring system for monitoring the line condition thus offers a cost-effective solution for supporting predictive maintenance and / or for reducing or avoiding downtime. The invention allows, among other things, more vulnerable and possibly also cost-intensive data lines, special lines, or the like to be utilized to their maximum potential service life, i.e., to avoid unnecessarily early replacement.

[0081] Monitoring device and method for monitoring the

[0082] Wear condition of an electrical cable

[0083] List of reference symbols

[0084] FIG.1

[0085] 1 cable routing device (energy guiding chain)

[0086] 2 moving strands

[0087] 2A first connection end

[0088] 3 resting strand

[0089] 3A second connection end

[0090] 4 deflection bends

[0091] 10 Monitoring system

[0092] 11 Monitoring device (module)

[0093] 12 second device

[0094] 13; 13A, 13B data line

[0095] 14 Switchboard

[0096] 15 first area (customer network / bus)

[0097] 16 second area (customer network / bus)

[0098] FIG.2A-2B

[0099] 11 Monitoring module

[0100] 20 Display (OLED display)

[0101] 21 module housings

[0102] 22 Snap-on mounting (for DIN rail)

[0103] 23A, 23B, 23C signal lights

[0104] 24A, 24B control line or data line connections

[0105] FIG.3

[0106] 24A, 24B control line or data line connections

[0107] 24C Diagnostic connection 30 Microprocessor (evaluation unit)

[0108] 32 Ethernet transceivers (signal unit)

[0109] 33 Entrance

[0110] 34 Output 35 Web server (integrated)

[0111] 36 radio interface

[0112] FIG.4

[0113] 1 first energy guide chain (linearly movable) 2, 3 strands

[0114] 4 deflection bends

[0115] 40 articulated arm robots

[0116] 40A base

[0117] 41 second energy chain (spatially deflectable) 42 end effector

Claims

Monitoring device and method for monitoring the Wear condition of an electrical cable Patent claims Monitoring device (11) for monitoring the wear condition of an electrical line (13) which is guided by a movable line guiding device, in particular by an energy guiding chain (1), the monitoring device comprising: - a signal unit (32) which is arranged to transmit, process and / or evaluate signals which are transmitted by an electrical line to be monitored; - an evaluation unit (30) which interacts with the signal unit and is configured to determine, in particular on the basis of transmission, processing and / or evaluation by the signal unit, at least one item of information on the state of wear of the line to be monitored; - at least one interface (24A, 24B) by means of which the signal unit can be connected to the line to be monitored; characterized in that - that the monitoring device is designed in a modular manner, wherein at least the evaluation unit (30), the signal unit (32) and the interface (24A, 24B) are arranged in a module housing (21) and; - that the module housing (21) has a display (20) for graphic and / or alphanumeric information representation, which is arranged on or in the module housing (21) for Displaying information about the wear condition. Monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that - the display (20) is designed for pixel-formatted information display, in particular as a TFT display, LC display and / or OLED display; and / or - the display (20) is controlled by the evaluation unit (30), in particular for displaying pixel-formatted image data and / or via a preferably serial IC interface. Monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that -the evaluation unit (30) comprises a programmable integrated circuit, in particular a microcontroller or microprocessor; and / or -the signal unit (32) comprises a data transmission transceiver, in particular an Ethernet transceiver, preferably with a TDR-based line diagnostic function. Monitoring device according to one of the preceding claims, in particular according to claim 3, characterized in that the evaluation unit (30) is configured to: - to detect a damaged area of ​​the monitored line (13) and to determine a distance to the detected damaged area and to display the determined distance by means of the display (20); and / or - to determine a transmission quality based on transmission, processing and / or evaluation by the signal unit (32) and to display the determined transmission quality by means of the display (20); and / or - to determine a cause of failure based on transmission, processing and / or evaluation by the signal unit (32) and to indicate the cause of failure by means of the display (20). Monitoring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device, in particular the evaluation unit (30), comprises a web server (35) and preferably a wireless interface, in particular a radio interface (36), for communication with the web server, wherein the evaluation unit (30) is preferably set up for the purpose of parameterization and / or for the purpose of data exchange via the web server. Monitoring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least two physical line connections, in particular two control line or data line connections (24A, 24B), wherein the signal unit is connected to the connections via interfaces, in particular ETHERNET interfaces, for the purpose of signal transmission, in particular data transmission. Monitoring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device (11), in addition to the display (20), has a number of signal lights (23A, 23B, 23C) for status orStatus indicator, which is arranged next to the display on or in the module housing (21). Monitoring device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the module housing (21) has a front side, in particular a front side designed on a narrow side, on which the display (20) is arranged, and a rear side with a fastening device (22), wherein the display preferably has a width:height ratio h of 2:

1. Monitoring device according to claim 8, characterized in that the fastening device (22) on the rear side of the module housing (21) has a snap-in fastening for mounting on a DIN / top-hat rail; and / or. - the module housing (21) is essentially cuboid-shaped and is dimensioned in particular for control cabinet mounting, the front side preferably having dimensions of H x W 180mm x 60mm. System, in particular a system with an industrial robot (40), comprising an electrical line (13) to be monitored, a movable line guiding device, in particular an energy guiding chain (1; 41), for guiding the line between a first connection point and a second connection point that is movable relative thereto, in particular on an industrial robot, and a monitoring device (11) connectable to the electrical line to be monitored according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, wherein the electrical line (13) to be monitored preferably supplies a device on the end effector (42) or the robot hand of the industrial robot.Method for monitoring the wear condition of an electrical cable which is guided through a movable cable guide device, in particular through an energy guide chain, wherein a modular monitoring device is connected to the cable to be monitored and has at least one evaluation unit and a signal unit, characterized in that the modular monitoring device has a display and displays information on the wear condition of the cable to be monitored by means of the display.Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the monitoring of the wear state is carried out as real-time monitoring during the ongoing operation of the line to be monitored, in particular by continuous monitoring of at least one data transmission property of the line to be monitored, wherein information on the wear state of the line to be monitored is preferably displayed on the one hand by means of the display and on the other hand, in particular from the evaluation unit, is transmitted via an interface to a higher-level system, in particular for the purpose of initiating predictive maintenance. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the monitoring of the wear condition is carried out based on - an informational quality feature of the data transmission, preferably based on at least one protocol-inherent function; and / or - on a TDR line diagnosis of the line to be monitored. Method according to one of claims 11, 12, or 13, characterized in that, in particular by the signal unit using the TDR line diagnosis function, a distance to a detected damaged area is determined, and the determined distance is displayed on the display. Method according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the modular monitoring device performs an initial initialization, during which at least one reference value for nominal data transmission properties of the line to be monitored is stored, and the at least one reference value is subsequently used when monitoring the wear condition, in particular during ongoing operation, for the early detection of possible damaged areas.

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