Machine component and monitoring system

Abstract

To achieve simplification of a structure and improvement of precision of temperature detection of a temperature detection device in a machine component having a bearing and the temperature detection device configured to detect a temperature of the bearing.SOLUTION: A machine component 40 includes: a housing 41; a bearing 42 which is disposed within the housing 41 and rotatably supports a shaft member 31; a temperature sensor 43b which is disposed on an outer surface of the housing 41 and detects a temperature of the bearing 42; and a connection member 44 which has a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing 41 and thermally connects the bearing 42 with the temperature sensor 43b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to machine components and monitoring systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bearing unit for a conveyor as an example of a mechanical component. The mechanical component in 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, the sensor, and the transmitter are disposed in a housing. The sensor is, for example, a temperature sensor, and detects the temperature of the bearing. If the condition of the bearing changes, the temperature of the bearing increases, and an abnormality in the bearing may occur. The mechanical component of Patent Document 1 can contribute to detecting an abnormality in the bearing based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-11312 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The mechanical part of Patent Document 1 further includes a cover that covers the sensor (temperature detection device) and transmitter in the housing, and a seal member for preventing dust and the like from entering between the housing and the cover. As such, the mechanical part of Patent Document 1 has an increased number of parts due to the presence of the temperature detection device and the like in the housing, making it difficult to configure simply. Also, in order to accurately detect abnormalities in the bearing, it is desirable for the temperature detection device to accurately detect the temperature of the bearing.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to simplify the configuration and improve the accuracy of the detected temperature of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component having a bearing and a temperature detection device that detects the temperature of the bearing, and in a monitoring system including the mechanical component. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A mechanical component according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a housing, a bearing arranged in the housing and rotatably supporting an axial member, and a temperature sensor arranged on an outer surface of the housing and detecting a temperature of the bearing, the housing having a connection hole connecting the bearing and the temperature sensor, the housing further comprising a connection member having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing, arranged in the connection hole and thermally connecting the bearing and the temperature sensor.

[0008] According to this, the temperature sensor is disposed on the outer surface of the housing. This allows the configuration inside the housing and the configuration of the mechanical components to be simplified. Also, the temperature sensor is thermally connected to the bearing via a connecting member having a higher thermal conductivity than the housing. This allows the temperature detection device to detect a high degree of accuracy.

[0009] In the mechanical component according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the connection member is a thermally conductive paste.

[0010] According to this, the connecting member is in a paste form, so that the temperature sensor and the bearing are reliably in close contact with the connecting member, and the temperature sensor and the bearing are reliably thermally connected via the connecting member, so that the accuracy of the detected temperature of the temperature detection device can be reliably improved.

[0011] In addition, in a mechanical component according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the outer surface of the bearing has a contact portion that comes into contact with the connecting member, and when the contact portion is viewed from the inside of the bearing toward the outside of the bearing along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bearing, the contact portion overlaps with a portion of the bearing where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member is maximum.

[0012] In a bearing, as a state change progresses due to the load from the shaft member, the temperature of the portion where the state change progresses rises. In a bearing, the portion where the temperature is maximum corresponds to the portion where the stress is maximum due to the force acting from the shaft member. In addition, the temperature sensor is thermally connected to the contact portion. Therefore, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor rises early in response to the rise in the temperature of the bearing. Therefore, the mechanical component can contribute to early detection of abnormalities in the bearing by the detected temperature of the temperature sensor.

[0013] In addition, a mechanical component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RFID tag that is integrated with the temperature sensor and transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor to a reader / writer.

[0014] This allows the mechanical part to output the temperature detected by the temperature sensor with a simple configuration.

[0015] A monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a mechanical device including a plurality of the above-described mechanical components, the reader / writer, and a terminal device electrically connected to the reader / writer and storing the detected temperature of the temperature sensor.

[0016] According to this, the reader / writer acquires the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors from multiple mechanical components in a short time. Therefore, the terminal device can easily acquire the temperatures detected by the multiple temperature sensors via the reader / writer. Therefore, even when the monitoring system has multiple mechanical components, it can quickly detect abnormalities in the bearings with a simple configuration. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a monitoring system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the mechanical component. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the mechanical component taken along line III-III shown in FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the temperature detection device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an RFID tag. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component according to a first modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component according to a second modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The components of each embodiment and each modified example described below can be appropriately combined. In addition, some components may not be used.

[0019] <Surveillance System 1> 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a monitoring system 1. The monitoring system 1 is a system that monitors a mechanical component 40 that includes a bearing 42, which will be described later. The monitoring system 1 includes a mechanical device 2, a reader / writer 3, and a terminal device 4. Note that the monitoring system 1 may include multiple mechanical devices 2.

[0020] The machine 2 is a roller conveyor that transports industrial products along a transport direction W. The machine 2 includes a pair of support tables 10 and a plurality of roller devices 20. In this embodiment, the number of roller devices 20 is ten, but it goes without saying that the number is not limited to ten.

[0021] The pair of support bases 10 support a plurality of roller devices 20. The pair of support bases 10 are shaped like rectangular parallelepipeds extending along the conveying direction W.

[0022] The roller device 20 includes a roller member 30 and a pair of mechanical components 40 .

[0023] The roller member 30 includes a shaft member 31 and a roller 32. The shaft member 31 has a cylindrical shape extending along a central axis.

[0024] The rollers 32 are cylindrical and disposed on the circumferential surface of the shaft member 31, and rotate integrally with the shaft member 31. Both ends of the shaft member 31 are exposed from the rollers 32.

[0025] The pair of mechanical parts 40 support the roller member 30 so as to be rotatable relative to one another. Specifically, the pair of mechanical parts 40 support both ends of the shaft member 31 so as to be rotatable relative to one another. The mechanical parts 40 are plummer blocks. The mechanical parts 40 include a bearing 42, which will be described later, and an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag 43a, which is integral with a temperature sensor 43b. The mechanical parts 40 will be described in detail later.

[0026] The pair of mechanical parts 40 are fixed to the pair of support bases 10 using, for example, fixing bolts, so that the multiple roller devices 20 are supported by the pair of support bases 10. The multiple roller devices 20 are arranged such that the central axes of the shaft members 31 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the conveying direction W.

[0027] The reader / writer 3 performs wireless communication with an RFID tag 43a provided on the mechanical component 40. The reader / writer 3 is portable by a user. The reader / writer 3 is electrically connected to a terminal device 4 by wire or wirelessly.

[0028] A user operates the reader / writer 3, and the reader / writer 3 transmits a carrier wave to the RFID tag 43a. In response, the RFID tag 43a transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b (hereinafter referred to as the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b) to the reader / writer 3. The reader / writer 3 obtains the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b and transmits it to the terminal device 4.

[0029] The reader / writer 3 can simultaneously perform wireless communication with multiple RFID tags 43a. Therefore, the reader / writer 3 can obtain the temperatures detected by the multiple temperature sensors 43b in a relatively short time. The reader / writer 3 transmits the temperatures detected by the multiple temperature sensors 43b to the terminal device 4.

[0030] The terminal device 4 is a computer, and includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an internal storage unit, an input interface, and an output interface. The CPU, ROM, RAM, and internal storage unit are connected by an internal bus. Programs such as BIOS are stored in the ROM. The internal storage unit is, for example, a HDD (Hard disk drive) or flash memory, and stores an operating system program and application programs. The CPU realizes various functions by executing programs stored in the ROM or the internal storage unit while using the RAM as a work area.

[0031] The terminal device 4 acquires the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b from the reader / writer 3. The terminal device 4 detects an abnormality in the bearing 42 before a failure occurs in the bearing 42 in the mechanical component 40, based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b.

[0032] An abnormality in the bearing 42 occurs when a change in the state of the bearing 42 (for example, aging) progresses due to the load acting from the shaft member 31. If the abnormality in the bearing 42 is overlooked, the bearing 42 will break down, and the mechanical part 40 will break down. In other words, the terminal device 4 detects an abnormality in the bearing 42 that occurs before the bearing 42 breaks down.

[0033] As the state change of the bearing 42 progresses, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b rises (details will be described later). If the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the terminal device 4 determines that there is an abnormality in the bearing 42. Based on the determination result of the terminal device 4, the user investigates the mechanical part 40 determined to have an abnormality.

[0034] By periodically checking the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b using the terminal device 4, the user can discover an abnormality in the bearing 42 at an early stage.

[0035] As described above, according to this embodiment, the monitoring system 1 comprises a mechanical device 2 including a plurality of mechanical components 40, a reader / writer 3, and a terminal device 4 electrically connected to the reader / writer 3 and storing the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b.

[0036] According to this, the reader / writer 3 acquires the detected temperatures of the temperature sensors 43b from the multiple mechanical components 40 in a comparatively short time. Therefore, the terminal device 4 can easily acquire the detected temperatures of the multiple temperature sensors 43b via the reader / writer 3. Therefore, even when the monitoring system 1 includes multiple mechanical components 40, it is possible to quickly detect an abnormality in the bearing 42 with a simple configuration.

[0037] <Machine Part 40> In the following description, the Z direction shown in the drawing is the up-down direction of the mechanical component 40, the X direction is the left-right direction of the mechanical component 40, and the Y direction is the front-rear direction of the mechanical component 40. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are perpendicular to each other. Note that the X, Y, and Z directions are merely examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to these directions.

[0038] Fig. 2 is a front view of the mechanical component 40. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the mechanical component 40 taken along line III-III shown in Fig. 2. The mechanical component 40 includes a housing 41, a bearing 42, and a temperature detection device 43.

[0039] The housing 41 has a main body portion 41a and a flange portion 41b integrally therewith. The main body portion 41a has a first through hole 41a1 through which the shaft member 31 passes.

[0040] The flange portions 41b are located on both sides of the main body portion 41a in the X direction. The flange portions 41b have second through holes 41b1 through which bolts for attaching the mechanical component 40 to the support base 10 pass.

[0041] Additionally, the lower surface (the surface on the -Z side) of the housing 41 corresponds to the mounting surface F1 that comes into contact with the support base 10. The mounting surface F1 is flat. The mounting surface F1 is perpendicular to the Z direction. When the mechanical component 40 is attached to the support base 10, the Z direction is approximately parallel to the direction of gravity. Therefore, when the mechanical component 40 is attached to the support base 10, the mounting surface F1 is approximately perpendicular to the direction of gravity and faces downward in the direction of gravity.

[0042] The bearing 42 is disposed in the housing 41 and supports the shaft member 31 rotatably relative to the housing 41. The axis Ax of the bearing 42 extends along the Y direction. That is, the axis Ax of the bearing 42 is approximately perpendicular to the direction of gravity when the housing 41 is attached to the support base 10. Note that in this specification, the axis Ax being inclined with respect to the direction of gravity includes the axis Ax being perpendicular to the direction of gravity. The axis Ax of the bearing 42 is approximately parallel to the central axis of the shaft member 31.

[0043] The bearing 42 is a ball bearing. However, the bearing 42 may be a roller bearing. The bearing 42 is disposed in the first through hole 41a1. The bearing 42 includes an outer ring 42a, an inner ring 42b, and a plurality of balls 42c.

[0044] The outer ring 42a fits into an annular groove 41a2 formed on the inner peripheral 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. The shaft member 31 is fixed to the inner ring 42b so as to be rotatable integrally therewith. A plurality of balls 42c are disposed between the outer ring 42a and the inner ring 42b.

[0045] 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, the plurality of balls 42c roll relative to the outer ring 42a and the inner ring 42b.

[0046] The temperature detector 43 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41. The temperature detector 43 detects the temperature of the bearing 42 (details will be described later). The temperature detector 43 is disposed on the front surface F2 (the surface on the +Y side) of the outer surface of the housing 41. When the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42 with the housing 41 attached to the support base 10, the temperature detector 43 is located below 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.

[0047] In the state where the housing 41 is attached to the support base 10 as described above, the mounting surface F1 of the housing 41 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity and faces downward in the direction of gravity. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the temperature detection device 43 is located in an arrangement region R1 on the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 on the front surface F2 of the housing 41. The arrangement region R1 corresponds to an area on the front surface F2 shown in FIG. 2 where a range H1 between the mounting surface F1 and a virtual line L passing through the axis Ax of the bearing 42 and parallel to the X direction and a range H2 in the X direction of the bearing 42 overlap. In this embodiment, the temperature detection device 43 is located in a first partial region R2 on the -Z side of the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 42 in the Y direction in the arrangement region R1.

[0048] Furthermore, when the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42 with the housing 41 attached to the support base 10, at least the temperature sensor 43b, described later, of the temperature detection device 43 must overlap the arrangement area R1 (or the first partial area R2).

[0049] Fig. 4 is a plan view of the temperature detecting device 43. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the temperature detecting device 43 shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of an RFID tag 43a.

[0050] The temperature detection device 43 includes an RFID tag 43a, a temperature sensor 43b, a cover member 43c, and an adhesive member 43d. The RFID tag 43a is integral with the temperature sensor 43b.

[0051] The RFID tag 43a is a passive RFID tag. The RFID tag 43a includes a substrate 43a1 shown in FIG. 5. The substrate of the substrate 43a1 may be a resin substrate, a ceramic substrate, a plastic substrate, or the like. The conductive portion of the substrate 43a1 is formed by metal plating the surface of the substrate. The conductive portion may be formed of a conductive foil. The conductive portion may be formed by screen printing, inkjet printing, or the like using a polymer-type conductive ink. The substrate 43a1 is provided with a temperature sensor 43b, an antenna 43e shown in FIG. 6, and a control circuit 43f.

[0052] 5, the temperature sensor 43b is disposed on the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. The temperature sensor 43b detects the temperature of the bearing .

[0053] 3, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the bearing 42 via a connecting member 44. The connecting member 44 is a thermally conductive paste. The thermal conductivity of the connecting member 44 is higher than that of the housing 41.

[0054] The connection member 44 is, for example, a silicon-based thermally conductive grease. It goes without saying that the connection member 44 is not limited to a silicon-based grease, and any paste-like material may be used. The connection member 44 may also be a thermosetting resin (for example, an epoxy resin) containing particles of Ag or the like having a relatively high thermal conductivity.

[0055] The connection member 44 is filled in a connection hole 41a3 of the housing 41. The connection hole 41a3 is bent, but may be straight. The connection hole 41a3 connects the bearing 42 and the temperature sensor 43b. Specifically, a first end of the connection hole 41a3 is on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 and opens toward the temperature sensor 43b. By filling the connection hole 41a3 with the connection member 44, the connection member 44 comes into contact with the temperature sensor 43b.

[0056] A second end of the connection hole 41a3 opens toward the outer peripheral surface S1 of the outer ring 42a. The outer peripheral surface S1 of the outer ring 42a corresponds to the outer peripheral surface of the bearing 42. A second end of the connection hole 41a3 is located in the groove 41a2 of the housing 41 and opens toward a contact site S1a on the outer peripheral surface S1 of the outer ring 42a. When the connection member 44 is filled in the connection hole 41a3, the connection member 44 comes into contact with the contact site S1a.

[0057] The contact site S1a is located on the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Specifically, the contact site S1a is located in an arrangement region R1 where the range H1 and the range H2 overlap in the mechanical component 40 shown in FIG. 2. In addition, in this embodiment, the contact site S1a is located in a second partial region R3 that is on the -Z side of the inner circumferential surface of the inner ring 42b in the Y direction in the arrangement region R1. The second partial region R3 corresponds to a region where the range H3 and the range H1 in the X direction of the inner circumferential surface of the inner ring 42b overlap in the mechanical component 40 shown in FIG. The contact site S1a overlaps with the second end of the connection hole 41a3 when the bearing 42 is viewed from the -Z side.

[0058] Furthermore, when the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42 with the housing 41 attached to the support base 10, the contact site S1a is located below the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the direction of gravity. The contact site S1a is located closest to the -Z side on the outer peripheral surface S1 of the outer ring 42a. The detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b corresponds to the detected temperature of the temperature detection device 43.

[0059] The control circuit 43f shown in FIG. 6 is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 43b and the antenna 43e. The antenna 43e receives a carrier wave from the reader / writer 3. A known structure is applied to the antenna 43e. For example, the structure of an inverted F antenna described in Japanese Patent No. 4990858 can be applied to the antenna 43e. In this case, the antenna 43e can communicate even when the temperature detection device 43 is attached to the surface of a metal member. The control circuit 43f is driven by power generated by the carrier wave.

[0060] The control circuit 43f acquires the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b and stores it in the memory area 43f1. The control circuit 43f transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b stored in the memory area 43f1 to the reader / writer 3 via the antenna 43e.

[0061] Furthermore, the control circuit 43f transmits identification information (e.g., an identification number) for identifying the mechanical component 40 in association with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b to the reader / writer 3. The identification information is stored in advance in the memory area 43f1 by the reader / writer 3. The terminal device 4 stores the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b in association with the identification information. Thus, the terminal device 4 can identify the mechanical component 40 for which it has been determined that the bearing 42 has an abnormality.

[0062] The control circuit 43f may be an IC chip equipped with the temperature sensor 43b. In this case, the control circuit 43f is integrated with the temperature sensor 43b. This allows the RFID tag 43a to be miniaturized.

[0063] 5 protects the RFID tag 43a. The cover member 43c is flat and includes an arrangement surface 43c1. The arrangement surface 43c1 is flat. The arrangement surface 43c1 has a recess 43c2 in which the RFID tag 43a is arranged. In a plan view of the cover member 43c, the recess 43c2 is located in the center of the cover member 43c.

[0064] In addition, when the RFID tag 43a is placed in the recess 43c2, the placement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 are on the same plane. In other words, when the RFID tag 43a is placed in the recess 43c2, the placement surface 43c1 is located all around the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. The placement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 may be on different planes. In addition, when the RFID tag 43a is placed in the recess 43c2, the temperature sensor 43b protrudes from the placement surface 43c1.

[0065] The material of the cover member 43c is a thermoplastic resin. Specifically, the material of the cover member 43c is a nylon resin having waterproof and oil resistance. Therefore, the cover member 43c has waterproof and oil resistance. The fact that the cover member 43c has waterproof and oil resistance means that the change in the properties of the cover member 43c caused by water and oil and grease used in the mechanical component 40 during the use of the mechanical component 40 is suppressed, and no problems occur in the operation of the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0066] The adhesive member 43d is disposed on the arrangement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c, and adheres 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 inside which the temperature sensor 43b is located. The third through hole 43d1 is connected to the connection hole 41a3. The third through hole 43d1 is filled with the connection member 44.

[0067] The adhesive member 43d is a double-sided tape. The adhesive member 43d is waterproof. The adhesive member 43d is a so-called waterproof tape. The fact that the adhesive member 43d is waterproof means that changes in the properties of the adhesive member 43d caused by water during the use of the mechanical component 40 are suppressed, and no problems occur in the operation of the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0068] Moreover, the adhesive member 43d is disposed around the entire periphery of the RFID tag 43a on the arrangement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c, thereby ensuring watertightness between the cover member 43c and the outer surface of the housing 41, and preventing water from adhering to the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0069] Next, the operation of the mechanical component 40 when an abnormality occurs in the bearing 42 will be described.

[0070] 1 conveys an industrial product, a downward force in the direction of gravity acts on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31. The force from the shaft member 31 generates frictional forces between the balls 42c and the inner ring 42b and between the balls 42c and the outer ring 42a. If the frictional forces cause the condition of the bearing 42 to change, abnormalities such as damage to the bearing 42 may occur. If the abnormality in the bearing 42 progresses, a failure such as seizure of the bearing 42 may occur.

[0071] Furthermore, as the change in state of the bearing 42 due to the frictional force progresses, the temperature of the bearing 42 increases. In the bearing 42, the part where the temperature is maximum is the same as the part where the frictional force is maximum, i.e., the part where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum.

[0072] In this embodiment, a force in the downward direction of gravity (toward the -Z side along the Z direction) acts on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31. Therefore, in the bearing 42, a portion where the strain caused by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum, that is, a portion where the temperature is maximum, is a portion overlapping with the second partial region R3 shown in FIG.

[0073] As described above, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the contact site S1a of the bearing 42. When the contact site S1a is viewed from inside the bearing 42 toward the outside of the bearing 42 along a direction perpendicular to the axis Ax of the bearing 42, the contact site S1a overlaps with a site in the bearing 42 where the stress caused by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum (i.e., the site where the temperature is maximum). Thus, the temperature sensor 43b detects the temperature of the site in the bearing 42 where the temperature is maximum. Therefore, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b rises early in response to a rise in the temperature of the bearing 42. In addition, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the bearing 42 via the connecting member 44, and detects the temperature of the bearing 42 with high accuracy.

[0074] As described above, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b is stored in the terminal device 4 via the reader / writer 3. Furthermore, if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the terminal device 4 determines that there is an abnormality in the bearing 42. Therefore, by thermally connecting the temperature sensor 43b to the bearing 42 via the connecting member 44, an abnormality in the bearing 42 can be detected at an early stage.

[0075] As described above, according to this embodiment, the mechanical component 40 includes the housing 41, the bearing 42 that is disposed in the housing 41 and rotatably supports the shaft member 31, and the temperature sensor 43b that is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41 and detects the temperature of the bearing 42. The housing 41 has a connection hole 41a3 that connects the bearing 42 and the temperature sensor 43b. The mechanical component 40 further includes a connection member 44 that has a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing 41, is disposed in the connection hole 41a3, and thermally connects the bearing 42 and the temperature sensor 43b.

[0076] According to this, the temperature sensor 43b is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41. This makes it possible to simplify the configuration inside the housing 41 and the configuration of the mechanical component 40. Furthermore, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the bearing 42 via the connecting member 44, which has a higher thermal conductivity than the housing 41. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 43.

[0077] Moreover, the connection member 44 is a thermally conductive paste.

[0078] According to this, the connecting member 44 is in a paste form. Therefore, the temperature sensor 43b and the bearing 42 are reliably in close contact with the connecting member 44, and the temperature sensor 43b and the bearing 42 are reliably thermally connected to each other via the connecting member 44. Therefore, it is possible to reliably improve the accuracy of the temperature detected by the temperature detection device 43.

[0079] In addition, the outer surface of the bearing 42 has a contact region S1a that comes into contact with the connecting member 44. When the contact region S1a is viewed from the inside of the bearing 42 toward the outside of the bearing 42 along a direction perpendicular to the axis Ax of the bearing 42, the contact region S1a overlaps with a region of the bearing 42 where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum.

[0080] In the bearing 42, the portion where the stress is greatest due to the force acting from the shaft member 31 corresponds to the portion where the temperature is greatest. In addition, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the contact portion S1a. Therefore, the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b rises early in response to a rise in the temperature of the bearing 42. Therefore, the mechanical component 40 can contribute to early detection of an abnormality in the bearing 42 by the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 43b.

[0081] The mechanical part 40 also includes an RFID tag 43a that is integrated with a temperature sensor 43b and transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b to the reader / writer 3.

[0082] This allows the mechanical component 40 to output the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b with a simple configuration.

[0083] Next, a monitoring system 1 and a mechanical component 40 according to a modified embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, focusing mainly on the differences from the monitoring system 1 and the mechanical component 40 of the above-described embodiment.

[0084] For example, the mechanical device 2 is not limited to a roller conveyor. The mechanical device 2 may be any device that includes a plurality of mechanical components 40 each including a bearing 42.

[0085] Furthermore, the mechanical component 40 is not limited to a plummer block. The mechanical component 40 may be any component that includes a bearing 42.

[0086] Furthermore, the RFID tag 43a may be an active RFID tag, in which case the RFID tag 43a further includes a power source.

[0087] The adhesive member 43d may have elasticity. In this case, the adhesive member 43d has, for example, an elastic sheet-like base material and adhesive layers disposed on both sides of the base material. The base material is formed of, for example, a foamed resin such as foamed polyethylene. When the mechanical device 2 is operating, 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.

[0088] The adhesive member 43d may be a hardened adhesive (for example, an epoxy adhesive) or may be a butyl tape that is waterproof and oil-resistant.

[0089] Moreover, the temperature detector 43 does not necessarily have to include the adhesive member 43d. In this case, the temperature detector 43 is fixed to the housing 41 by, for example, a bolt.

[0090] Furthermore, the cover member 43c may be shaped to cover a part of the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 with the temperature sensor 43b exposed.

[0091] Furthermore, the arrangement region R1 may be located at a position on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 other than the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. For example, the arrangement region R1 may be located at a position on the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. The connection hole 41a3 may have any shape as long as it thermally connects the temperature sensor 43b and the contact site S1a of the bearing 42.

[0092] Also, the contact portion S1a of the bearing 42 may be located at a position other than the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. For example, the position of the contact portion S1a differs depending on the posture of the mechanical component 40 attached to the support base 10. For example, when the mechanical component 40 is attached to the support base 10 and the attachment surface F1 is perpendicular to the direction of gravity and faces upward in the direction of gravity, the portion of the bearing 42 where the stress caused by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum (i.e., the portion where the temperature is maximum) is located on the +Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Therefore, the contact portion S1a is located on the +Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 on the outer circumferential surface S1. In this case, the connection hole 41a3 may have a shape that thermally connects the temperature sensor 43b and the contact portion S1a of the bearing 42 via the connection member 44. Also, the position of the contact portion S1a differs 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 from the -X side to the +X side along the X direction, the portion of the bearing 42 where the stress caused by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum (i.e., the portion where the temperature is maximum) is on the +X side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Therefore, the contact portion S1a is located on the +X side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 on the outer circumferential surface S1, regardless of the attitude of the mechanical component 40. Note that the mechanical component 40 may be attached to the support base 10 in a state where the axis Ax of the bearing 42 extends along the gravity direction.

[0093] Furthermore, the contact portion S1a of the bearing 42 may be located at any position on the outer circumferential surface S1, regardless of the attitude of the mechanical component 40 and the direction of the load acting on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31.

[0094] 3, when the housing 41 covers the front surface S2 of the bearing 42, the contact portion S1a of the bearing 42 may be located on the front surface S2 of the bearing 42. The connection hole 41a3 may have any shape as long as it thermally connects the temperature sensor 43b and the contact portion S1a of the bearing 42.

[0095] Furthermore, the connection member 44 may be in a solid state rather than in a paste state. In this case, the connection member 44 is made of a metal material or the like having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the housing 41.

[0096] 7 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device 43 in a mechanical component 40 according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this first modified example, the adhesive member 143d does not have a third through hole 43d1. The adhesive member 143d covers the entire RFID tag 43a. As a result, the temperature sensor 43b is covered by the adhesive member 143d. The temperature sensor 43b and the bearing 42 are thermally connected via the adhesive member 143d and the connection member 44. The adhesive member 143d may contain particles of Ag or the like having a relatively high thermal conductivity.

[0097] 8 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device 245 in a mechanical component 40 according to a second modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. The temperature detection device 245 of the second modified example does not include an RFID tag 43a and a cover member 43c. The temperature detection device 245 of the fourth modified example includes a substrate 245a, a temperature sensor 245b, and an adhesive member 245c. The temperature sensor 245b is disposed on a main surface 245a1 of the substrate 245a. The substrate 245a includes a terminal that outputs a detected temperature of the temperature sensor 245b.

[0098] In this case, the monitoring system 1 does not include the reader / writer 3, and the terminal device 4 acquires the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 245b by electrically connecting to the terminal of the board 245a. The board 245a may include a display unit that displays the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 245b. In this case, the user may check the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 245b on the display unit and input it to the terminal device 4.

[0099] The adhesive member 245c adheres the substrate 245a to the housing 41. The adhesive member 245c is, for example, a double-sided tape. The temperature detection device 245 may include a cover member that protects the substrate 245a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1. Surveillance System 2 Mechanical equipment 3 Reader / Writer 4 Terminal Equipment 10 Support stand 31 Shaft member 40 Machine Parts 41 Housing 41a3 Connection hole 42 Bearings 43 Temperature detection device 43a RFID tag 43b Temperature Sensor 44 Connection parts Ax Axis of bearing S1a contact site

Claims

1. Housing and a bearing disposed in the housing and configured to rotatably support a shaft member; a temperature sensor disposed on an outer surface of the housing and detecting a temperature of the bearing; the housing has a connection hole for connecting the bearing and the temperature sensor, a connection member having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the housing, disposed in the connection hole, and thermally connecting the bearing and the temperature sensor; Mechanical parts.

2. The connecting member is a thermally conductive paste. The machine part according to claim 1 .

3. the outer surface of the bearing has a contact portion that comes into contact with the connecting member, When the contact portion is viewed from the inside of the bearing toward the outside of the bearing along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bearing, the contact portion overlaps with a portion of the bearing where a stress generated by a force acting from the shaft member is maximum. The machine part according to claim 1 .

4. an RFID tag that is integrated with the temperature sensor and transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor to a reader / writer; The machine part according to claim 1 .

5. A mechanical device including a plurality of mechanical components according to claim 4; The reader / writer; a terminal device electrically connected to the reader / writer and configured to store the temperature detected by the temperature sensor; Surveillance system.

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