Testing machine

Abstract

To obtain a testing machine capable of performing various types of tests. [Solution] The test tank 20 is formed in a polyhedral shape as a whole and is configured to accommodate a test specimen inside, with openings for inserting members formed through all of the walls that form the outer shape. A rotary drive unit 30, which is detachably attached to the base wall outside the test tank 20, is partially inserted into the test tank 20 and rotates the object to be driven inside the test tank 20. Here, on the outside of the test tank 20, the walls of the test tank 20 other than the base wall are configured to be detachably attached to either another test unit or a lid (for example, a lid 62).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a testing machine.

Background Art

[0002] Testing machines that can accommodate a specimen in a test tank and perform tests such as friction tests and wear tests are variously known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, for example, in friction tests, wear tests, etc., there are various tests (for example, pin-on-disk tests, block-on-ring tests, two-cylinder rolling fatigue tests, four-ball tests, etc.). Conventionally, since it was necessary to use different testing machines for each type of test, the burden of preparing testing machines was large when it was necessary to perform many types of tests.

[0005] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a testing machine capable of performing many types of tests.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first embodiment of the testing machine comprises a test tank formed as a whole in a polyhedral shape and configured to accommodate a test specimen inside, with openings for inserting members formed through three or more of the walls that form the outer shape, and a rotary drive unit that is detachably attached to a base wall which is one of the three or more walls on the outside of the test tank, a portion of which is inserted into the test tank, and rotates a drive target inside the test tank, and either another test unit or a lid that is detachably attached to a wall other than the base wall among the three or more walls on the outside of the test tank.

[0007] Furthermore, "opening for inserting components" refers to an opening for inserting components (components of a test unit) that need to be inserted into the test chamber in order to perform a test in the testing machine. Also, "other test units" refers to test units other than rotational drive units, such as a load-applying unit which is partially inserted into the test chamber and applies a load to the test specimen which is the drive target, or a measuring unit which is partially inserted into the test chamber and is capable of measuring the force in the tangential direction to the outer circumference of the test specimen when the test specimen which is the drive target is rotated around its own axis. Depending on the purpose of the test, for example, other test units may be detachably attached to only one of the three or more wall sections other than the base wall section, or other test units may be detachably attached to multiple of the three or more wall sections other than the base wall section.

[0008] According to the first embodiment of the testing machine, the test chamber is formed as a polyhedron overall and configured to accommodate a test specimen inside, with openings for inserting members formed through three or more of the walls that form the outer shape. A rotary drive unit, which is detachably attached to one of the three or more walls, the base wall, on the outside of the test chamber, is partially inserted into the test chamber and rotates the object to be driven inside the test chamber. When a test specimen is housed in the test chamber, the test specimen can be used as the object to be driven. In addition, one of the other test units and one of the lids can be detachably attached to one of the three or more walls other than the base wall on the outside of the test chamber. As a result, by preparing several other test units, it is possible to perform a variety of tests. Incidentally, for example, the object to be driven can be a part of another test unit or a component mechanically connected to another test unit, and the other test unit can be operated by the rotary drive unit, with the test specimen attached to the part of the other test unit that is located outside the test chamber.

[0009] In the second embodiment of the testing machine, the test tank is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, with openings for inserting the member formed through all six wall sections, and each of the wall sections other than the base wall section is provided with mounting sections that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lid and the other test units are interchangeable with respect to these mounting sections.

[0010] According to the second embodiment of the testing machine, the test chamber is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, with openings for inserting members formed through all six wall sections. Note that the concept of a rectangular parallelepiped also includes a cubic shape. The walls of the test chamber, excluding the base wall section, are provided with mounting sections that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lid and other test units can be interchanged with these mounting sections. Therefore, the lid and other test units can be easily interchanged.

[0011] In the third embodiment of the testing machine, the base wall portion is provided with a pair of overhangs that extend away from each other from the portion constituting the test chamber, and the pair of overhangs and the rotary drive unit are configured to be bolted together.

[0012] According to the third embodiment of the testing machine, a pair of protruding portions of the base wall protrude from the portion of the base wall that constitutes the test chamber in directions away from each other, and the pair of protruding portions and the rotary drive unit can be bolted together. This allows the rotary drive unit to be easily attached to and detached from the test chamber, and also allows for a more compact test chamber.

[0013] The fourth embodiment of the testing machine is such that, in any one of the first to third embodiments, the other testing unit includes a load-applying unit which is partially inserted into the test chamber and applies a load to the test specimen as the drive target.

[0014] According to the fourth embodiment of the testing machine, a load-applying unit is attached to the test chamber, thereby allowing a load to be applied to the test specimen, which is the object to be driven, within the test chamber.

[0015] The fifth embodiment of the testing machine, in any one of the first to fourth embodiments, includes a measuring unit in which a portion is inserted into the test chamber and which is capable of measuring the tangential force on the outer circumference of the test specimen as the object to be driven is rotated around its own axis.

[0016] According to the fifth embodiment of the testing machine, by attaching the measuring unit to the test chamber, it is possible to measure the force tangential to the outer circumference of the test specimen when the test specimen, which is the object to be driven, is rotated around its own axis within the test chamber.

[0017] In the sixth embodiment of the testing machine, in any one of the first to fifth embodiments, a hole is formed through the lid, and a lubrication temperature control unit can be connected to the hole to supply lubricating oil to the test specimen, which is the object to be driven, at a set temperature.

[0018] According to the sixth embodiment of the testing machine, a lid with a hole formed through it is attached to the test tank, and a lubrication temperature control unit is connected to the hole in the lid, so that lubricating oil can be supplied to the test specimen to be driven at a set temperature.

[0019] In the seventh embodiment of the testing machine, the test chamber is formed in a cubic shape as a whole, in any one of the first to sixth embodiments.

[0020] According to the seventh embodiment of the testing machine, the test chamber is formed in a cubic shape as a whole, so the rigidity of the test chamber is high, and mechanical vibration can be reduced even during high-speed, high-load testing.

[0021] The eighth embodiment of the testing machine, in any one of the first to seventh embodiments, has a handle attached to the outer circumference of the lid that can be grasped by a user, and bolt insertion holes are formed through the lid, through which each of the multiple bolts that are screwed into the walls of the three or more walls of the test tank, excluding the base wall, is inserted. The bolt insertion holes are formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point in the center of the lid when viewed from the front, and at one end in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the heads of the bolts are formed so that they cannot pass through the bolt insertion holes, while at the other end in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the heads of the bolts are formed so that they can pass through the bolt insertion holes.

[0022] According to the testing machine of the eighth aspect, a handle that can be gripped by a user is attached to the outer peripheral portion side of the lid body, and bolt insertion holes through which each of a plurality of bolts screwed into the wall portions other than the base wall portion among the three or more wall portions of the test tank are inserted are formed to penetrate. Here, the bolt insertion holes are formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point at the center of the lid body in a front view of the lid body, and on one end side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the head of the bolt is formed so as not to be able to pass through in the penetrating direction of the bolt insertion hole, and on the other end side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the head of the bolt is formed so as to be able to pass through in the penetrating direction of the bolt insertion hole.

[0023] Therefore, the user grips the handle, passes the bolt through the other end side of the bolt insertion hole of the lid body and screws the bolt into the wall portion other than the base wall portion among the three or more wall portions of the test tank, and then rotates the lid body to the other side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, so that the lid body can be easily attached to the wall portion of the test tank. Also, when removing the lid body attached to the wall portion of the test tank, the user grips the handle, rotates the lid body to one side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, and then moves the lid body so as to be separated from the wall portion of the test tank, so that the lid body can be easily removed from the wall portion of the test tank.

[0024] The testing machine of the ninth aspect is, in the eighth aspect, a notch is formed at the outer peripheral end of the lid body to avoid contact between the lid body and its peripheral members when the lid body is displaced between a state where the bolt screwed into the wall portion other than the base wall portion is located on the other end side in the bolt insertion hole and a state where the bolt screwed into the wall portion other than the base wall portion is located on the one end side in the bolt insertion hole.

[0025] According to the testing machine of the ninth aspect, even when a peripheral member is disposed in proximity to the outer peripheral side of the lid body, it is possible to attach the lid body to the wall portion of the test tank and remove the lid body from the wall portion of the test tank.

Effects of the Invention

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a testing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a frame unit. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a state in which a main mechanism of the testing machine is partially broken. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing the test tank of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing a test tank in a state where the arrangement of the lid is different from that of the test tank of FIG. 4 and viewed from a direction different from that of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a front view showing a state in which the lid substrate and the bolt of the lid with a handle of FIG. 5 are disassembled. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing a rotational drive unit. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing a radial load unit. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing an axial load unit. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view of a half-section showing a friction measurement unit in a mounted state. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing a friction measurement unit. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing a lubrication temperature control unit. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view showing a Timken test unit. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view showing a vibration generator unit. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view showing a pneumatic control unit. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view showing a cooling unit. [Figure 17] It is a perspective view showing a configuration when it is made into a journal bearing testing machine specification. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view showing a configuration when it is made into a thrust bearing testing machine specification. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view showing the configuration when it is configured as a composite bearing testing machine. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view showing the configuration when using the Timken test machine specifications. [Figure 21] This is a perspective view showing the configuration when using a vibration exciter. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] A test machine according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 21. Note that in each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted for clarity.

[0029] (Configuration of the embodiment) Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the testing machine 10 according to this embodiment. The testing machine 10 can be configured to various specifications by rearranging various units, and it is possible to perform friction characteristic evaluation and various durability tests on bearings and sliding members used in power transmission mechanisms of industrial machinery, transportation equipment, etc.

[0030] Here, we will provide some additional explanation regarding examples of anticipated tests. Examples of objects to be measured in a test (in other words, test specimens) include sliding bearings, rolling bearings, sliding materials made of metal or resin, objects with surface treatments such as plating, and objects with heat treatment or surface modification. Examples of friction and wear conditions in friction and wear tests include relative contact (sliding and rolling) conditions between multiple objects, such as pin (ball)-on-disk, block (pin)-on-ring, two cylinders, four balls, etc. Examples of lubrication methods in a test include dry lubrication, oil bath (immersion), spray (nozzle) lubrication, and forced (shaft core pressure) oil lubrication. Examples of temperature environments in a test include room temperature, low temperature (-40°C to 0°C), and high temperature (60°C to 200°C or higher). Furthermore, examples of atmospheric environments in a test include air, water (e.g., seawater), vacuum, and special gas (e.g., nitrogen) atmospheres.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the test machine 10 according to this embodiment has a frame unit 12 that constitutes a stand. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the frame unit 12. As shown in Figure 2, the frame unit 12 has a trolley portion 14 having a longitudinal direction, a frame portion 16 provided on the trolley portion 14, and a panel portion 18 provided so as to cover a part of the frame portion 16. The frame portion 16 includes a vertical column portion 16A, a beam portion 16B, and a base plate portion 16C for mounting fixed to the upper surface side of the beam portion 16B. Adjusters 19 that constitute support legs are attached to the lower part of the frame portion 16. The frame unit 12 also incorporates control equipment such as an inverter for the drive motor.

[0032] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the main mechanism of the testing machine 10 in a partially broken state. As shown in Figure 3, the testing machine 10 has a test chamber 20 configured to accommodate a test specimen 200, and a rotary drive unit 30 that is detachably attached to the outside of the test chamber 20. The rotary drive unit 30 is attached to the base plate portion 16C of the frame portion 16, and a portion of it is inserted into the test chamber 20, and it rotates the object to be driven (the test specimen 200 in Figure 3) inside the test chamber 20.

[0033] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the test chamber 20. As shown in Figure 4, the test chamber 20 is formed as a polyhedron, more specifically a cube (or a rectangular parallelepiped in a broader sense), and the skeletal structure of the test chamber 20 is such that it includes the edges of the cube. The test chamber 20 is designed to form a sealed space for purposes such as sealing the lubricating oil, maintaining the test environment temperature, and protecting against damage to the rotating body. Such a test chamber 20 can be used for tests where oil is scattered in a sealed environment, and it is compatible with temperature-controlled atmospheres.

[0034] The test tank 20 is a housing structure made of, for example, welded steel plates or cast parts, and openings 24 for inserting members are formed through all six wall sections 22 that form the outer shape. In this embodiment, the openings 24 also serve as entrances and exits used when inserting the test specimen 200 (see Figure 3) into the test tank 20 and when removing the test specimen 200 (see Figure 3) from the test tank 20. The openings 24 are, for example, circular in shape. A sealing material (e.g., O-ring, gasket, etc.) 26 is placed on the outer periphery of the opening 24 in the wall section 22. For example, the sealing material 26 is placed in a groove 25 that is concave and annularly formed on the outer periphery of the opening 24 in the wall section 22.

[0035] One of the six walls 22 of the test chamber 20 is designated as the base wall 22X, which serves as the mounting wall for the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 3). The base wall 22X is equipped with a pair of protruding portions 22X1 that extend away from each other from the parts constituting the test chamber 20. The protruding portions 22X1 are provided with cylindrical mounting bosses 28. Multiple mounting bosses 28 (three as an example) are fixed to the base wall 22X at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction of the protruding portions 22X1 (vertical direction in the figure) when viewed from the front (not shown), and protrude outwards from the base wall 22X (the side where the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 3) is located). In addition, the protruding portions 22X1 have through portions 22X2 that lead to the inside of the mounting bosses 28. Bolts B1 (see Figure 10) are inserted through the through portions 22X2 and the mounting bosses 28 from the through portion 22X2 side. The tip of the shaft of bolt B1 (see Figure 10) protrudes from the tip surface of the mounting boss 28.

[0036] Of the six wall sections 22 of the test chamber 20, the wall sections 22Y, excluding the base wall section 22X to which the rotary drive unit 30 is attached, are provided with mounting sections 22A (see the upper side of the test chamber 20) that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front. Multiple mounting sections 22A of the test chamber 20 are set at intervals in the circumferential direction of the wall section 22. In this embodiment, the mounting sections 22A are set near the four corners of the wall section 22. Each of the multiple mounting sections 22A has a tapped hole 22H for attaching accessories, and a bolt B2 can be screwed into the tapped hole 22H.

[0037] Outside the test chamber 20, on the mounting portion 22A of the wall section 22Y, excluding the base wall section 22X, among the six wall sections 22 of the test chamber 20, one of the other test units (details described later) and one of the lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, 64P (see Figure 5 for some) are attached. The lids 60, 60P, 62 (see Figure 5 for some) are of the type that can be attached to parts of the wall section 22 where units cannot be attached and where it is desired to look inside, and lids 64, 64P (see Figure 5 for some) are of the type that can be attached to parts of the wall section 22 where units cannot be attached and internal monitoring is not required.

[0038] The lid 60 shown on the right side of Figure 4 is a roughly square-shaped lid overall and comprises a lid base plate 60A that forms its main body. Bolt insertion holes (not shown) are formed through the outer circumference of the lid base plate 60A so that multiple bolts B2 can be inserted through them. These bolt insertion holes are formed near each of the four corners of the lid base plate 60A. The lid base plate 60A is attached to the wall 22 of the test tank 20 by screwing the bolts B2 inserted through the bolt insertion holes into tapped holes 22H in the wall 22.

[0039] Furthermore, a viewing window 60W is formed in the central region of the lid base plate 60A of the lid 60 for monitoring the inside of the test chamber 20, and a transparent plate 60G, such as heat-resistant glass, is attached to the viewing window 60W. The viewing window 60W and the transparent plate 60G are, for example, circular in shape, and the transparent plate 60G is positioned to cover the opening 24 in the wall portion 22 of the test chamber 20. The space between the lid 60 and the wall portion 22 of the test chamber 20 is sealed with a sealing material such as an O-ring or gasket (not shown).

[0040] The lid 60P shown on the left side of Figure 4 has the same configuration as the lid 60 on the right side of Figure 4, except that a small circular hole 60H is formed in a part of the transparent plate 60G. For convenience, the components of lid 60P, excluding the circular hole 60H, are given the same reference numerals as the components of lid 60. The circular hole 60H is intended for connecting, for example, a drain or oil supply pipe fitting.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the test tank 20, with a different arrangement of lids 62 and 64 compared to the test tank 20 in Figure 4, and viewed from a different direction than in Figure 4. The lid 62 shown in Figure 5 is generally square in shape, with large chamfered notches 62K formed at the four corners (outer corners). The notches 62K are formed in the lid substrate 62L that forms the main body of the lid 62.

[0042] A viewing window 62W for looking into the inside of the test chamber 20 is formed in the central region of the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62. A transparent plate 62G, such as heat-resistant glass, is fitted into the viewing window 62W, and the outer circumference of the transparent plate 62G and the edge of the viewing window 62W are sealed with an O-ring 62S. The viewing window 62W and the transparent plate 62G are, for example, circular in shape, and the transparent plate 62G is positioned to cover the opening 24 of the test chamber 20. A ring-shaped cover plate 62C is positioned on the front side of the O-ring 62S. The inner diameter of the cover plate 62C is set to be the same as the inner diameter of the O-ring 62S, and the outer diameter of the cover plate 62C is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the O-ring 62S. The cover plate 62C is fastened to the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62 by a number of bolts 62B.

[0043] A handle 62A, which can be gripped by the user, is attached to the outer circumference of the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62. The handle 62A is made of a round bar bent into a roughly U shape, and a pair is provided on both sides of the viewing window 62W so that they are parallel to each other. The base ends, which are provided at two locations on each handle 62A, are fixed to the lid base plate 62L by bolts, for example. The distance between the gripping portion 62A1 of the handle 62A and the lid base plate 62L is set to a length that allows the user to grasp the gripping portion 62A1 of the handle 62A. For example, the gripping portion 62A1 of the handle 62A is set to be longer than half the vertical length and horizontal length of the roughly square lid base plate 62L.

[0044] On the outer circumference side of the lid base plate 62L of the lid 62, bolt insertion holes 62H are formed, through which each of the multiple bolts B2 that are screwed into the mounting portion 22A of the test tank 20 is inserted. In a front view of the lid 62, the bolt insertion holes 62H are elongated holes formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point 62X in the center of the lid 62. Figure 6 shows a front view of the lid base plate 62L and bolts B2 of the lid 62 in an exploded state. In the bolt insertion holes 62H shown in Figure 6, at one end 62H1 in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X, the head B2h of the bolt B2 is formed so that it cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H, while at the other end 62H2 in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X, the head B2h of the bolt B2 is formed so that it can pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H. Furthermore, the bolt insertion hole 62H can be understood as a so-called "dagger hole."

[0045] The notch 62K formed on the outer peripheral end of the lid base plate 62L of the lid 62 shown in Figure 5 is intended to prevent contact between the lid 62 and its surrounding members when the lid 62 is displaced between a state in which the bolt B2 screwed into the wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X is located on the other end 62H2 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H (not shown) and a state in which the bolt B2 screwed into the wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X is located on the one end 62H1 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H (see Figure 6) (the state shown in Figure 5).

[0046] On the other hand, the lid 64 shown on the right side of Figure 5 is a roughly square-shaped lid overall. Bolt insertion holes (not shown) are formed through the outer circumference of the lid 64 so that multiple bolts B2, which are screwed into the mounting portion 22A of the test tank 20, can be inserted through them. These bolt insertion holes are formed near each of the four corners of the lid 64. The lid 64 is attached to the wall portion 22 of the test tank 20 by screwing the bolts B2 inserted through the bolt insertion holes into the tapped holes 22H of the wall portion 22. The space between the lid 64 and the wall portion 22 of the test tank 20 is sealed by an O-ring or gasket (neither shown).

[0047] A small circular hole 64H is formed through the lid 64. In addition, the lid 64P, which is located on the bottom side of the test tank 20 shown in Figure 4, has smaller circular holes 64J and 64K formed through it, but the lid 64P has the same configuration as the lid 64 in other respects. The circular holes 64H and 64J shown in Figures 4 and 5 are for connecting drain or oil supply pipe fittings, etc. The circular hole 64K shown in Figure 4 is used when connecting pipe fittings, etc., and is closed when pipe fittings, etc. are connected.

[0048] Next, we will describe the various units applied to the test machine 10 (see Figure 1).

[0049] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the rotary drive unit 30. As shown in Figure 7, the rotary drive unit 30 includes a housing 36 whose longitudinal direction is a predetermined direction. The housing 36 has a base plate 36A that constitutes a frame, a cover 36B that is provided in a substantially arch shape to cover the upper side of the base plate 36A and fixed to the base plate 36A, and a first angle bracket 36C and a second angle bracket 36D fixed to the longitudinal end of the base plate 36A. Note that in the figure, the inside of the cover 36B is shown with the cover 36B viewed through (the same applies to other figures). As shown in Figure 3, the base plate 36A is a frame that supports the entire rotary drive unit 30 and is fastened and fixed to the base plate portion 16C of the frame unit 12 with bolts B3.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7, the first bracket 36C is bolted (fixed) perpendicularly to the end face of the base plate 36A on one longitudinal side of the housing 36. Alternatively, the first bracket 36C may also be bolted (fixed) to the upper surface of the base plate 36A on one longitudinal side of the housing 36. The first bracket 36C serves as a mounting plate for attaching the rotary motor 32 to the housing 36. The rotary motor 32 is a power source that rotates the drive unit (inner ring side) of the test specimen (test shaft such as a bearing). A spindle 35 is also provided inside the housing 36, and a part of this spindle 35 protrudes from the other longitudinal side of the housing 36 (opposite side from the rotary motor 32 side). The spindle 35 is equipped with a bearing unit that rotationally supports the drive unit (inner ring side) of the test specimen (bearing, etc.), and is composed of multiple bearings, an oil seal, a rotating shaft, and a housing, with the rotating shaft rotating by the operation of the rotary motor 32. In addition, in the case of the spindle 35, a coolant may be circulated around the outer circumference by forced oil pressure lubrication or grease-filled lubrication.

[0051] Within the housing 36, a sensor unit 33 is provided on the spindle 35 as an example. The sensor unit 33 includes, for example, a torque meter (not shown) that functions as a sensor for measuring the rotational drive torque of the test specimen (test shaft), and a rotation detector (not shown) that functions as a sensor for measuring the rotational speed of the test specimen (test shaft). Note that the minimum testing machine can function even without the torque meter. Alternatively, the rotation detector can be omitted, and the measurement of the rotational speed of the test specimen (test shaft) can be replaced by the encoder of the rotary motor 32.

[0052] The second bracket 36D is bolted (fixed) perpendicularly to the end face of the base plate 36A on the other longitudinal side of the housing 36. Alternatively, the second bracket 36D may be bolted (fixed) to the upper surface of the base plate 36A on the other longitudinal side of the housing 36. The second bracket 36D functions as a mounting plate for attaching the rotary drive unit 30 to the test tank 20 (see Figure 3). Three mounting holes 36H are formed through the second bracket 36D on both the left and right sides when viewed from the front, spaced apart in the vertical direction. Female threads are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting holes 36H, allowing the male threads of bolts B1 (see Figure 10), which pass through the protruding portion 22X1 of the test tank 20 and the mounting boss 28, to be screwed into them.

[0053] To elaborate, the rotary drive unit 30 is attached to one side of the test tank 20 (see Figure 10) by screwing the male thread portion of bolt B1 (see Figure 10), which passes through the protruding portion 22X1 and mounting boss 28 of the test tank 20, into the female thread portion of the mounting hole 36H of the second angle bracket 36D. In other words, the pair of protruding portions 22X1 of the test tank 20 (see Figure 10) and the rotary drive unit 30 are configured to be bolted together. Furthermore, the rotary drive unit 30 can be removed from one side of the test tank 20 (see Figure 10) by removing bolt B1 (see Figure 10) from the mounting hole 36H of the second angle bracket 36D.

[0054] Next, the radial load unit 40 and the axial load unit 50, which are other test units shown in Figure 3, will be described. In the configuration shown in Figure 3, the testing machine 10, as an example, has the radial load unit 40 and the axial load unit 50 detachably attached to the outside of the test chamber 20. The radial load unit 40 and the axial load unit 50 are each partially inserted into the test chamber 20 and apply loads to the test specimen 200, which is the object to be driven (an object that is rotationally driven by the rotational drive unit 30).

[0055] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the radial load application unit 40. The radial load application unit 40 applies a load to the test specimen 200 shown in Figure 3, and is a load application unit in which the load application direction is set to the same direction as the radial direction along a straight line perpendicular to the axis of the test specimen 200.

[0056] As shown in Figure 8, the radial load unit 40 includes an actuator 41, a linear guide 42, a load cell 43, a load roller 44, and a mounting plate 45. The housing of the actuator 41 is also provided with a coupling 46 and a speed controller 47 with a coupling. The actuator 41 is configured, for example, to include a pneumatic cylinder, and by controlling the thrust (air pressure) from the pneumatic cylinder with an electro-pneumatic regulator (a device that converts analog voltage into an air pressure signal for control), it is possible to generate a specified thrust (positive or negative) in any axial direction to match the test conditions. The linear guide 42 is a linear support mechanism that maintains (guides) the direction of the thrust from the actuator in a constant direction.

[0057] The load cell 43 is a strain gauge type sensor (a converter that converts load into an analog voltage) that measures thrust. The electro-pneumatic regulator mentioned above stabilizes the thrust through feedback control based on the measurement results of the load cell 43. The load roller 44 is a roller follower (a contact element that minimizes resistance in the direction perpendicular to the thrust) that transmits thrust to the test specimen (bearing outer cylinder). In this embodiment, two rollers are placed in contact with the test specimen (bearing outer cylinder) as a pair, and are arranged to minimize the load moment on the test specimen. The load roller 44 is a rotatable roller, and as shown in Figure 3, the axis of rotation of the load roller 44 is arranged parallel to the axis of the test specimen 200.

[0058] The mounting plate 45 shown in Figure 8 is a component for attaching the radial load unit 40 to the test chamber 20. The mounting plate 45 is a roughly square-shaped plate member that is attached to the wall portion 22Y of the test chamber 20 other than the base wall portion 22X (see Figure 3), and has mounting holes 45H formed at its four corners. Bolts B2 are inserted through the mounting holes 45H of the mounting plate 45, and the bolts B2 inserted through the mounting holes 45H can be screwed into tapped holes 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.). For convenience, in Figure 8, the bolts B2 are shown in a simplified position away from the mounting plate 45. The radial load unit 40 is attached to one side of the test tank 20, as shown in Figure 3, by screwing the bolt B2, which is inserted through the mounting hole 45H of the mounting plate 45, into the tapped hole 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.). In this state, the radial load unit 40 is removed from the test tank 20 (see Figure 3) by removing the bolt B2 from the tapped hole 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 45H of the mounting plate 45 shown in Figure 8.

[0059] Figure 9 shows an axial load application unit 50 in a perspective view. The axial load application unit 50 applies a load to the test specimen 200 shown in Figure 3, and is a load application unit in which the load application direction is set to the same direction as the axial direction along the axial direction of the test specimen 200. The axial load application unit 50 includes an actuator 51, a linear guide 52, a load cell 53, a load application disc 54, a mounting plate 55, and a lubrication supply coupling 56. In addition, the housing of the actuator 51 is provided with a coupling 57 and a speed controller with coupling 58.

[0060] The actuator 51 is configured, for example, in the same way as the actuator 41 of the radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8), and the control method is also the same as in the case of the radial load loading unit 40. The linear guide 52 is configured, for example, in the same way as the linear guide 42 of the radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8), and the load cell 53 is configured, for example, in the same way as the load cell 43 of the radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8). The load loading disc 54 is a rotatable disc that applies a load to the test specimen 200 (see Figure 3) when the axial load loading unit 50 applies a load to the test specimen 200, as shown in Figure 3, and its center of rotation is positioned along the axial direction of the test specimen 200. The lubrication supply coupling 56 supplies lubricant around the central axis of the load loading disc 54.

[0061] The mounting plate 55 is a component for attaching the axial load unit 50 to the test chamber 20. The mounting plate 55 is a roughly square-shaped plate member that is attached to the wall portion 22Y of the test chamber 20 other than the base wall portion 22X (see Figure 3), and has mounting holes 55H formed at its four corners. Bolts B2 are inserted through the mounting holes 55H of the mounting plate 55, and the bolts B2 inserted through the mounting holes 55H can be screwed into tapped holes 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.). Note that in Figure 9, for convenience, the bolts B2 are shown in a simplified position away from the mounting plate 55. The bolt B2 inserted through the mounting hole 55H of the mounting plate 55 is screwed into the tapped hole 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.), thereby attaching the axial load unit 50 to one side of the test chamber 20, as shown in Figure 3. In this state, the axial load unit 50 is removed from the test chamber 20 (see Figure 3) by removing the bolt B2 from the tapped hole 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 55H of the mounting plate 55 shown in Figure 9.

[0062] Next, the friction force measurement unit 70, which is another test unit and measurement unit shown in Figures 10 and 11, will be described. Figure 10 shows the mounting state of the friction force measurement unit 70 in a half-section perspective view, and Figure 11 shows the friction force measurement unit 70 alone in a perspective view view. The friction force measurement unit 70 is used when the testing machine 10 is used as a bearing testing machine and it is desired to measure the friction torque (rotational torque) of the test specimen 200, which is the object to be driven (the object to be rotationally driven by the rotational drive unit 30 (see Figure 10)). Part of the unit is inserted into the test chamber 20, and it is possible to measure the force in the tangential direction of the outer circumference of the test specimen 200 when the test specimen 200 in the test chamber 20 is rotationally driven around its own axis.

[0063] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the friction force measuring unit 70 includes a lever 71 (see Figure 10, not shown in Figure 11), a load cell 72, a connecting coupling 73, and a mounting plate 74. Also, as shown in Figure 11, the load cell 72, connecting coupling 73, etc. are covered by a cover 75 (not shown in Figure 10). Note that in the figures, the inside of the cover 75 is shown as if viewed through the cover 75. The lever 71 shown in Figure 10 is an extension rod that protrudes along the radial direction of the test specimen (bearing outer cylinder) 200 in order to accurately measure the friction torque generated in the test specimen 200, and its tip is positioned to be in contact with the test specimen 200. Most of the lever 71 is inserted into the test chamber 20. The load cell 72 is a sensor using a strain gauge, connected to the base end of the lever 71 and positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lever 71 for load measurement, and measures the tangential force generated in the outer cylinder of the test specimen 200. The friction torque T is calculated as follows: friction torque T = (lever length L + specimen radius (in other words, the length from the axis of the specimen 200 to the load cell mounting portion on the lever 71)) × load cell load F. The connecting coupling 73 is a joint that rotatably connects the lever 71 and the load cell 72, and the load cell 72 and the mounting plate 74.

[0064] The mounting plate 74 is a component for attaching the friction force measurement unit 70 to the test tank 20. The mounting plate 74 is a roughly square-shaped plate member that is attached to the wall portion 22Y of the test tank 20 other than the base wall portion 22X (see Figure 3). As shown in Figure 11, mounting holes 74H are formed at the four corners of the mounting plate 74. Bolts B2 are inserted through the mounting holes 74H of the mounting plate 74, and the bolts B2 inserted through the mounting holes 74H can be screwed into tapped holes 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.). Note that in Figure 11, for convenience, the bolts B2 are shown in a simplified position away from the mounting plate 74. The bolt B2 inserted through the mounting hole 74H of the mounting plate 74 is screwed into the tapped hole 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.), thereby mounting the friction force measurement unit 70 to one side of the test tank 20 as shown in Figure 10. In this state, the friction force measurement unit 70 can be removed from the test tank 20 (see Figure 10) by removing the bolt B2 from the tapped hole 22H of the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 74H of the mounting plate 74 shown in Figure 11.

[0065] Next, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 shown in Figure 12 will be described. The lubrication temperature control unit 80 is a unit that supplies lubricating oil to a test specimen (an object that is rotationally driven by the rotational drive unit 30 (see Figure 10)) when lubricating oil is supplied to the test specimen. The lubrication temperature control unit 80 is configured to control the oil temperature of the lubricating oil and to control the amount of oil supplied.

[0066] As shown in Figure 12, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 is comprised of a frame 89 equipped with a trolley section 89A, and can be used independently in other testing machines. The lubrication temperature control unit 80 includes a tank 81, a pump 82, a sheath heater 83, a heat exchanger (not shown), temperature control equipment (not shown), a flow control valve 86, a discharge pressure regulating valve 87, and a flow meter 88, which are mounted on the frame 89.

[0067] Tank 81 is an oil tank for storing lubricating oil. Pump 82 is an electric pump that pumps the lubricating oil from Tank 81. Sheath heater 83 is an electric heater installed in Tank 81 that heats the lubricating oil inside Tank 81. A heat exchanger (not shown) cools the lubricating oil. There are generally two types of heat exchangers: water-cooled and air-cooled. A temperature control device (not shown) is an electronic device that controls the sheath heater 83 and the heat exchanger to control the lubricating oil to a specified temperature.

[0068] Furthermore, the flow control valve 86 is a throttle valve that adjusts the supply flow rate of lubricating oil. There are generally two types of flow control valves 86: manual and electric. The discharge pressure regulating valve 87 is a pressure regulating valve that adjusts the supply pressure of lubricating oil. There are generally two types of discharge pressure regulating valves 87: manual and electric. The flow meter 88 measures the flow rate of lubricating oil. A rotary joint (rotating coupling, not shown in the figure) is attached to the tip of the lubricating oil supply piping P1 (for convenience, a portion of piping P1 is shown as a dashed line in the figure) to supply lubricating oil to the drive part (shaft core) of the test specimen (bearing, etc.). A portion of this rotary joint is insertable into circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J (see Figures 4 and 5) formed in the lids 60P, 64, and 64P attached to the test tank 20. In other words, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 is connectable to the circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J (see Figures 4 and 5) of the lids 60P, 64, and 64P attached to the test tank 20. In the configuration in which the lubrication temperature control unit 80 circulates lubricating oil between the tank 81 and the test tank 20 (see Figures 4 and 5), a separate pipe (not shown) extends from the lubrication temperature control unit 80, distinct from pipe P1, and a fitting attached to the end of this pipe is connected to the circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J (see Figures 4 and 5) of the lids 60P, 64, and 64P attached to the test tank 20.

[0069] Next, the Timken test unit 90, shown in Figure 13 as another test unit, will be described. The Timken test unit 90 is used when performing a block-on-ring test and is detachably mounted on the outside of the test chamber 20. Part of it is inserted into the test chamber 20, and it is a load-applying unit that applies a load to the test specimen, which is the object to be driven (an object that is rotationally driven by the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 7)). The Timken test unit 90 has an actuator 91, a linear guide 92, a load cell 93, a load-applying section 94, and a mounting plate 95. In addition, the housing of the actuator 91 is provided with a coupling and a speed controller with a coupling (neither of which are shown).

[0070] The actuator 91 is configured, for example, in the same way as the actuator 41 of the radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8), and the control method is also the same as in the case of the radial load loading unit 40. The linear guide 92 is configured, for example, in the same way as the linear guide 42 of the radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8), and the load cell 93 is configured, for example, in the same way as the load cell 43 of the radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8). The load loading section 94 is a block section that applies a load to the test specimen when the Timken test unit 90 applies a load to the test specimen.

[0071] The mounting plate 95 is a component for attaching the Timken test unit 90 to the test chamber 20. The mounting plate 95 is a roughly square plate-like member that is attached to the wall 22 of the test chamber 20, and has mounting holes 95H formed at its four corners. Bolts B2 are inserted through the mounting holes 95H of the mounting plate 95, and the bolts B2 inserted through the mounting holes 95H can be screwed into tapped holes 22H in the wall 22 of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.). In Figure 13, for convenience, the bolts B2 are shown in a simplified position away from the mounting plate 95. The Timken test unit 90 is attached to one side of the test chamber 20 by screwing the bolts B2 inserted through the mounting holes 95H of the mounting plate 95 into the tapped holes 22H in the wall 22 of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.). Furthermore, in such a state, the Timken test unit 90 is removed from the test chamber 20 (see Figure 3) by removing the bolt B2 from the tapped hole 22H in the wall portion 22 of the test chamber 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 65H in the mounting plate 65 shown in Figure 13.

[0072] Next, we will give an overview of each unit shown in Figures 14 to 16.

[0073] Figure 14 shows a perspective view of another test unit, the vibration exciter unit 100. The vibration exciter unit 100 is detachably mounted on the outside of the test chamber 20, with a portion inserted into the test chamber 20 to generate vibrations in conjunction with the operation of the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 7), and the test specimen (not shown) is attached to the portion located on the outside of the test chamber 20.

[0074] The vibration exciter unit 100 includes a vibrating disc 101, four legs 102 fixed to the vibrating disc 101, a table section 103 to which the four legs 102 are fixed, an arm section 104 fixed to the table section 103, and a mounting plate 105 through which the four legs 102 pass. The four legs 102 are columnar in shape and are movable relative to the mounting plate 105 in the axial direction of the legs 102 (vertical direction in the figure).

[0075] Multiple mounting holes 101H are formed on the surface of the vibrating disc 101 (four in the figure), and female threads are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting holes 101H. A plate-shaped test specimen (not shown) is placed on the surface of the vibrating disc 101, and the test specimen is fixed to the surface of the vibrating disc 101 by screwing a bolt B6 that passes through the test specimen into the mounting hole 101H. In Figure 14, for convenience, the bolt B6 is shown in a simplified position away from the vibrating disc 101. The four legs 102 are fixed to the bottom side of the vibrating disc 101. The base ends of all four legs 102 are fixed to the table section 103. The table section 103 and the vibrating disc 101 are arranged parallel to each other. The arm section 104 is fixed to the bottom side of the table section 103 and extends away from the bottom surface of the table section 103.

[0076] A circular hole 104H is formed at the tip end of the arm portion 104, penetrating in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the arm portion 104. A component of the output side of the eccentric cam mechanism 106 (see Figure 21), which is placed inside the test chamber 20 (see Figure 21, etc.), is inserted into and fixed in this circular hole 104H. The eccentric cam mechanism 106 shown in Figure 21 includes an eccentric cam 106A as a drive target attached to the tip end of the rotation shaft of the rotary drive unit 30 and rotated by the rotary drive unit 30, and is configured to convert the rotational motion of the rotation shaft of the rotary drive unit 30 into reciprocating linear motion in the radial direction (up and down direction in Figure 21). Note that the eccentric cam mechanism itself, which converts rotational motion into reciprocating linear motion, is a known technology, so detailed illustration and detailed explanation are omitted. The eccentric cam mechanism 106 converts the rotational motion of the rotation shaft of the rotary drive unit 30 into reciprocating linear motion in the radial direction (up and down direction in Figure 21), causing the arm portion 104, the table portion 103, the four leg portions 102, and the vibrating disc 101 shown in Figure 14 to vibrate together in the radial direction (up and down direction in Figure 14).

[0077] On the other hand, the mounting plate 105 is a component for attaching the vibration exciter unit 100 to the test chamber 20. Mounting holes 105H are formed at the four corners of the mounting plate 105. Bolts B2 are inserted through the mounting holes 105H of the mounting plate 105, and these bolts B2 can be screwed into tapped holes 22H (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) in the wall portion 22Y of the test chamber 20 other than the base wall portion 22X. Note that in Figure 14, for convenience, the bolts B2 are shown in a simplified position away from the mounting plate 105.

[0078] Figure 15 shows a perspective view of the pneumatic control unit 110. The pneumatic control unit 110 is a unit equipped with load control equipment for load load units (radial load load unit 40, axial load load unit 50 (see Figure 1, etc.)) and includes a mist separator 111, a filter regulator 112, a 3-port residual pressure relief valve 113, a precision regulator 114, an electro-pneumatic regulator 115, and a mounting plate 116. The mist separator 111, filter regulator 112, 3-port residual pressure relief valve 113, precision regulator 114, and electro-pneumatic regulator 115 are mounted on the mounting plate 116. A pressure gauge 114A is also provided on the precision regulator 114.

[0079] To provide further details about the pneumatic control unit 110, it comprises an upstream component 110A located on the lower side of the figure and including a part for supplying primary pressure air, and a downstream component 110B located on the upper side of the figure and including a part for adjusting the pressure of the air supplied from the upstream component 110A and supplying secondary pressure air to the load load unit. A pneumatic source (not shown) is connected to the upstream component 110A, and air from the pneumatic source is supplied from the lower left side of the figure, and the supplied air is configured to pass through a 3-port valve 113, a filter regulator 112, and a mist separator 111. The mist separator 111 is connected to a precision regulator 114 and an electro-pneumatic regulator 115 of the downstream component 110B via fittings and piping, etc. (not shown).

[0080] The precision regulator 114 is connected via piping, etc. (not shown) to the joints of the load-loading units (for example, the joint 46 of the radial load-loading unit 40 (see Figure 8) and the joint 57 of the axial load-loading unit 50 (see Figure 9)) (not shown). The electro-pneumatic regulator 115 is connected via piping, etc. (not shown) to the joint portion of the speed controller with a joint of the load-loading unit (for example, the speed controller with a joint 47 of the radial load-loading unit 40 (see Figure 8) and the speed controller with a joint 58 of the axial load-loading unit 50 (see Figure 9)) (not shown).

[0081] On the other hand, mounting holes 116H are formed at the four corners of the mounting plate 116. Bolts B4 are inserted through the mounting holes 116H of the mounting plate 116, and these bolts B4 can be screwed into tapped holes 16H of the vertical column portion 16A of the frame unit 12 shown in Figure 2. In Figure 15, for convenience, the bolts B4 are shown in a simplified position away from the mounting plate 116. As a result, the pneumatic control unit 110 can be detachably attached to the frame unit 12, as shown in Figure 1.

[0082] As shown in Figure 19, when testing is performed by applying loads simultaneously from both radial and axial directions, as an example, a downstream pneumatic control unit 118 is used, in addition to one pneumatic control unit 110, with the downstream component 110B mounted on a mounting plate 119. In this case, a joint with four exhaust ports is connected to the downstream side of the mist separator 111 of the pneumatic control unit 110. Two of the exhaust ports of this joint are connected to the precision regulator 114 and electro-pneumatic regulator 115 of the pneumatic control unit 110 via piping, etc., and the remaining two exhaust ports of this joint are connected to the precision regulator 114 and electro-pneumatic regulator 115 of the downstream pneumatic control unit 118 via piping, etc. Mounting holes (not shown) are formed in the four corners of the mounting plate 119, and bolts B9 inserted through these mounting holes are screwed into tapped holes 16G of the vertical column 16A of the frame unit 12 shown in Figure 2. As a result, the downstream unit 118 for pneumatic control is attached to the vertical column 16A of the frame unit 12, as shown in Figure 19.

[0083] Figure 16 shows a perspective view of the cooling unit 120. The cooling unit 120 is a unit that provides a cooling environment for the bearing portion of the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 1, etc.) when the bearing portion generates heat at high rotation and high load. It comprises an air-cooled oil cooler 121, a coolant tank 122, a coolant pump 123, a base plate 125, and a frame portion 126. The base plate 125 supports the other components of the cooling unit 120 and is a component for attaching the cooling unit 120 to the frame unit 12. Mounting holes 125H are formed at the four corners of the base plate 125. Bolts B5 are inserted through the mounting holes 125H of the base plate 125, and the bolts B5 inserted through the mounting holes 125H can pass through the bottom plate portion 14A of the trolley portion 14 of the frame unit 12 (see Figure 2) and be screwed into nuts N5. As a result, the cooling unit 120 is detachably attached to the frame unit 12, as shown in Figure 17, etc. Note that in Figure 16, for convenience, the bolt B5 and nut N5 are shown in a simplified position away from the base plate 125.

[0084] (Effects and mechanisms of the embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0085] In this embodiment, the test tank 20 shown in Figure 3, etc., is formed in a polyhedral shape as a whole and is configured to accommodate the test specimen 200 inside, with openings 24 for inserting members (see Figure 4, etc.) formed through all of the wall portions 22 that form the outer shape. The rotary drive unit 30, which is detachably attached to the base wall portion 22X on the outside of the test tank 20, is partially inserted into the test tank 20 and rotates the object to be driven (the test specimen 200 in Figure 3) inside the test tank 20. Here, on the outside of the test tank 20, one of the other test units and lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, 64P (see Figures 4 and 5) can be detachably attached to the wall portions 22Y of the test tank 20 other than the base wall portion 22X. As a result, by preparing several other test units, it is possible to perform a variety of tests.

[0086] The aforementioned other test units include load-applying units (e.g., radial load-applying unit 40, axial load-applying unit 50, etc.) which are partially inserted into the test chamber 20 and apply a load to the test specimen 200, which is the object to be driven, within the test chamber 20. Therefore, by attaching the load-applying units (e.g., radial load-applying unit 40, axial load-applying unit 50, etc.) to the test chamber 20, a load can be applied to the test specimen 200, which is rotated within the test chamber 20.

[0087] Furthermore, the other test unit includes a friction force measuring unit 70, which is partially inserted into the test chamber 20 and capable of measuring the force tangential to the outer circumference of the test specimen 200 when the test specimen 200, which is the object to be driven, is rotated around its own axis. Therefore, by attaching the friction force measuring unit 70 to the test chamber 20, it is possible to measure the force tangential to the outer circumference of the test specimen 200 when the test specimen 200, which is the object to be driven, is rotated around its own axis within the test chamber 20.

[0088] To further explain, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the test tank 20 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape (more specifically, a cubic shape) as a whole, and openings 24 for inserting members are formed through all six wall sections 22. Of the wall sections 22 of the test tank 20, the wall sections 22Y other than the base wall section 22X are provided with mounting sections 22A that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, 64P (see Figures 4 and 5), as well as other test units such as load-bearing units (radial load-bearing unit 40, axial load-bearing unit 50, Timken test unit 90), friction force measurement unit 70, and vibration exciter unit 100 are interchangeable (removable and replaceable). Therefore, the lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, and 64P (see Figures 4 and 5) can be easily swapped with other test units, such as the load-bearing units (radial load-bearing unit 40, axial load-bearing unit 50, and Timken test unit 90), the friction force measurement unit 70, and the vibration exciter unit 100.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of protruding portions 22X1 of the base wall portion 22X of the test tank 20 protrude in directions away from each other from the portion of the base wall portion 22X that constitutes the test tank 20, and the pair of protruding portions 22X1 and the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 10) can be bolted together. This allows the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 10) to be easily attached to and detached from the test tank 20, and also allows the test tank 20 to be made more compact.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J are formed through the lids 60P, 64, and 64P shown in Figures 4 and 5, and a lubrication temperature control unit 80 (see Figure 12) that supplies lubricating oil to the test specimen 200 at a set temperature can be connected to the circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J. Therefore, by attaching the lids 60P, 64, and 64P, which have circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J formed through them, to the test tank 20 and connecting the lubrication temperature control unit 80 (see Figure 12) to the circular holes 60H, 64H, and 64J of the lids 60P, 64, and 64P, lubricating oil can be supplied to the test specimen 200 (see Figure 3, etc.) in the test tank 20 at a set temperature.

[0091] Here, we will explain examples of specifications that combine various test units and other components to accommodate various tests, referring to Figures 17 to 21. Note that in Figures 17 to 20, some fittings and piping have been omitted.

[0092] Figure 17 shows a perspective view of the configuration of the journal bearing testing machine specification 130, which performs testing with radial load. In this journal bearing testing machine specification 130, the rotary drive unit 30, the radial load application unit 40, and the friction force measurement unit 70 are mounted on the test chamber 20, and covers (e.g., covers 62) are placed on the surfaces of the test chamber 20 where no test units are mounted. In addition, the pneumatic control unit 110 and the cooling unit 120 are mounted on the frame unit 12.

[0093] Figure 18 shows a perspective view of the configuration of the thrust bearing testing machine specification 140, which performs testing with an axial load. In this thrust bearing testing machine specification 140, the rotary drive unit 30, the axial load unit 50, and the friction force measurement unit 70 are mounted on the test chamber 20, and covers (e.g., cover 62) are placed on the surfaces of the test chamber 20 where no test units are mounted. In addition, the pneumatic control unit 110 and the cooling unit 120 are mounted on the frame unit 12.

[0094] Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the configuration of a composite bearing testing machine specification 150, which applies loads simultaneously from both radial and axial directions during testing. In this composite bearing testing machine specification 150, a rotary drive unit 30, a radial load unit 40, an axial load unit 50, and a friction force measurement unit 70 are mounted on the test chamber 20, and covers (e.g., cover 62) are placed on the surfaces of the test chamber 20 where no test units are mounted. In addition, a pneumatic control unit 110 and a cooling unit 120 are mounted on the frame unit 12.

[0095] Figure 20 shows a perspective view of the configuration of the Timken test machine specification 160 for performing block-on-ring tests. In this Timken test machine specification 160, the rotary drive unit 30 and the Timken test unit 90 are mounted on the test chamber 20, and covers (e.g., covers 60, 62, etc.) are placed on the sides of the test chamber 20 where no test units are mounted. In addition, the pneumatic control unit 110 is mounted on the frame unit 12.

[0096] Figure 21 shows a perspective view of the configuration of the vibration exciter specification 170, which is used to perform vibration tests that cause vibrations in the vertical direction shown in the figure. In this vibration exciter specification 170, the rotary drive unit 30 and the vibration exciter unit 100 are attached to the test chamber 20, and covers (for example, covers 62, etc.) are placed on the surfaces of the test chamber 20 where no test units are attached.

[0097] Furthermore, when testing a test specimen in the test tank 20 shown in Figure 1, etc., by supplying lubricating oil, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 can be positioned near the frame unit 12 and connected to the test tank 20. Note that in Figure 1, some piping has been omitted.

[0098] As explained above, the test machine 10 according to this embodiment makes it possible to perform various types of tests by preparing several other test units. As a result, it becomes unnecessary to prepare a large number of test machines to perform various types of tests, thus reducing costs.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the test chamber 20 is formed in a cubic shape overall. Therefore, the rigidity of the test chamber 20 is high, and mechanical vibration can be reduced even during high-speed, high-load tests. As a result, measurement data with low noise can be obtained.

[0100] Furthermore, since a sealing material 26 is placed around the outer circumference of the opening 24 of the test chamber 20, and the lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, and 64P are fastened to the test chamber 20 with bolts B2, it is possible to achieve high density while being resistant to temperature changes.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the other test units, such as the load loading unit (radial load loading unit 40 (see Figure 8), axial load loading unit 50 (see Figure 9), Timken test unit 90 (see Figure 13)), friction force measurement unit 70 (see Figures 10 and 11), and vibration exciter unit 100 (see Figure 14), are directly fastened to the mounting portion 22A of the test chamber 20 with bolts B2, it is possible to make the test chamber 20 more compact. As a result, the temperature and atmospheric environment inside the test chamber 20 can be controlled with the minimum necessary auxiliary temperature control equipment, thereby saving energy.

[0102] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a handle 62A that can be gripped by the user is attached to the outer circumference of the lid 62, and bolt insertion holes 62H are formed through the lid, through which each of the multiple bolts B2 that are screwed into the wall portion 22Y of the test tank 20 other than the base wall portion 22X is inserted. Here, as shown in Figure 6, the bolt insertion holes 62H are formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point 62X in the center of the lid 62 when viewed from the front of the lid 62, and at one end 62H1 in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X, the head B2h of the bolt B2 is formed so that it cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H, while at the other end 62H2 in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X, the head B2h of the bolt B2 is formed so that it can pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H.

[0103] Therefore, the user can easily attach the lid 62 to the wall 22(22Y) of the test tank 20 shown in Figure 5 by grasping the handle 62A (see Figure 5), passing the bolt B2 through the other end 62H2 of the bolt insertion hole 62H of the lid 62, screwing the bolt B2 into the wall 22Y of the test tank 20 other than the base wall 22X, and then rotating the lid 62 to the other side in the circumferential direction (clockwise in Figure 6) with respect to the reference point 62X. Furthermore, when removing the lid 62 attached to the wall portion 22Y of the test tank 20 other than the base wall portion 22X, the user can easily remove the lid 62 from the wall portion 22(22Y) of the test tank 20 by grasping the handle 62A, rotating the lid 62 to one side in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in Figure 5) around the reference point, and then moving the lid 62 away from the wall portion 22(22Y) of the test tank 20.

[0104] In this embodiment, a notch 62K is formed on the outer peripheral end of the lid 62 to prevent contact between the lid 62 and surrounding members when the lid 62 is displaced between a state in which the bolt B2 screwed into the wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X is located on the other end 62H2 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H (not shown) and a state in which the bolt B2 screwed into the wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X is located on the one end 62H1 (see Figure 6) side of the bolt insertion hole 62H (the state shown in Figure 5). Therefore, even when surrounding members are arranged in close proximity to the outer peripheral side of the lid 62, it is possible to attach the lid 62 to the wall portion 22(22Y) of the test tank 20 and to remove the lid 62 from the wall portion 22(22Y) of the test tank 20.

[0105] (Supplementary explanation of the embodiment) In the above embodiment, the test tank 20 is formed in a cubic shape overall. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the test tank may be formed in a polyhedron shape other than a cube, such as a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opening 24 for inserting a member, which is formed through the wall portion 22 of the test tank 20, is circular in shape as an example. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the opening for inserting a member, which is formed through the wall portion of the test tank, may be a shape other than circular, such as a square.

[0107] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, openings 24 for inserting members are formed through all the walls 22 of the test tank 20, but it is sufficient that there are three or more walls in the test tank through which openings for inserting members are formed, and it is not necessary for all of the walls of the test tank to have openings for inserting members. In the case of a modified example in which the test tank includes walls in which openings for inserting members are not formed, it is also possible to provide a separate entrance / exit for inserting and removing the test specimen (for inserting and removing the test specimen into and from the test tank) in the wall, and to provide a separate opening / closing door for opening and closing the entrance / exit.

[0108] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pair of protruding portions 22X1 of the base wall portion 22X and the rotary drive unit 30 (see Figure 10, etc.) are configured to be bolted together, and this configuration is preferred. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, for example, a configuration in which the wall portion without the pair of protruding portions in the test tank and the rotary drive unit are configured to be bolted together can also be adopted. In that case, for example, the rotary drive unit, the lid, and other test units may be interchangeable with respect to the mounting portions on each surface of the test tank.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the rotary drive unit 30 is fixed to the frame unit 12 so that the rotation axis (drive axis) of the rotary drive unit 30 is horizontally positioned. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the rotary drive unit may be fixed to the frame unit so that the rotation axis of the rotary drive unit is vertically positioned, depending on the application. In addition, if the frame unit is configured to have a surface to which the rotary drive unit is fixed so that the rotation axis of the rotary drive unit is horizontally positioned, and a surface to which the rotary drive unit is fixed so that the rotation axis of the rotary drive unit is vertically positioned, the variations of the testing machine that can be used for multiple tests will increase. Furthermore, the frame unit may be configured so that the rotary drive unit can be fixed to the frame unit in any position.

[0110] Furthermore, as a variation of the above embodiment, in the radial load loading unit, axial load loading unit, and Timken test unit, as a means of generating thrust, for example, a configuration can be adopted in which a hydraulic cylinder is used as an actuator and the thrust is adjusted by changing the pressure supplied by a pressure regulating valve, or thrust may be generated by generating axial displacement using a combination of a servo motor and a ball screw, etc., and deflecting a coil spring or disc spring.

[0111] Furthermore, as a modification of the above embodiment, the friction force measurement unit may also be configured to use a three-component force sensor using quartz crystals as the load sensor, thereby simultaneously measuring the thrust for the load application unit and two types of loads.

[0112] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a notch 62K is formed on the outer peripheral end of the lid 62 shown in Figures 5 and 6 to avoid contact between the lid 62 and its surrounding members when the lid 62 is displaced between a state in which the bolt B2 screwed into the wall portion 22 is located on the other end 62H2 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H (not shown) and a state in which the bolt B2 screwed into the wall portion 22 is located on the one end 62H1 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H (the state shown in Figure 5). However, for example, in an arrangement configuration in which the lid does not come into contact with its surrounding members when the lid is displaced as described above, the portion corresponding to the notch 62K is unnecessary.

[0113] Furthermore, although the cover 64 shown in Figure 5 has a circular hole 64H formed through it, a cover without a circular hole 64H may also be used.

[0114] Furthermore, in addition to the specification examples shown in the above embodiments, other specifications can also be adopted in which, for example, a closure cover (e.g., cover 62) is attached to the test tank 20 in place of the radial load application unit 40 shown in Figure 17, or, for example, for durability testing, a closure cover (e.g., cover 62) is attached to the test tank 20 in place of the friction force measurement unit 70 shown in Figures 17 to 19. Moreover, for example, for other durability testing, a closure cover (e.g., cover 62) is attached to the test tank 20 in place of the friction force measurement unit 70 shown in Figure 17, and covers with circular holes (e.g., covers 60P, 64P (see Figure 4)) are attached to the test tank 20 in place of the cover 62 and radial load application unit 40 shown on the left side of Figure 17, and a lubrication temperature control unit 80 is connected to the circular holes of the covers.

[0115] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 (see Figure 12) is attached to the test tank 20 via the lids 60P, 64, and 64P (see Figures 4 and 5). However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the lubrication temperature control unit can also be directly and detachably attached to the test tank as another test unit.

[0116] Furthermore, the above embodiments and the various modifications described above can be combined as appropriate.

[0117] Although an example of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is of course possible to implement it in various ways without departing from its spirit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 10 Testing machine 20 Test chambers 22 Wall 22A Mounting part 22X Base Wall Section 22X1 overhang 22Y Wall sections other than the base wall section 24 openings 30 Rotary drive unit 40. Radial load-bearing unit (Load-bearing unit (other test units)) 50 Axial Load Unit (Load Unit (Other Test Units)) 60, 60P, 62, 64, 64P lid body 62A Handle 62H Bolt insertion hole 62H1 One end 62H2 Other end 62K Notch 64H, 64J Circular hole section (hole section) 70 Friction force measurement unit (measurement unit (other testing unit)) 80 Lubrication Temperature Control Unit 90. Timken Test Unit (Load Loading Unit (Other Test Units)) 100 Vibration Exciter Unit (Other Test Units) 200 specimen B1 Bolt B2 bolt B2h Bolt Head

Claims

1. A test tank is formed in a polyhedral shape as a whole, configured to accommodate a test specimen inside, with openings for inserting members formed through three or more of the walls that form the outer shape, A rotary drive unit is detachably attached to a base wall, which is one of the three or more wall portions, on the outside of the test chamber, a portion of which is inserted into the test chamber, and which rotates the object to be driven inside the test chamber. It has, A testing machine in which, on the outside of the test chamber, one of the other test units and one of the lids can be detachably attached to the walls of the three or more walls other than the base wall.

2. The test chamber is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, with openings for inserting the member formed through all six wall sections, and each of the wall sections other than the base wall section is provided with mounting sections that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lid and the other test units are interchangeable with respect to the mounting sections, as described in claim 1.

3. The testing machine according to claim 2, wherein the base wall portion is provided with a pair of overhangs that extend away from each other from the portion constituting the test tank, and the pair of overhangs and the rotary drive unit are configured to be bolted together.

4. The testing machine according to claim 1, wherein the other testing unit includes a load-applying unit which is partially inserted into the test chamber and applies a load to the test specimen which is the object to be driven.

5. The testing machine according to claim 1, wherein the other testing unit includes a measuring unit that is partially inserted into the test chamber and capable of measuring the force tangential to the outer circumference of the test specimen when the test specimen, which is the object to be driven, is rotated around its own axis.

6. The testing machine according to claim 1, wherein a hole is formed through the lid, and a lubrication temperature control unit for supplying lubricating oil to the test specimen, which is the object to be driven, at a set temperature can be connected to the hole.

7. The testing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the test tank is formed in a cubic shape as a whole.

8. A handle that can be grasped by the user is attached to the outer circumference of the lid, and bolt insertion holes are formed through it, through which each of the multiple bolts that are screwed into the walls of the three or more walls of the test tank, excluding the base wall, is inserted. The testing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bolt insertion hole is formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point in the center of the cover when viewed from the front of the cover, and at one end in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the bolt head is formed in such a way that it cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole, and at the other end in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the bolt head is formed in such a way that it can pass through the bolt insertion hole.

9. The testing machine according to claim 8, wherein a notch is formed on the outer peripheral end of the cover to avoid contact between the cover and surrounding members when the cover is displaced between a state in which the bolt screwed into the wall other than the base wall is located on the other end side of the bolt insertion hole and a state in which the bolt screwed into the wall other than the base wall is located on the one end side of the bolt insertion hole.

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