Testing machine

Abstract

To obtain a testing machine capable of performing many types of tests. [Solution] The test chamber 20 is formed in a polyhedral shape overall and is configured to be able to accommodate a test specimen inside, with openings for inserting components formed through all of the walls that form the exterior. A rotation drive unit 30 is detachably attached to the base wall outside the test chamber 20, and a portion of it is inserted into the test chamber 20, rotating the object to be driven within the test chamber 20. Here, either another test unit or a lid (e.g., lid 62) can be detachably attached to the wall portions of the test chamber 20 outside the base wall.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART There are various known testing machines that can accommodate a test specimen in a test tank and can perform tests such as friction tests and abrasion tests (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-175779 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, there are a variety of tests, such as friction tests and wear tests (e.g., pin-on-disk tests, block-on-ring tests, two-cylinder rolling fatigue tests, four-ball tests, etc.). Conventionally, it was necessary to use a different testing machine for each type of test, which meant that the burden of preparing testing machines was great when multiple types of tests needed to be performed.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a testing machine capable of performing a wide variety of tests. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The testing machine of the first embodiment is formed in a polyhedral shape overall and is configured to be able to accommodate a test specimen inside, and has a test tank with openings for inserting components 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, one of the three or more walls, outside the test tank, and is partially inserted into the test tank and rotates the object to be driven within the test tank, and either another test unit or a lid body is detachably attached to a wall other than the base wall, among the three or more walls, outside the test tank.

[0007] The "component insertion opening" refers to an opening for inserting a component (a component of a test unit) that needs to be inserted into the test chamber to perform a test in the testing machine. The "other test unit" refers to a test unit other than the rotational drive unit, such as a load application unit partially inserted into the test chamber and applying a load to the test specimen as the driven object, or a measurement unit partially inserted into the test chamber and capable of measuring the force tangential to the outer periphery of the test specimen as the driven object rotates around its own axis. Depending on the purpose of the test, the other test unit may be detachably attached to only one of the three or more wall portions other than the base wall portion, or may be detachably attached to multiple of the three or more wall portions other than the base wall portion.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the testing machine, the test chamber is formed in a polyhedral shape as a whole and is configured to accommodate a test specimen therein, and three or more of the walls forming the outer shape have openings formed therethrough for inserting components. A rotary drive unit is detachably attached to one of the three or more walls, i.e., a base wall, on the outside of the test chamber. A portion of the rotary drive unit is inserted into the test chamber and rotates a driven object within the test chamber. When a test specimen is accommodated in the test chamber, the driven object can be the test specimen. Furthermore, either another test unit or a lid is 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 providing several other test units, various types of tests can be performed. Incidentally, for example, the driven object 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 operating the rotary drive unit, and the test specimen can be attached to a portion of the other test unit located outside the test chamber.

[0009] In the second embodiment of the testing machine, in the first embodiment, the test tank is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape overall, and openings for inserting the components are formed through all six wall portions, and each of the wall portions other than the base wall portion is provided with an attachment portion that is identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lid body and the other testing unit can be attached interchangeably to the attachment portion.

[0010] According to the second aspect of the testing machine, the testing chamber is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, with openings for inserting components formed through all six walls. The concept of a rectangular parallelepiped shape also includes a cubic shape. The walls of the testing chamber other than the base wall are provided with mounting portions that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lid and other testing units can be attached to the mounting portions interchangeably. This allows for easy replacement of the lid and other testing units.

[0011] The third aspect of the testing machine is the second aspect, wherein the base wall portion has a pair of protruding portions that protrude in directions away from each other from the portion that constitutes the test tank, and the pair of protruding portions and the rotational drive unit are configured to be fastened together with bolts.

[0012] According to the third aspect of the testing machine, a pair of protruding portions of the base wall protrude in directions away from each other from the portion of the base wall that constitutes the test chamber, and the pair of protruding portions and the rotary drive unit can be fastened with bolts. This allows the rotary drive unit to be easily attached and detached to the test chamber, and also makes it possible to make the test chamber more compact.

[0013] The testing machine of the fourth aspect is any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the other testing units include a load applying unit that is partially inserted into the test tank and applies a load to the test specimen as the object to be driven.

[0014] According to the testing machine of the fourth aspect, a load applying unit is attached to the test tank, so that a load can be applied to the specimen as the driven object in the test tank.

[0015] The testing machine of the fifth aspect is any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the other testing unit includes a measurement unit capable of measuring the force in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the test specimen when the test specimen as the driven object is partially inserted into the test tank and driven to rotate around its own axis.

[0016] According to the fifth aspect of the testing machine, by attaching a measurement unit to the test tank, it is possible to measure the force acting in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the test specimen as the driven object in the test tank when the test specimen is rotated around its own axis.

[0017] The testing machine of the sixth aspect is any one of the first to fifth aspects, in which a hole is formed through the lid body, and a lubrication temperature control unit that heats lubricating oil to a set temperature and supplies it to the test specimen as the driven object can be connected to the hole.

[0018] According to the sixth aspect of the testing machine, a lid body having a hole formed therethrough is attached to the test tank, and a lubrication temperature control unit is connected to the hole in the lid body, so that lubricating oil can be heated to a set temperature and supplied to the test specimen as the driving object.

[0019] A seventh aspect of the testing machine is the testing machine of any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the testing tank is formed in a cubic shape as a whole.

[0020] According to the seventh aspect of the testing machine, the testing tank is formed in a cubic shape as a whole, so that the rigidity of the testing tank is high and mechanical vibrations can be reduced even during high-speed, high-load tests.

[0021] The eighth aspect of the testing machine is any one of the first to seventh aspects, in which a handle that can be held by a user is attached to the outer peripheral side of the lid body, and bolt insertion holes are formed through the lid body, through which each of a plurality of bolts that are screwed into the wall portions other than the base wall portion of the three or more walls of the testing tank is inserted, and the bolt insertion holes are formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point at the center of the lid body when viewed from the front, and are formed so that at one end side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the head of the bolt cannot pass through in the direction of passage of the bolt insertion hole, and at the other end side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, the head of the bolt can pass through in the direction of passage of the bolt insertion hole.

[0022] According to the eighth aspect of the testing machine, a handle that can be held by a user is attached to the outer peripheral side of the lid, and bolt insertion holes are formed therethrough, through which are inserted a plurality of bolts that are to be screwed into the wall portions other than the base wall portion among the three or more walls of the testing chamber. Here, the bolt insertion holes are formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point at the center of the lid when viewed from the front of the lid, and are formed so that the heads of the bolts cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole in the penetration direction at one end side in the circumferential direction about the reference point, and so that the heads of the bolts can pass through the bolt insertion hole in the penetration direction at the other end side in the circumferential direction about the reference point.

[0023] Therefore, a user can easily attach the lid to the wall of the test tank by gripping the handle, passing a bolt through the other end of the bolt insertion hole in the lid, screwing the bolt into one of the three or more walls of the test tank other than the base wall, and then rotating the lid to the other side in the circumferential direction about the reference point. Furthermore, to remove the lid attached to the wall of the test tank, a user can easily remove the lid from the wall of the test tank by gripping the handle, rotating the lid to one side in the circumferential direction about the reference point, and then moving the lid away from the wall of the test tank.

[0024] A ninth aspect of the testing machine is the eighth aspect, in which a notch is formed on the outer peripheral end of the cover body to avoid contact between the cover body and its surrounding components when the cover body is displaced between a state in which the bolt threaded into a wall portion other than the base wall portion is positioned at the other end side of the bolt insertion hole and a state in which the bolt threaded into a wall portion other than the base wall portion is positioned at one end side of the bolt insertion hole.

[0025] According to the testing machine of the ninth aspect, even when peripheral components are placed close to the outer periphery of the lid, it is possible to attach the lid to the wall of the test tank and detach the lid from the wall of the test tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] The testing machine according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to perform a wide variety of tests. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a testing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a frame unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main mechanism of the testing machine in a partially cutaway state. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the test tank of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 5 is a perspective view showing the test tank in a state where the lid is disposed differently from that of FIG. 4 and is viewed from a different direction than that of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 6 is a front view showing the cover base plate and the bolt of the cover with the handle of FIG. 5 in an exploded state. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rotation drive unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a radial load applying unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an axial load applying unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a half section showing the friction force measuring unit in an attached state. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a friction force measuring unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a lubrication temperature adjustment unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Timken test unit. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a vibrator unit. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an air pressure control unit. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cooling unit. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration when adapted to journal bearing testing machine specifications. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration when adapted to thrust bearing testing equipment specifications. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a composite bearing testing machine. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration in the case of Timken tester specifications. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration when configured as a vibrator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] A testing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 21. In each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted to make the drawings easier to understand.

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

[0030] Here, we provide some supplementary information regarding examples of anticipated tests. Examples of test objects (i.e., test specimens) include sliding bearings, rolling bearings, metal or resin sliding materials, plated or other surface-treated objects, and heat-treated surface-modified objects. Friction and wear conditions in friction and wear tests include relative contact (sliding or rolling) conditions between multiple objects, such as pin (ball)-on-disk, block (pin)-on-ring, two cylinders, and four balls. Examples of lubrication methods used in tests include dry lubrication, oil bath lubrication, nozzle lubrication, and forced oil lubrication. Temperature environments used in tests include room temperature, low temperatures (-40°C to 0°C), and high temperatures (60°C to 200°C or higher). Examples of ambient environments used in tests include air, water (e.g., seawater), vacuum, and special gas (e.g., nitrogen) atmospheres.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, a testing machine 10 according to this embodiment has a frame unit 12 that constitutes a platform. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the frame unit 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the frame unit 12 has a carriage 14 having a longitudinal direction, a frame 16 provided on the carriage 14, and a panel 18 provided to cover a portion of the frame 16. The frame 16 includes a vertical column 16A, a beam 16B, and a base plate 16C fixed to the upper surface of the beam 16B. An adjuster 19 that constitutes a support leg is attached to the lower part of the frame 16. The frame unit 12 also houses control devices such as a drive motor inverter.

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

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the test chamber 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the test chamber 20 is formed in a polyhedral shape, more specifically, a cubic shape (broadly speaking, a rectangular parallelepiped shape), and the skeletal structure of the test chamber 20 is a structure that includes the edges of the cube. The test chamber 20 is required to form a sealed space for purposes such as sealing in lubricating oil (oil), maintaining the test environment temperature, and protecting the rotor from damage, and thus forms a sealed space. Such a test chamber 20 can be used for tests in which oil splashes in a sealed space, and can accommodate temperature-controlled atmospheres.

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

[0035] One of the six walls 22 of the test chamber 20 is a base wall 22X, which serves as a wall for mounting the rotation drive unit 30 (see FIG. 3). The base wall 22X has a pair of protruding portions 22X1 that protrude away from the components of the test chamber 20. A cylindrical mounting boss 28 is provided on the protruding portion 22X1. A plurality of mounting bosses 28 (three in number, for example) are fixed at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction of the protruding portion 22X1 (vertical direction in the figure) when viewed from the front of the base wall 22X (not shown), and protrude toward the outer surface of the base wall 22X (the side where the rotation drive unit 30 (see FIG. 3) is disposed). The protruding portion 22X1 also has a through-hole 22X2 that leads to the inside of the mounting boss 28. A bolt B1 (see FIG. 10) is inserted through the through-hole 22X2 and the mounting boss 28 from the through-hole 22X2 side. The tip end side of the shaft portion of the bolt B1 (see FIG. 10) protrudes from the tip end surface of the mounting boss .

[0036] Of the six walls 22 of the test tank 20, the wall sections 22Y other than the base wall section 22X to which the rotation drive unit 30 is attached are provided with mounting sections 22A (see the top surface of the test tank 20) ​​that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front. The mounting sections 22A of the test tank 20 are set at intervals around the circumference of the wall section 22. In this embodiment, the mounting sections 22A are set near the four corners of the wall section 22. A tapped hole 22H for attaching accessories is formed in each of the multiple mounting sections 22A, and a bolt B2 can be screwed into the tapped hole 22H.

[0037] On the outside of the test tank 20, other test units (described in detail below) and any of lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, and 64P (see FIG. 5 for a portion thereof) are attached to the attachment portions 22A of the wall 22Y other than the base wall 22X among the six wall portions 22 of the test tank 20. As the lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, and 64P (see FIG. 5 for a portion thereof), lids 60, 60P, and 62 (see FIG. 5 for a portion thereof) of a type that can be attached to a portion of the wall 22 where it is desired to look inside, on a surface of the wall 22 where no unit can be attached, and lids 64 and 64P (see FIG. 5 for a portion thereof) of a type that can be attached to a surface of the wall 22 where no unit can be attached and where internal monitoring is not required, are provided.

[0038] The lid body 60 shown on the right side of Fig. 4 is a generally square lid overall, and includes a lid substrate 60A that forms its main body. Bolt insertion holes (not shown) are formed through the lid substrate 60A on its outer periphery side so that a plurality of bolts B2 can be inserted therethrough. The bolt insertion holes are formed near each of the four corners of the lid substrate 60A. The bolts B2 inserted into the bolt insertion holes are threaded into tapped holes 22H in the wall 22, thereby attaching the lid substrate 60A to the wall 22 of the testing chamber 20.

[0039] Furthermore, a viewing window 60W used to monitor the inside of the test tank 20 is formed in the central region of the lid substrate 60A of the lid body 60, and a transparent plate 60G made of heat-resistant glass or the like is attached to the viewing window 60W. The viewing window 60W and transparent plate 60G are, for example, circular, and the transparent plate 60G is positioned so as to cover the opening 24 in the wall 22 of the test tank 20. The gap between the lid body 60 and the wall 22 of the test tank 20 is sealed with a sealing material (not shown), for example, an O-ring or a gasket.

[0040] The lid body 60P shown on the left side in Fig. 4 has the same configuration as the lid body 60 on the right side in Fig. 4, except that a circular hole 60H is formed as a small circular hole in part of a transparent plate 60G, and therefore, for convenience, the components of the lid body 60P are denoted by the same reference numerals as the components of the lid body 60, except for the circular hole 60H. The circular hole 60H is for connecting a pipe joint for drainage or oil supply, for example.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the test tank 20 in which the arrangement of the lids 62 and 64 is different from that of the test tank 20 in Figure 4 and which is viewed from a different direction than that shown in Figure 4. The lid 62 shown in Figure 5 is a lid that is generally square overall and has large chamfered cutouts 62K formed in the four corners (peripheral corners), and the cutouts 62K are formed in a lid base plate 62L that forms the main body of the lid 62.

[0042] A sight glass 62W for viewing the interior 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 made of heat-resistant glass or the like is attached to the sight glass 62W, and the outer periphery of the transparent plate 62G and the edge of the sight glass 62W are sealed with an O-ring 62S. The sight glass 62W and the transparent plate 62G are, for example, circular, 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 equal to the inner diameter of the O-ring 62S, and the outer diameter of the cover plate 62C is set 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 with multiple bolts 62B.

[0043] Handles 62A that can be gripped by a user are attached to the outer periphery of the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62. The handles 62A are formed by bending a round bar into a generally U-shape, and a pair of handles 62A are provided on both sides of the observation window 62W so that they are parallel to each other. Two base ends of each handle 62A are fixed to the lid base plate 62L, for example, with bolts. The distance between the grip portion 62A1 of the handle 62A and the lid base plate 62L is set to a length that allows a user to grip the grip portion 62A1 of the handle 62A. For example, the grip portion 62A1 of the handle 62A is set to be longer than half the vertical and horizontal lengths of the generally square lid base plate 62L.

[0044] Bolt insertion holes 62H are formed through the outer periphery of the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62, through which a plurality of bolts B2 are inserted to be screwed into the mounting portion 22A of the test chamber 20. The bolt insertion holes 62H are elongated holes formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point 62X at the center of the lid body 62 when viewed from the front of the lid body 62. FIG. 6 shows a front view of the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62, with the bolts B2 disassembled. The bolt insertion holes 62H shown in FIG. 6 are formed such that the heads B2h of the bolts B2 cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H at one end 62H1 in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X, but are formed such that the heads B2h of the bolts B2 can pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H at the other end 62H2 in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X. The bolt insertion hole 62H can be understood as a so-called potbellied hole.

[0045] The notch 62K formed in the outer peripheral end of the lid base plate 62L of the lid body 62 shown in Figure 5 is intended to prevent contact between the lid body 62 and its surrounding components when the lid body 62 is displaced between a state (not shown) 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 and a state (the state shown in Figure 5) 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.

[0046] On the other hand, the lid 64 shown on the right side of Fig. 5 is a lid having a substantially square shape overall. Bolt insertion holes (not shown) are formed on the outer periphery of the lid 64 so that a plurality of bolts B2 can be inserted therethrough to be threaded into the mounting portion 22A of the test chamber 20. The bolt insertion holes are formed near each of the four corners of the lid 64. The bolts B2 inserted into the bolt insertion holes are threaded into tapped holes 22H in the wall 22, thereby attaching the lid 64 to the wall 22 of the test chamber 20. The gap between the lid 64 and the wall 22 of the test chamber 20 is sealed with an O-ring or gasket (neither of which are shown).

[0047] A small circular hole 64H is formed through the lid 64. Also, the lid 64P disposed on the bottom side of the test tank 20 shown in FIG. 4 has circular holes 64J and 64K that are smaller than the circular hole 64H (see FIG. 5) 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 FIGS. 4 and 5 are intended for connecting pipe fittings for drainage or oil supply, etc. Also, the circular hole 64K shown in FIG. 4 is used when connecting a pipe fitting, etc., and is closed when the pipe fitting, etc., is connected.

[0048] Next, various units applied to the testing machine 10 (see FIG. 1) will be described.

[0049] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the rotation drive unit 30. As shown in FIG. 7, the rotation drive unit 30 includes a housing 36 with a longitudinal direction in a predetermined direction. The housing 36 includes a base plate 36A constituting a frame, a cover 36B that is provided in a generally arch-like shape to cover the upper side of the base plate 36A and fixed to the base plate 36A, and a first tombstone 36C and a second tombstone 36D that are fixed to the longitudinal ends of the base plate 36A. Note that the figure shows the interior of the cover 36B in a see-through state (the same applies to other figures). As shown in FIG. 3, the base plate 36A is a frame that supports the entire rotation drive unit 30 and is fastened to the base plate portion 16C of the frame unit 12 with bolts B3.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7, the first tombstone 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 tombstone 36C may be bolted (fixed) to the upper surface of the base plate 36A on one longitudinal side of the housing 36. The first tombstone 36C serves as a mounting plate for attaching the rotary electric motor 32 to the housing 36. The rotary electric motor 32 serves as a power source (driving source) that rotates the drive unit (inner ring side) of the test specimen (test shaft such as a bearing). A spindle 35 is provided within the housing 36, and a portion of the spindle 35 protrudes from the other longitudinal side of the housing 36 (the side opposite the rotary electric motor 32 side). The spindle 35 is equipped with a bearing unit that supports the rotation of the drive part (inner ring side) of the test specimen (bearing, etc.), and is configured to include multiple bearings, an oil seal, a rotating shaft, and a housing, and the rotating shaft is rotated by the operation of the rotary motor 32. Note that in the spindle 35, a coolant may be circulated around the outer periphery by forced oil lubrication or sealed grease lubrication.

[0051] Within the housing 36, the spindle 35 is provided with a sensor unit 33, for 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 specimen (shaft under test) and a rotation detector (not shown) that functions as a sensor for measuring the drive rotation speed of the specimen (shaft under test). Note that the minimum testing machine can be implemented without the torque meter. Alternatively, the rotation detector may be omitted and the rotation speed of the specimen (shaft under test) may be measured using the encoder of the rotary motor 32.

[0052] The second tombstone 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 tombstone 36D may be bolted (fixed) to the top surface of the base plate 36A on the other longitudinal side of the housing 36. The second tombstone 36D functions as a mounting surface plate for mounting the rotation drive unit 30 to the testing chamber 20 (see FIG. 3). The second tombstone 36D has three mounting holes 36H formed on each of the left and right sides of the second tombstone 36D in a front view, spaced apart in the vertical direction. A female thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting hole 36H, and the male thread of a bolt B1 (see FIG. 10) passing through the protrusion 22X1 and the mounting boss 28 of the testing chamber 20 can be threaded into the mounting hole 36H.

[0053] To further explain, the rotation drive unit 30 is attached to one side of the test tank 20 (see FIG. 10) by threading the male thread of a bolt B1 (see FIG. 10) that passes through the protrusion 22X1 and the mounting boss 28 of the test tank 20 into the female thread of the mounting hole 36H of the second tombstone 36D. In other words, the pair of protrusions 22X1 (see FIG. 10) of the test tank 20 and the rotation drive unit 30 are configured to be fastenable with bolts. Furthermore, the rotation drive unit 30 can be removed from one side of the test tank 20 (see FIG. 10) by removing the bolt B1 (see FIG. 10) from the mounting hole 36H of the second tombstone 36D.

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

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

[0056] As shown in Figure 8, the radial load unit 40 has 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 joint 46 and a joint-equipped speed controller 47. The actuator 41, for example, includes a pneumatic cylinder, and by controlling the thrust (air pressure) of 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 that suits 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 fixed direction.

[0057] The load cell 43 is a strain gauge sensor (a converter that converts the applied load into an analog voltage) that measures the thrust. The electro-pneumatic regulator mentioned above stabilizes the thrust by feedback control based on the measurement results of the load cell 43. The load rollers 44 are roller followers (contacts that minimize resistance in the direction perpendicular to the thrust) that transmit the thrust to the specimen (bearing outer cylinder). In this embodiment, two rollers are placed in pair to contact the specimen (bearing outer cylinder) and minimize the load moment on the specimen. The load rollers 44 are rotatable rollers, and as shown in FIG. 3, the rotational axis of the load rollers 44 is placed parallel to the axial direction of the specimen 200.

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

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

[0060] The actuator 51 has, for example, the same configuration as the actuator 41 of the radial load applying unit 40 (see FIG. 8 for both), and is controlled in the same manner as in the radial load applying unit 40. The linear guide 52 has, for example, the same configuration as the linear guide 42 of the radial load applying unit 40 (see FIG. 8 for both), and the load cell 53 has, for example, the same configuration as the load cell 43 of the radial load applying unit 40 (see FIG. 8 for both). The load applying disc 54 is a rotatable disc that applies a load to the specimen 200 (see FIG. 3) when the axial load applying unit 50 applies a load to the specimen 200, as shown in FIG. 3, and its center of rotation is arranged along the axial direction of the specimen 200. The lubrication supply joint 56 supplies lubricant around the central axis of the load applying disc 54.

[0061] The mounting plate 55 is a component for mounting the axial load unit 50 to the test tank 20. The mounting plate 55 is a substantially square plate-like member that is attached to a wall portion 22Y (see FIG. 3) other than the base wall portion 22X of the test tank 20, and has mounting holes 55H formed in its four corners. A bolt B2 is inserted into the mounting hole 55H of the mounting plate 55, and the bolt B2 inserted into the mounting hole 55H can be threaded into a tapped hole 22H (see FIGS. 4, 5, etc.) in the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20. For convenience, in FIG. 9, the bolt B2 is shown simply positioned away from the mounting plate 55. The bolt B2 inserted into the mounting hole 55H of the mounting plate 55 is screwed into the tapped hole 22H in the wall 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.), thereby attaching the axial load unit 50 to one side of the test tank 20, as shown in Figure 3. In this state, the bolt B2 is removed from the tapped hole 22H in the wall 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 55H of the mounting plate 55 shown in Figure 9, thereby removing the axial load unit 50 from the test tank 20 (see Figure 3).

[0062] Next, a friction force measuring unit 70, which serves as another testing unit and measuring unit and is shown in Figures 10 and 11, will be described. Figure 10 shows a half-sectional perspective view of the attached state of the friction force measuring unit 70, and Figure 11 shows a perspective view of the friction force measuring unit 70 alone. The friction force measuring 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 (co-rotation torque) of a test specimen 200 as a driven object (an object that is rotationally driven by the rotation drive unit 30 (see Figure 10)). The friction force measuring unit 70 is capable of measuring the force in the tangential direction to the outer periphery of the test specimen 200 when a portion of the test specimen 200 is inserted into the test tank 20 and the test specimen 200 in the test tank 20 is rotationally driven about its own axis.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the friction force measurement unit 70 includes a lever 71 (see FIG. 10 , not shown in FIG. 11 ), a load cell 72, a connection coupling 73, and a mounting plate 74. As shown in FIG. 11 , the load cell 72, the connection coupling 73, and the like are covered with a cover 75 (not shown in FIG. 10 ). The figure shows the interior of the cover 75 in a perspective view. The lever 71 shown in FIG. 10 is an extension rod that extends along the radial direction of the specimen (bearing outer cylinder) 200 in order to accurately measure the friction torque generated in the specimen 200. The tip of the lever 71 is positioned so as to contact the specimen 200. Most of the lever 71 is inserted into the test tank 20. The load cell 72 is a strain gauge sensor connected to the base end of the lever 71 and positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lever 71 for load measurement. The load cell 72 measures the tangential force generated in the outer cylinder of the specimen 200. The friction torque T is calculated by the following equation: Friction torque T = (lever length L + specimen radius ("lever length L + specimen radius" is, in other words, the length from the axis of the specimen 200 to the load cell mounting portion of the lever 71)) x load cell load F. The connection coupling 73 is a joint that rotatably connects the lever 71 to the load cell 72 and the load cell 72 to the mounting plate 74.

[0064] The mounting plate 74 is a component for mounting the friction force measurement unit 70 to the test tank 20. The mounting plate 74 is a substantially square plate-like member that is mounted to a wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X of the test tank 20 (see FIG. 3 for all of these). As shown in FIG. 11, mounting holes 74H are formed in the four corners of the mounting plate 74. Bolts B2 are inserted into the mounting holes 74H of the mounting plate 74, and the bolts B2 inserted into the mounting holes 74H can be threaded into tapped holes 22H (see FIGS. 4, 5, etc.) in the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20. For convenience, the bolts B2 are shown in a simplified manner in FIG. 11, positioned away from the mounting plate 74. The bolt B2 inserted into the mounting hole 74H of the mounting plate 74 is screwed into the tapped hole 22H in the wall 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.), thereby attaching the frictional force measurement unit 70 to one side of the test tank 20, as shown in Figure 10. In this state, the bolt B2 is removed from the tapped hole 22H in the wall 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 74H in the mounting plate 74 shown in Figure 11, thereby making it possible to remove the frictional force measurement unit 70 from the test tank 20 (see Figure 10).

[0065] Next, the lubrication temperature adjustment unit 80 shown in Fig. 12 will be described. The lubrication temperature adjustment unit 80 is a unit that, when supplying lubricating oil to a test object as a driven object (an object that is rotationally driven by the rotation drive unit 30 (see Fig. 10)) and testing it, supplies the lubricating oil to the test object at a set temperature. The lubricating temperature adjustment unit 80 is configured to control the temperature of the lubricating oil and also to control the amount of lubricating oil when it is supplied.

[0066] 12, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 includes a stand 89 with a carriage 89A, and can be used alone with other testing machines. The lubrication temperature control unit 80 includes a tank 81, a pump 82, a sheathed heater 83, a heat exchanger (not shown), a temperature control device (not shown), a flow rate control valve 86, a discharge pressure control valve 87, and a flow meter 88, which are mounted on the stand 89.

[0067] Tank 81 is an oil tank that stores lubricating oil. Pump 82 is an electric pump that pumps the lubricating oil in tank 81. Sheathed heater 83 is an electric heater that is installed in tank 81 and heats the lubricating oil in 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 sheathed heater 83 and the heat exchanger to maintain the lubricating oil at a specified temperature.

[0068] The flow control valve 86 is a throttle valve that adjusts the supply flow rate of the lubricating oil. There are generally two types of flow control valves 86: manual and electric. The discharge pressure control valve 87 is a pressure control valve that adjusts the supply pressure of the lubricating oil. There are generally two types of discharge pressure control valves 87: manual and electric. The flow meter 88 measures the flow rate of the lubricating oil. A rotary joint (not shown) is attached to the tip of the lubricating oil supply pipe P1 (for convenience, part of the pipe P1 is shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure) to supply lubricating oil to the drive part (shaft part) of the test specimen (bearing, etc.). Part of this rotary joint can be inserted into circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J (see Figures 4 and 5) formed in the lids 60P, 64, 64P attached to the test tank 20. That is, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 can be connected to the circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J (see FIGS. 4 and 5) of the lids 60P, 64, 64P attached to the test tank 20. In a configuration in which the lubrication temperature control unit 80 circulates lubricating oil between the tank 81 and the test tank 20 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), a pipe (not shown) separate from the pipe P1 extends from the lubrication temperature control unit 80, and a fitting attached to the tip of the pipe is connected to the circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J (see FIGS. 4 and 5) of the lids 60P, 64, 64P attached to the test tank 20.

[0069] Next, a description will be given of a Timken test unit 90, another testing unit shown in Figure 13. The Timken test unit 90 is used when performing a block-on-ring test, and is a load application unit that is detachably attached to the outside of the test chamber 20, partially inserted into the test chamber 20, and applies a load to a test specimen as a driven object (an object that is rotated and driven by the rotation 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 application section 94, and a mounting plate 95. In addition, a joint and a joint-equipped speed controller (neither of which are shown) are provided on the housing of the actuator 91.

[0070] The actuator 91 has, for example, the same configuration as the actuator 41 of the radial load applying unit 40 (see FIG. 8 for both), and is controlled in the same manner as the radial load applying unit 40. The linear guide 92 has, for example, the same configuration as the linear guide 42 of the radial load applying unit 40 (see FIG. 8 for both), and the load cell 93 has, for example, the same configuration as the load cell 43 of the radial load applying unit 40 (see FIG. 8 for both). The load applying 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 mounting the Timken test unit 90 to the test chamber 20. The mounting plate 95 is a substantially square plate-like member that is attached to the wall 22 of the test chamber 20, and has mounting holes 95H formed in its four corners. Bolts B2 are inserted into the mounting holes 95H of the mounting plate 95, and the bolts B2 inserted into the mounting holes 95H can be threaded into tapped holes 22H (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) in the wall 22 of the test chamber 20. For convenience, in Figure 13, the bolts B2 are shown simplified and positioned away from the mounting plate 95. The bolts B2 inserted into the mounting holes 95H of the mounting plate 95 are threaded into the tapped holes 22H (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) in the wall 22 of the test chamber 20, thereby mounting the Timken test unit 90 to one side of the test chamber 20. In addition, in this state, the Timken test unit 90 is removed from the test tank 20 (see Figures 3) by removing the bolt B2 from the tapped hole 22H in the wall 22 of the test tank 20 (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) and the mounting hole 65H in the mounting plate 65 shown in Figure 13.

[0072] Next, each unit shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 will be outlined.

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

[0074] The vibrator unit 100 has a vibrating plate 101, four legs 102 fixed to the vibrating plate 101, a table 103 to which the four legs 102 are fixed, an arm 104 fixed to the table 103, and a mounting plate 105 through which the four legs 102 pass. The four legs 102 are columnar and can move relative to the mounting plate 105 in the axial direction of the legs 102 (up and down in the drawing).

[0075] Mounting holes 101H are formed at multiple locations (four locations in the figure) on the surface side of the vibrating plate 101, and female threads are formed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the mounting holes 101H. A plate-shaped specimen (not shown), for example, is placed on the surface of the vibrating plate 101, and bolts B6 passing through the specimen are screwed into the mounting holes 101H to fix the specimen to the surface of the vibrating plate 101. For convenience, in FIG. 14, the bolts B6 are shown in a simplified form, positioned away from the vibrating plate 101. The four legs 102 are fixed to the bottom side of the vibrating plate 101. The base ends of the four legs 102 are all fixed to the table 103. The table 103 and the vibrating plate 101 are arranged parallel to each other. The arms 104 are fixed to the bottom side of the table 103 and extend in a direction away from the bottom surface of the table 103.

[0076] A circular hole 104H is formed at the tip end of arm 104, penetrating in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of arm 104. A component on the output side of eccentric cam mechanism 106 (see FIG. 21 ) disposed in test chamber 20 (see FIG. 21 , etc.) is inserted and fixed into this circular hole 104H. Eccentric cam mechanism 106 shown in FIG. 21 includes eccentric cam 106A, which is attached to the tip end of the rotation shaft of rotation drive unit 30 and serves as a driven object that is rotationally driven by rotation drive unit 30, and is configured to convert the rotational motion of the rotation shaft of rotation drive unit 30 into reciprocating linear motion in the radial direction (the up-down direction in FIG. 21 ). The eccentric cam mechanism itself, which converts rotational motion into reciprocating linear motion, is a known technique, and therefore detailed illustration and description thereof will be omitted. The eccentric cam mechanism 106 converts the rotational motion of the rotation axis of the rotation drive unit 30 into a reciprocating linear motion in the radial direction (up and down in Figure 21), so that the arm portion 104, table portion 103, four legs 102, and vibrating plate 101 shown in Figure 14 vibrate together in the radial direction (up and down in Figure 14).

[0077] On the other hand, the mounting plate 105 is a component for mounting the vibrator unit 100 to the test tank 20. Mounting holes 105H are formed in the four corners of the mounting plate 105. Bolts B2 are inserted into the mounting holes 105H of the mounting plate 105, and these bolts B2 can be threaded into tapped holes 22H (see Figures 4, 5, etc.) in a wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X of the test tank 20. For convenience, in Figure 14, the bolts B2 are shown simply as being located away from the mounting plate 105.

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

[0079] To provide further explanation about the air pressure control unit 110, the air pressure control unit 110 includes an upstream component 110A, located at the bottom in the figure, which includes a portion for supplying air at a primary pressure, and a downstream component 110B, located at the top in the figure, which includes a portion for adjusting the pressure of the air supplied from the upstream component 110A and supplying air at a secondary pressure to the load unit. An air pressure source (not shown) is connected to the upstream component 110A, and air from the air pressure source is supplied from the lower left side in the figure. The supplied air passes through a three-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 electropneumatic regulator 115 of the downstream component 110B via fittings and piping (not shown).

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

[0081] Meanwhile, mounting holes 116H are formed in the four corners of the mounting plate 116. Bolts B4 are inserted into the mounting holes 116H of the mounting plate 116, and these bolts B4 can be threaded into tapped holes 16H in the vertical column portions 16A of the frame unit 12 shown in FIG. 2. For convenience, in FIG. 15, the bolts B4 are shown in a simplified form, positioned away from the mounting plate 116. In this way, the air pressure control unit 110 is detachably attached to the frame unit 12, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0082] 19, when a test is performed by simultaneously applying loads from two directions, radial and axial, an air pressure control downstream unit 118 is used, in addition to one air pressure control unit 110, in which a downstream component 110B is attached to 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 air pressure control unit 110, and two of the exhaust ports of the joint are connected to the precision regulator 114 and electro-pneumatic regulator 115 of the air pressure control unit 110 via piping or the like, and the remaining two of the exhaust ports of the joint are connected to the precision regulator 114 and electro-pneumatic regulator 115 of the air pressure control downstream unit 118 via piping or the like. Mounting holes (not shown) are formed in the four corners of the mounting plate 119, and bolts B9 inserted into these mounting holes are screwed into tapped holes 16G of the vertical pillar portion 16A of the frame unit 12 shown in FIG. 2. As a result, the air pressure control downstream unit 118 is attached to the vertical pillar portion 16A of the frame unit 12, as shown in FIG.

[0083] FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of the cooling unit 120. The cooling unit 120 is a unit that maintains the environment of the bearing portion of the rotation drive unit 30 (see FIG. 1, etc.) when the bearing portion generates heat due to high rotation and high load, and includes 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 is a component that supports the other components of the cooling unit 120 and attaches the cooling unit 120 to the frame unit 12. Mounting holes 125H are formed in the four corners of the base plate 125. Bolts B5 are inserted into the mounting holes 125H of the base plate 125, and the bolts B5 inserted into the mounting holes 125H can be threaded into nuts N5 after passing through the bottom plate portion 14A of the bogie portion 14 of the frame unit 12 (see FIG. 2 for both). 17 and the like, the cooling unit 120 is detachably attached to the frame unit 12. For convenience, in FIG. 16, the bolt B5 and the nut N5 are simply shown at a position away from the base plate 125.

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

[0085] In this embodiment, the test chamber 20 shown in FIG. 3 and other figures is formed in a polyhedral shape as a whole and is configured to accommodate a specimen 200 therein. All of the walls 22 that form the exterior are provided with openings 24 (see FIG. 4 and other figures) for inserting components. A rotational drive unit 30 is detachably attached to the base wall 22X on the outside of the test chamber 20. A portion of the rotational drive unit 30 is inserted into the test chamber 20 and rotates the object to be driven (the specimen 200 in FIG. 3). Other test units and lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, and 64P (see FIGS. 4 and 5) are detachably attached to the wall 22Y of the test chamber 20 other than the base wall 22X. By providing several other test units, various types of tests can be performed.

[0086] The other test units include load units (e.g., radial load unit 40, axial load unit 50, etc.) that are partially inserted into the test tank 20 and that apply a load to the specimen 200 as the driven object in the test tank 20. Therefore, by attaching a load unit (e.g., radial load unit 40, axial load unit 50, etc.) to the test tank 20, a load can be applied to the specimen 200 that is driven to rotate in the test tank 20.

[0087] The other test units also include a friction force measurement unit 70 that is partially inserted into the test tank 20 and can measure the force acting in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the test specimen 200 when the test specimen 200 as the driven object is driven to rotate about its own axis. Therefore, by attaching the friction force measurement unit 70 to the test tank 20, it is possible to measure the force acting in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the test specimen 200 when the test specimen 200 as the driven object in the test tank 20 is driven to rotate about its own axis.

[0088] 4, in this embodiment, the test tank 20 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape (more specifically, a cube 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, wall section 22Y other than base wall section 22X is provided with mounting sections 22A that are identical in position and shape when viewed from the front, and lids 60, 60P, 62, 64, 64P (see FIGS. 4 and 5) and other test units, namely, load units (radial load unit 40, axial load unit 50, Timken test unit 90), friction force measurement unit 70, and vibration exciter unit 100, are replaceably attached (detachable with interchangeability) to the mounting sections 22A. Therefore, the lid bodies 60, 60P, 62, 64, 64P (see Figures 4 and 5) can be easily replaced with other test units such as load units (radial load unit 40, axial load unit 50, Timken test unit 90), friction force measurement unit 70, and vibration exciter unit 100.

[0089] 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 portions of the base wall portion 22X that constitute the test tank 20, and the pair of protruding portions 22X1 can be fastened to the rotation drive unit 30 (see FIG. 10) with bolts. This allows the rotation drive unit 30 (see FIG. 10) to be easily attached and detached to the test tank 20, and also makes it possible to make the test tank 20 more compact.

[0090] 4 and 5, circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J are formed through the lid bodies 60P, 64, 64P, and the circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J can be connected to a lubrication temperature control unit 80 (see FIG. 12) that supplies lubricating oil at a set temperature to the test specimen 200. Therefore, the lid bodies 60P, 64, 64P having the circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J formed therethrough are attached to the test tank 20, and the lubricating temperature control unit 80 (see FIG. 12) is connected to the circular holes 60H, 64H, 64J of the lid bodies 60P, 64, 64P, and the lubricating oil can be supplied to the test specimen 200 (see FIG. 3, etc.) in the test tank 20 by the lubricating temperature control unit 80.

[0091] Here, examples of specifications in which test units and the like are combined in various ways to accommodate various tests will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 21. Note that in Figures 17 to 20, some joints, piping, and the like are omitted.

[0092] 17 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a journal bearing testing machine 130 for performing tests with a radial load. In this journal bearing testing machine 130, a rotation drive unit 30, a radial load application unit 40, and a friction force measurement unit 70 are attached to the test tank 20, and a lid (e.g., lid 62) is placed on the surface of the test tank 20 on which the test units are not attached. In addition, an air pressure control unit 110 and a cooling unit 120 are attached to the frame unit 12.

[0093] 18 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a thrust bearing testing machine specification 140 for performing tests with an axial load. In this thrust bearing testing machine specification 140, a rotational drive unit 30, an axial load application unit 50, and a friction force measurement unit 70 are attached to a test tank 20, and a lid (such as a lid 62) is placed on the surface of the test tank 20 on which no test units are attached. In addition, an air pressure control unit 110 and a cooling unit 120 are attached to the frame unit 12.

[0094] 19 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a composite bearing testing machine 150 that performs testing by simultaneously applying loads from both radial and axial directions. In this composite bearing testing machine 150, a rotation drive unit 30, a radial load applying unit 40, an axial load applying unit 50, and a friction force measuring unit 70 are attached to a test tank 20, and a lid (such as a lid 62) is placed on the side of the test tank 20 on which no test units are attached. In addition, an air pressure control unit 110 and a cooling unit 120 are attached to a frame unit 12.

[0095] 20 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a Timken tester configuration 160 for performing a block-on-ring test. In this Timken tester configuration 160, a rotary drive unit 30 and a Timken test unit 90 are attached to the test chamber 20, and lids (e.g., lids 60, 62, etc.) are placed on the surfaces of the test chamber 20 on which the test units are not attached. In addition, a pneumatic control unit 110 is attached to the frame unit 12.

[0096] 21 is a perspective view showing a configuration in which a vibration exciter specification 170 is used to perform a vibration test in which the test tank is vibrated up and down in the figure. In this vibration exciter specification 170, a rotary drive unit 30 and a vibration exciter unit 100 are attached to a test tank 20, and a lid (for example, lid 62) is placed on the surface of the test tank 20 on which the test unit is not attached.

[0097] When conducting a test by supplying lubricating oil to a specimen in the test tank 20 shown in Fig. 1 etc., it is also possible to arrange the lubricating temperature control unit 80 near the frame unit 12 and connect the lubricating temperature control unit 80 to the test tank 20. Note that in Fig. 1, some piping is omitted.

[0098] As described above, the testing machine 10 according to this embodiment makes it possible to perform a wide variety of tests by preparing several other testing units, etc. As a result, there is no need to prepare a large number of testing machines to perform a wide variety of tests, which also reduces costs.

[0099] 4 and 5, the test chamber 20 is formed in a cubic shape as a whole. This provides high rigidity to the test chamber 20, allowing for reduced mechanical vibration even during high-speed, high-load tests. This allows for measurement data with low noise to be obtained.

[0100] In addition, a sealing material 26 is placed on the outer periphery of the opening 24 of the test tank 20, and the lid bodies 60, 60P, 62, 64, and 64P are fastened to the test tank 20 with bolts B2, making it possible to achieve resistance to temperature changes and high density.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the other test units, namely the load units (radial load unit 40 (see FIG. 8), axial load unit 50 (see FIG. 9), Timken test unit 90 (see FIG. 13)), friction force measurement unit 70 (see FIGS. 10 and 11), and vibrator unit 100 (see FIG. 14), are configured to be directly fastened to the mounting portion 22A of the test chamber 20 with bolts B2, which also contributes to making the test chamber 20 more compact. This allows the temperature and atmospheric environment within the test chamber 20 to be adjusted with the minimum necessary additional temperature control equipment, thereby enabling energy savings.

[0102] 5, a handle 62A that can be held by a user is attached to the outer periphery of the lid body 62, and bolt insertion holes 62H are formed therethrough, through which are inserted a plurality of bolts B2 that are screwed into a wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X of the testing chamber 20. Here, as shown in Fig. 6, the bolt insertion holes 62H are formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point 62X at the center of the lid body 62 in a front view of the lid body 62, and are formed so that the heads B2h of the bolts B2 cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H at one end 62H1 side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X, and so that the heads B2h of the bolts B2 can pass through the bolt insertion hole 62H at the other end 62H2 side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point 62X.

[0103] Therefore, the user can easily attach the lid body 62 to the wall portion 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 portion 62H2 of the bolt insertion hole 62H of the lid body 62, and screwing the bolt B2 into the wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X of the test tank 20, and then rotating the lid body 62 to the other side in the circumferential direction (clockwise in Figure 6) around the reference point 62X. Furthermore, when removing the lid body 62 attached to a wall portion 22Y other than the base wall portion 22X of the test tank 20, the user can grasp the handle 62A, rotate the lid body 62 to one side in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise in Figure 5) around the reference point, and then move the lid body 62 away from the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20, thereby easily removing the lid body 62 from the wall portion 22 (22Y) of the test tank 20.

[0104] In this embodiment, the outer peripheral edge of the lid 62 is provided with a notch 62K for preventing contact between the lid 62 and peripheral components when the lid 62 is displaced between a state (not shown) in which the bolt B2 threaded into the wall 22Y other than the base wall 22X is positioned on the other end 62H2 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H and a state (the state shown in FIG. 5) in which the bolt B2 threaded into the wall 22Y other than the base wall 22X is positioned on the one end 62H1 (see FIG. 6) side of the bolt insertion hole 62H. Therefore, even when peripheral components are disposed close to the outer peripheral side of the lid 62, the lid 62 can be attached to and detached from the wall 22 (22Y) of the testing tank 20.

[0105] (Supplementary explanation of the embodiment) In the above embodiment, the test tank 20 is formed in a cubic shape overall, but as a variation of the above embodiment, the test tank may be formed in a polyhedral shape other than a cubic shape, such as a rectangular prism shape other than a cubic shape.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opening 24 for inserting a component formed through the wall 22 of the test chamber 20 is circular as an example, but as a variation of the above embodiment, the opening for inserting a component formed through the wall of the test chamber may be formed in a shape other than circular, such as rectangular.

[0107] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the openings 24 for inserting components are formed through all of the wall portions 22 of the test tank 20, but the number of wall portions in the test tank through which the openings for inserting components are formed may be three or more, and need not be all of the wall portions of the test tank. Note that in the case of a modified example in which the test tank includes wall portions in which the openings for inserting components are not formed through, a separate entrance / exit for loading and unloading the test specimen (to load and unload the test specimen into the test tank) may be provided in the wall portion, and a separate door for opening and closing the entrance / exit may be provided.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the pair of protrusions 22X1 of the base wall 22X and the rotational drive unit 30 (see FIG. 10, etc.) are configured to be boltable, and this configuration is preferable, but as a modification of the above embodiment, for example, a configuration in which a wall portion of the testing chamber that does not have a pair of protrusions and the rotational drive unit are configured to be boltable may also be adopted. In that case, for example, the configuration may be such that the rotational drive unit, the lid, and other testing units are interchangeable with respect to the mounting portions on each side of the testing chamber.

[0109] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the rotational drive unit 30 is fixed to the frame unit 12 so that its rotational axis (drive shaft) is horizontally oriented. However, as a modification of the above embodiment, the rotational drive unit may be fixed to the frame unit so that its rotational axis is vertically oriented, depending on the application. Furthermore, by designating a surface on the frame unit to which the rotational drive unit is fixed so that its rotational axis is horizontally oriented and another surface to which the rotational drive unit is fixed so that its rotational axis is vertically oriented, the variety of testing machines suitable for multiple tests can be increased. Furthermore, the frame unit may be configured so that the rotational drive unit is fixed to the frame unit in any orientation.

[0110] As a modification of the above embodiment, in the radial load applying unit, axial load applying unit, and Timken test unit, thrust can be generated by, for example, using a hydraulic cylinder as an actuator and adjusting the thrust by changing the pressure supplied by a pressure regulating valve, or thrust can be generated by generating axial displacement using a combination of a servo motor and a ball screw, etc., to deflect a coil spring or a disc spring.

[0111] As a modification of the above embodiment, a three-component force sensor using quartz piezoelectric elements may be used as the load sensor in the friction force measurement unit, and the thrust force for the load application unit and two types of loads may be measured simultaneously.

[0112] In addition, in the above embodiment, the outer peripheral end of the cover body 62 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is formed with a notch 62K to prevent contact between the cover body 62 and its surrounding components when the cover body 62 is displaced between a state (not shown) in which the bolt B2 threaded into the wall portion 22 is located on the other end 62H2 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H and a state (the state shown in Figure 5) in which the bolt B2 threaded into the wall portion 22 is located on the one end 62H1 side of the bolt insertion hole 62H. However, for example, in a configuration in which the cover body is configured so that it does not come into contact with its surrounding components when it is displaced as described above, a portion corresponding to the notch 62K is not necessary.

[0113] Furthermore, although the circular hole 64H is formed through the lid body 64 shown in FIG. 5, the lid body may be, for example, one that does not have the circular hole 64H formed through it (a lid body without a hole).

[0114] In addition to the specification examples shown in the above embodiment, it is also possible to adopt a specification in which a closing lid (e.g., lid 62) is attached to the test tank 20 instead of the radial load application unit 40 of the specification shown in FIG. 17, or a specification in which a closing lid (e.g., lid 62) is attached to the test tank 20 instead of the friction force measurement unit 70 of the specification shown in FIGS. 17 to 19 for durability tests, etc. Furthermore, for other durability tests, etc., it is also possible to adopt a specification in which a closing lid (e.g., lid 62) is attached to the test tank 20 instead of the friction force measurement unit 70 of the specification shown in FIG. 17, and lids having circular holes (e.g., lids 60P and 64P (see FIG. 4)) are attached to the test tank 20 instead of the lid 62 and radial load application unit 40 on the left side of FIG. 17, and a lubrication temperature control unit 80 is connected to the circular holes of the lids.

[0115] In addition, in the above embodiment, the lubrication temperature control unit 80 (see Figure 12) is configured to be attached to the test tank 20 via the lid bodies 60P, 64, 64P (see Figures 4 and 5), but as a variation of the above embodiment, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the lubrication temperature control unit is directly and detachably attached to the test tank as another test unit.

[0116] The above-described embodiment and the above-described modifications can be implemented in appropriate combinations.

[0117] The above describes one example of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modified forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 10 Testing Machine 20 Test Tank 22 Wall 22A Mounting part 22X Base wall 22X1 overhang 22Y Walls other than base wall 24 Opening 30 Rotation drive unit 40 Radial Load Unit (Load Unit (Other Test Unit)) 50 Axial Load Unit (Load Unit (Other Test Unit)) 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 (hole) 70 Friction force measurement unit (measurement unit (other test unit)) 80 Lubrication temperature control unit 90 Timken Test Unit (Load Loading Unit (Other Test Unit)) 100 Shaker unit (other test unit) 200 specimen B1 Bolt B2 Bolt B2h bolt head

Claims

1. a test tank formed in a polyhedral shape as a whole, configured to be able to accommodate a test specimen therein, and having openings formed through three or more of the walls forming the outer shape for inserting a member; a rotation drive unit that is detachably attached to a base wall portion that is one of the three or more wall portions outside the test tank, a portion of which is inserted into the test tank, and that rotates a drive target within the test tank; and A testing machine in which either another testing unit or a lid body is detachably attached to a wall portion other than the base wall portion among the three or more wall portions outside the testing tank.

2. 2. The testing machine of claim 1, wherein the testing chamber is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape overall, and openings for inserting the components are formed through all six of the walls, and each of the walls other than the base wall is provided with a mounting portion having the same position and shape when viewed from the front, and the lid and the other testing unit are interchangeable with respect to the mounting portion.

3. 3. The testing machine according to claim 2, wherein the base wall portion has a pair of protruding portions that protrude in directions away from each other from the portion that constitutes the test chamber, and the pair of protruding portions and the rotation drive unit are configured to be fastened with bolts.

4. 2. The testing machine according to claim 1, wherein the other test units include a load applying unit that is partially inserted into the test tank and applies a load to the specimen as the driven object.

5. The testing machine of claim 1, wherein the other test units include a measurement unit capable of measuring the force acting in the tangential direction of the outer periphery of the test specimen when the test specimen as the driven object is partially inserted into the test tank and driven to rotate around its own axis.

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

7. The testing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the testing chamber is formed in a cubic shape as a whole.

8. A handle that can be held by a user is attached to the outer peripheral side of the lid body, and bolt insertion holes are formed through the lid body, through which a plurality of bolts are inserted to be screwed into the wall portions other than the base wall portion among the three or more wall portions of the test chamber, The bolt insertion hole is formed in an arc shape centered on a reference point at the center of the lid body when viewed from the front of the lid body, and is formed so that the head of the bolt cannot pass through the bolt insertion hole in the penetrating direction at one end side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point, and is formed so that the head of the bolt can pass through the bolt insertion hole in the penetrating direction at the other end side in the circumferential direction centered on the reference point. A testing machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. 9. The testing machine according to claim 8, wherein a notch is formed on the outer peripheral end of the lid body to prevent contact between the lid body and surrounding components when the lid body is displaced between a state in which the bolt threaded into a wall portion other than the base wall portion is positioned at the other end side of the bolt insertion hole and a state in which the bolt threaded into a wall portion other than the base wall portion is positioned at the one end side of the bolt insertion hole.

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