Machinery and Monitoring Systems

Abstract

This machine component 40 comprises: a housing 41; a bearing 42 that is disposed in the housing 41 and rotatably supports a shaft member 31; a temperature sensor 43b that is disposed on an outer surface of the housing 41 and detects the temperature of the bearing 42; and a connection member 44 that has a thermal conductivity higher than the thermal conductivity of the housing 41, is disposed in the housing 41, and thermally connects the bearing 42 and the temperature sensor 43b.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bearing unit for a conveying device as an example of a mechanical component. The mechanical component in Patent Document 1 includes a housing, a bearing disposed in the housing, a sensor that detects the condition of the bearing, and a transmitter that wirelessly transmits information detected by the sensor.

[0003] The bearing, sensor, and transmitter are disposed within a housing. The sensor is, for example, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the bearing. If the condition of the bearing changes, the temperature of the bearing rises, which can cause an abnormality in the bearing. The mechanical component of Patent Document 1 can contribute to detecting an abnormality in the bearing based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-11312 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

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

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

[0007] A mechanical component according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes a housing, a bearing disposed in the housing and rotatably supporting a shaft member, a temperature sensor disposed on the outer surface of the housing and detecting the temperature of the bearing, and a connecting member disposed in the housing and having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing, for thermally connecting the bearing and the temperature sensor.

[0008] According to this, the temperature sensor is disposed on the outer surface of the housing. This simplifies the configuration inside the housing and the configuration of the mechanical components. Furthermore, the temperature sensor is thermally connected to the bearing via a connecting member having a higher thermal conductivity than the housing. This improves the accuracy of the temperature detection device's detected temperature.

[0009] In the mechanical component according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the connection member contains one or more metals selected from the group consisting of pure copper, copper, aluminum, duralumin, gold, and silver.

[0010] According to this, the connecting member quickly transfers the heat of the bearing to the temperature sensor, thereby ensuring high accuracy in detecting the temperature of the temperature detecting device.

[0011] Furthermore, in a mechanical component according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the connecting member is viewed from inside the bearing toward the outside of the bearing along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bearing, the connecting member overlaps with the portion of the bearing where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member is greatest.

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

[0013] Furthermore, a mechanical component according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an RFID tag that is configured integrally with the temperature sensor and transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor to a reader / writer.

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

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

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

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a monitoring system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the mechanical component. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the mechanical component taken along line III-III shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the temperature detection device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the temperature detection device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an RFID tag. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component according to a first modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component according to a second modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detection device in a mechanical component according to a third modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0036] This allows the reader / writer 3 to acquire the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 43b from multiple mechanical components 40 in a relatively short time. Therefore, the terminal device 4 can easily acquire the temperatures detected by the multiple temperature sensors 43b via the reader / writer 3. Therefore, even when the monitoring system 1 includes multiple mechanical components 40, it can quickly detect abnormalities in the bearings 42 with a simple configuration.

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

[0038] Fig. 2 is a front view of the mechanical component 40. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the mechanical component 40 taken along line III-III shown in Fig. 2. The mechanical component 40 includes a housing 41, a bearing 42, a temperature detection device 43, and a connecting member 44.

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

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

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

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

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

[0044] The outer ring 42a fits into an annular groove 41a2 formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first through hole 41a1. The outer ring 42a is fixed to the housing 41. The inner ring 42b is located inside the outer ring 42a. The shaft member 31 is fixed to the inner ring 42b so as to be rotatable integrally therewith. A plurality of balls 42c are arranged between the outer ring 42a and the inner ring 42b.

[0045] When the shaft member 31 rotates relative to the housing 41, the inner ring 42b rotates relative to the outer ring 42a. At this time, the plurality of balls 42c roll relative to the outer ring 42a and the inner ring 42b.

[0046] The temperature detector 43 is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41. The temperature detector 43 detects the temperature of the bearing 42 (details will be described later). The temperature detector 43 is disposed on the front surface F2 (the surface on the +Y side) of the outer surface of the housing 41.

[0047] Fig. 4 is a plan view of the temperature detecting device 43. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the temperature detecting device 43 shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the RFID tag 43a.

[0048] The temperature detection device 43 includes an RFID tag 43a, a temperature sensor 43b, a cover member 43c, and an adhesive member 43d. The RFID tag 43a is integral with the temperature sensor 43b.

[0049] The RFID tag 43a is a passive RFID tag. The RFID tag 43a includes a substrate 43a1 shown in FIG. 5. The substrate 43a1 may be made of a resin substrate, a ceramic substrate, a plastic substrate, or the like. The conductive portion of the substrate 43a1 is formed by metal plating the surface of the substrate. The conductive portion may be formed of a conductive foil. The conductive portion may also be formed by screen printing, inkjet printing, or the like using a polymer-type conductive ink. The temperature sensor 43b, the antenna 43e shown in FIG. 6, and a control circuit 43f are arranged on the substrate 43a1.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 5, temperature sensor 43b is disposed on main surface 43a2 of substrate 43a1. Temperature sensor 43b detects the temperature of bearing 42. Temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to bearing 42 via connecting member 44 shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Temperature sensor 43b is in contact with connecting member 44. The detected temperature of temperature sensor 43b corresponds to the detected temperature of temperature detecting device 43.

[0051] The connecting member 44 is solid. The connecting member 44 is columnar. The connecting member 44 includes one or more metals selected from the group consisting of pure copper, copper, aluminum, duralumin, gold, and silver.

[0052] The thermal conductivity of the connecting member 44 is higher than that of the housing 41. The thermal conductivity of the connecting member 44 is approximately between 160 (W / m·K) and 390 (W / m·K). On the other hand, the material of the housing 41 includes cast iron or carbon steel. The thermal conductivity of the housing 41 is approximately between 35 (W / m·K) and 55 (W / m·K). It goes without saying that the materials of the connecting member 44 and the housing 41 are not limited to the above materials. It goes without saying that the thermal conductivity of the connecting member 44 and the housing 41 are not limited to the above thermal conductivities.

[0053] The connecting member 44 is disposed in a hole 41a3 of the housing 41. The hole 41a3 has an opening on the front surface F2. The outer surface of the connecting member 44 contacts the inner surface of the hole 41a3. The connecting member 44 also contacts the temperature sensor 43b. This allows the temperature of the housing 41 to be transmitted to the temperature sensor 43b via the connecting member 44.

[0054] The connecting member 44 is located on the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the housing 41. Specifically, the connecting member 44 is located within an arrangement region R1 in the housing 41 shown in Fig. 2. The arrangement region R1 corresponds to an area on the front surface F2 shown in Fig. 2 where a range H1 between the mounting surface F1 and an imaginary line L that passes through the axis Ax of the bearing 42 and is parallel to the X direction overlaps with a range H2 of the bearing 42 in the X direction. The connecting member 44 is located within a first partial region R2 of the arrangement region R1 that is on the -Z side of the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 42 in the Y direction.

[0055] In the present embodiment, the connecting member 44 is located within a region where the first partial region R2 and the second partial region R3 overlap. The second partial region R3 is a region of the mechanical component 40 that is occupied by a range H3 located on the −Z side from the inner circumferential surface of the inner ring 42b.

[0056] With the housing 41 attached to the support base 10 as described above, the mounting surface F1 of the housing 41 is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity and faces downward in the direction of gravity. Therefore, when the housing 41 is viewed along the axial direction of the bearing 42 with the housing 41 attached to the support base 10, the connecting member 44 is located below the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the direction of gravity. The axial direction of the bearing 42 is the direction in which the axis Ax extends.

[0057] The control circuit 43f shown in FIG. 6 is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 43b and the antenna 43e. The antenna 43e receives a carrier wave from the reader / writer 3. A known structure is applied to the antenna 43e. For example, the inverted F antenna structure described in Japanese Patent No. 4990858 can be applied to the antenna 43e. In this case, the antenna 43e can communicate even when the temperature detection device 43 is attached to the surface of a metal member. The control circuit 43f is driven by power generated by the carrier wave.

[0058] The control circuit 43f acquires the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b and stores it in the storage area 43f1. The control circuit 43f transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b, which is stored in the storage area 43f1, to the reader / writer 3 via the antenna 43e.

[0059] Furthermore, the control circuit 43f transmits identification information (e.g., an identification number) that identifies the mechanical component 40 in association with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b to the reader / writer 3. The identification information is stored in advance in the memory area 43f1 by the reader / writer 3. The terminal device 4 stores the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b in association with the identification information. Thus, the terminal device 4 can identify the mechanical component 40 that has been determined to have an abnormality in the bearing 42.

[0060] The control circuit 43f can be an IC chip equipped with the temperature sensor 43b. In this case, the control circuit 43f is integrated with the temperature sensor 43b. This allows the RFID tag 43a to be miniaturized.

[0061] 5 protects the RFID tag 43a. The cover member 43c is flat and includes an arrangement surface 43c1. The arrangement surface 43c1 is flat. The arrangement surface 43c1 has a recess 43c2 in which the RFID tag 43a is arranged. In a plan view of the cover member 43c, the recess 43c2 is located in the center of the cover member 43c.

[0062] Furthermore, when the RFID tag 43a is placed in the recess 43c2, the placement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 are on the same plane. In other words, when the RFID tag 43a is placed in the recess 43c2, the placement surface 43c1 is located around the entire periphery of the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. Note that the placement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 may be on different planes. Furthermore, when the RFID tag 43a is placed in the recess 43c2, the temperature sensor 43b protrudes from the placement surface 43c1.

[0063] The cover member 43c is made of a thermoplastic resin. Specifically, the cover member 43c is made of a nylon resin that is waterproof and oil-resistant. Therefore, the cover member 43c is waterproof and oil-resistant. The fact that the cover member 43c is waterproof and oil-resistant means that changes in the properties of the cover member 43c caused by water, oil, grease, and the like used in the mechanical component 40 are suppressed during use of the mechanical component 40, and problems do not occur in the operation of the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0064] The adhesive member 43d is arranged on the arrangement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c and adheres the RFID tag 43a and the cover member 43c to the outer surface (front surface F2) of the housing 41. The adhesive member 43d is also arranged on the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1. The adhesive member 43d has a third through hole 43d1 inside which the temperature sensor 43b is located. The third through hole 43d1 is connected to the hole portion 41a3.

[0065] The adhesive member 43d is a double-sided tape. The adhesive member 43d is waterproof. The adhesive member 43d is a so-called waterproof tape. The fact that the adhesive member 43d is waterproof means that changes in the properties of the adhesive member 43d caused by water during use of the mechanical component 40 are suppressed, and problems do not occur in the operation of the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0066] The adhesive member 43d is disposed on the arrangement surface 43c1 of the cover member 43c around the entire periphery of the RFID tag 43a, thereby ensuring watertightness between the cover member 43c and the outer surface of the housing 41 and preventing water from adhering to the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0067] Next, the operation of the mechanical component 40 when an abnormality occurs in the bearing 42 will be described.

[0068] When the machinery 2 shown in Fig. 1 transports industrial products, a downward force in the direction of gravity acts on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31. The force from the shaft member 31 generates frictional forces between the balls 42c and the inner ring 42b and between the balls 42c and the outer ring 42a. If this frictional force causes the condition of the bearing 42 to change further, abnormalities such as damage to the bearing 42 may occur. If the abnormality in the bearing 42 progresses, failures such as seizure of the bearing 42 may occur.

[0069] Furthermore, as the change in state of the bearing 42 due to the frictional force progresses, the temperature of the bearing 42 rises. The part of the bearing 42 where the temperature is the greatest is the same as the part where the frictional force is the greatest, i.e., the part where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is the greatest.

[0070] In this embodiment, a force in the downward direction of gravity (toward the −Z side along the Z direction) acts on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31. Therefore, in the bearing 42, the portion where the resistance generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is greatest, i.e., the portion where the temperature is greatest, is the portion overlapping with the second partial region R3 in FIG.

[0071] The temperature of the bearing 42 is also transmitted to the housing 41. The part of the housing 41 where the temperature is the highest is the part that comes into contact with the part of the bearing 42 where the temperature is the highest, and is the part that overlaps with the second partial region R3 in FIG.

[0072] A connecting member 44 is disposed in a portion of the housing 41 that overlaps with the second partial region R3. When the connecting member 44 is viewed from the inside of the bearing 42 toward the outside of the bearing 42 in a direction perpendicular to the axis Ax of the bearing 42, the connecting member 44 overlaps with a portion of the bearing 42 where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is at its maximum.

[0073] The temperature of the housing 41 is transmitted to the connecting member 44. The maximum temperature of the housing 41 is transmitted to the connecting member 44 by the connecting member 44 being located in the second partial region R3.

[0074] Furthermore, as described above, temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to connecting member 44. Therefore, temperature sensor 43b detects the temperature of the portion of bearing 42 where the temperature is greatest, via connecting member 44 and housing 41. Therefore, the detected temperature of temperature sensor 43b increases quickly in response to an increase in the temperature of bearing 42. Furthermore, temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to bearing 42 via connecting member 44 and housing 41, and detects the temperature of bearing 42 with high accuracy.

[0075] As described above, the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b is stored in terminal device 4 via reader / writer 3. Furthermore, if the temperature detected by temperature sensor 43b is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, terminal device 4 determines that there is an abnormality in bearing 42. Therefore, by thermally connecting temperature sensor 43b to bearing 42 via connecting member 44, an abnormality in bearing 42 can be detected early.

[0076] As described above, according to this embodiment, the mechanical component 40 further includes a housing 41, a bearing 42 disposed in the housing 41 and rotatably supporting the shaft member 31, a temperature sensor 43b disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41 and detecting the temperature of the bearing 42, and a connecting member 44 disposed in the housing 41 and having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing 41, for thermally connecting the bearing 42 and the temperature sensor 43b.

[0077] According to this, the temperature sensor 43b is disposed on the outer surface of the housing 41. This simplifies the configuration inside the housing 41 and the configuration of the mechanical component 40. Furthermore, the temperature sensor 43b is thermally connected to the bearing 42 via the connecting member 44, which has a higher thermal conductivity than the housing 41. This allows the temperature detection device 43 to detect temperatures with high accuracy.

[0078] The connecting member 44 also contains one or more metals selected from the group consisting of pure copper, copper, aluminum, duralumin, gold, and silver.

[0079] This allows the connecting member 44 to quickly transfer the heat of the bearing 42 to the temperature sensor 43b, thereby ensuring high accuracy in detecting the temperature of the temperature detecting device 43.

[0080] Furthermore, when the connecting member 44 is viewed from the inside of the bearing 42 toward the outside of the bearing 42 along a direction perpendicular to the axis Ax of the bearing 42, the connecting member 44 overlaps with the portion of the bearing 42 where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is greatest.

[0081] In the bearing 42, the portion where stress is greatest due to the force acting from the shaft member 31 corresponds to the portion where temperature is greatest. Furthermore, the temperature sensor 43b is in thermal contact with the connecting member 44. Therefore, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b rises early in response to a temperature rise in the bearing 42 and a temperature rise in the housing 41. Therefore, the mechanical component 40 can contribute to early detection of an abnormality in the bearing 42 by the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b.

[0082] The mechanical component 40 also includes an RFID tag 43a that is integrated with a temperature sensor 43b and transmits the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b to the reader / writer 3.

[0083] This allows the mechanical component 40 to output the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 43b with a simple configuration.

[0084] Next, a monitoring system 1 and a mechanical component 40 according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, focusing mainly on the differences from the monitoring system 1 and the mechanical component 40 of the above-described embodiment.

[0085] For example, the mechanical device 2 is not limited to a roller conveyor, but may be any device that includes a plurality of mechanical components 40 each including a bearing 42.

[0086] Furthermore, the mechanical component 40 is not limited to a plummer block, but may be any mechanical component that includes a bearing 42.

[0087] The RFID tag 43a may also be an active RFID tag, in which case the RFID tag 43a further includes a power source.

[0088] The adhesive member 43d may also be elastic. In this case, the adhesive member 43d has, for example, an elastic sheet-like base material and adhesive layers disposed on both sides of the base material. The base material is formed of, for example, a foamed resin such as foamed polyethylene. When the mechanical device 2 is operating, the elasticity of the adhesive member 43d can suppress vibrations transmitted from the housing 41 to the temperature sensor 43b and the RFID tag 43a.

[0089] The adhesive member 43d may be a hardened adhesive (for example, an epoxy adhesive) or may be a butyl tape that is waterproof and oil-resistant.

[0090] Furthermore, the temperature detecting device 43 does not necessarily have to include the adhesive member 43d. In this case, the temperature detecting device 43 is fixed to the housing 41 by, for example, a bolt.

[0091] Furthermore, the cover member 43c may be shaped to cover a part of the main surface 43a2 of the substrate 43a1 while exposing the temperature sensor 43b.

[0092] Furthermore, the arrangement region R1 may be located on the front surface F2 of the housing 41 at a position other than the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. For example, the arrangement region R1 may be located at a position other than the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42.

[0093] The connecting member 44 is not limited to a columnar shape and may be spherical or curved. The connecting member 44 of the bearing 42 may be located at a position other than the -Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. For example, the position of the connecting member 44 varies depending on the orientation of the mechanical component 40 attached to the support base 10. For example, when the mechanical component 40 is attached to the support base 10 with the attachment surface F1 perpendicular to the direction of gravity and facing upward in the direction of gravity, the portion of the bearing 42 where the stress generated by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum (i.e., the portion where the temperature is maximum) is located on the +Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Therefore, the connecting member 44 is located on the +Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the housing 41. In this case, the hole 41a3 and the temperature sensor 43b are located on the +Z side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the housing 41. The position of the connecting member 44 also varies depending on the direction of the load acting on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31. For example, when the direction of the load acting on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31 is from the -X side to the +X side along the X direction, the part of the bearing 42 where the stress caused by the force acting from the shaft member 31 is maximum (i.e., the part where the temperature is maximum) is on the +X side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42. Therefore, the connecting member 44 is located on the +X side of the axis Ax of the bearing 42 in the housing 41, regardless of the attitude of the mechanical component 40. Note that the mechanical component 40 may be attached to the support base 10 in a state where the axis Ax of the bearing 42 extends along the direction of gravity.

[0094] Furthermore, the connecting member 44 may be located at any position in the housing 41 regardless of the attitude of the mechanical component 40 and the direction of the load acting on the bearing 42 from the shaft member 31 .

[0095] 3, when the housing 41 covers the front surface S2 of the bearing 42, the connecting member 44 may come into contact with the front surface S2 of the bearing 42.

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

[0097] 8 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detecting device 43 in a mechanical component 40 according to a second modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. In this second modified example, the third through hole 43d1 is filled with thermally conductive grease 243g. The temperature sensor 43b and the connecting member 44 are thermally connected via the thermally conductive grease 243g.

[0098] The thermal conductive grease 243g is, for example, a silicon-based thermal conductive grease. It goes without saying that the thermal conductive grease 243g is not limited to a silicon-based grease, and any paste-like material will do. The thermal conductive grease 243g may also be a thermosetting resin (for example, an epoxy resin) containing particles of Ag or other metals with a relatively high thermal conductivity.

[0099] The thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive grease 243g is higher than that of the housing 41. The thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive grease 243g is between approximately 80 (W / m·K) and 180 (W / m·K). Note that the thermal conductive grease 243g may also be interposed between the hole portion 41a3 and the connecting member 44.

[0100] 9 is a cross-sectional view of a temperature detecting device 345 in a mechanical component 40 according to a third modified example of the embodiment of the present disclosure. The temperature detecting device 345 of the second modified example does not include an RFID tag 43a or a cover member 43c. The temperature detecting device 345 of the third modified example includes a substrate 345a, a temperature sensor 345b, and an adhesive member 345c. The temperature sensor 345b is disposed on a main surface 345a1 of the substrate 345a. The substrate 345a includes a terminal that outputs the detected temperature of the temperature sensor 345b.

[0101] In this case, the monitoring system 1 does not include the reader / writer 3, and the terminal device 4 acquires the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 345b by electrically connecting to the terminal of the board 345a. The board 345a may also include a display unit that displays the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 345b. In this case, the user may check the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 345b on the display unit and input it into the terminal device 4.

[0102] The adhesive member 345c adheres the substrate 345a to the housing 41. The adhesive member 345c is, for example, a double-sided tape. The temperature detection device 345 may include a cover member that protects the substrate 345a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1. Surveillance System 2 Mechanical equipment 3 Reader / Writer 4 Terminal Devices 10 Support stand 31 Shaft member 40 Mechanical Parts 41 Housing 41a3 Hole 42 Bearings 43 Temperature detection device 43a RFID tag 43b Temperature sensor 44 Connecting member Ax Bearing axis

Claims

1. Housing and a bearing disposed in the housing and rotatably supporting the shaft member; a temperature sensor disposed on an outer surface of the housing and detecting a temperature of the bearing; a connecting member having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing, the connecting member being disposed in the housing, and thermally connecting the bearing and the temperature sensor; when the connecting member is viewed from the inside of the bearing toward the outside of the bearing in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bearing, the connecting member overlaps with a portion of the bearing where stress generated by a force acting from the shaft member is maximum. Mechanical parts.

2. The connecting member contains one or more metals selected from the group consisting of pure copper, copper, aluminum, duralumin, gold, and silver. The mechanical component according to claim 1 .

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

4. a mechanical device including a plurality of the mechanical components according to claim 3; the reader / writer; a terminal device electrically connected to the reader / writer and configured to store the temperature detected by the temperature sensor; Surveillance system.

Images