Gearbox Sensor Assembly for Play-Aware Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor assemblies in gearboxes used for rock drilling rigs fail to measure play, which is essential for precise positioning, leading to the need for expensive play-free gearboxes, limiting their applicability in high-precision applications.
Innovation Solution
A sensor assembly is integrated into the gearbox with a fixed sensor measuring the angle between the gearbox housing and output shaft, allowing for the inclusion of gearboxes with play, enhancing precision without requiring external measuring wheels or teeth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a sensor assembly measures the angle on the input motor shaft of the gearbox, then the measurement is simple to implement, but the play in the gearbox is not measured, resulting in reduced positioning precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensor measurement point from the input motor shaft to the output shaft of the gearbox. By placing the sensor on the output shaft, it directly measures the actual angle including the effects of gearbox play, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of implementation and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a shaft as an intermediary element that connects the output shaft to the sensor. This shaft serves as a mediator to transmit the output shaft's angular position to the sensor, enabling accurate measurement of the angle including gearbox play effects while maintaining ease of implementation.
2Ease of manufacture
If gearboxes with play are used to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but positioning precision deteriorates due to unmeasured play
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of gearbox play into a measurable parameter. By positioning the sensor on the output shaft, the play-induced angular variations are captured as measurable data, allowing the system to compensate for or account for the play, thereby maintaining positioning precision while using cost-effective gearboxes with play.
3Measurement precision
If external measuring wheels or teeth are added to the gearbox for precise measurement, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor assembly with the existing output shaft structure. Instead of adding separate measuring wheels or teeth, the sensor is integrated directly on the output shaft, combining the measurement function with the existing mechanical structure, thereby achieving high measurement precision without increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sensor assembly in a gearbox which is used for positioning, where the sensor assembly comprises a relative to the gearbox housing (18) fixed sensor (20), and where the angle between the gearbox housing (18) and the output shaft (26) of a gearbox (14, 16) is measured using a to the output shaft (26) fixed and to the sensor (20) connected shaft (28), whereby a sensor assembly which measures the angle in the gearbox (14, 16) including the play in the gearbox (14, 16) is attained, which gives increased precision at the same time as gearboxes (14, 16) with play can be utilized for accurate angle positioning.