JP2011067177A - Method and apparatus for detecting abrasion of supporting nut in agitating machine or discharging screw provided in solid culture apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for detecting abrasion of a supporting nut by which the abrasion of the supporting nut is detected in an agitating machine or a discharging screw provided in a solid culture apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The solid culture apparatus is provided with the agitating machine 1 lifted or lowered by rotating a rotating screw shaft 12 screwed into the supporting nut 11. The method for detecting the abrasion of the supporting nut in the agitating machine 1 provided in the solid culture apparatus includes detecting a change in the positional relationship of the supporting nut 11 for a dummy nut 13 lifted and lowered in operative connection to the agitating machine 1 as the abrasion of the supporting nut 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a support nut wear detection method for notifying the outside that a support nut of a care machine or a discharge screw provided in a solid culture device is worn, and a support nut wear detection device.

  The solid culture apparatus includes, for example, a care machine that moves up and down or a discharge screw on a rotating culture bed. The care machine or the discharge screw is formed by screwing the support nuts provided on the main body of the care machine or the discharge screw into the rotation screw shafts provided on the inside and outside in the radial direction of the rotating culture bed, and rotating the rotation screw shaft. While being lifted up and down, basically retracting upward, the care machine lowers when cleaning, and the discharge screw moves down when the culture raw material is loaded or discharged. For this reason, the care machine or the discharge screw repeatedly moves up and down, and the rotating screw shaft and the support nut inevitably wear over time. As a result, the rotation screw shaft and the support nut break the normal screwing positional relationship, and the care machine or the discharge screw is inclined, or the support nut is dropped from the rotation screw shaft and the care machine or the discharge screw is damaged. .

  For the wear of the rotating screw shaft and the support nut over time, first, a measure is taken to configure the rotating screw shaft and the support nut with a wear-resistant material. Specifically, the rotating screw shaft is made of stainless steel (SUS), the supporting nut is made of gunmetal (BC) or aluminum bronze (ALBC), and the supporting nut is worn away from the rotating screw shaft. In consideration of strength, the support nut is covered with a stainless nut case. Next, measures are taken to prevent iron powder or the like that causes wear from adhering to the rotating screw shaft and to prevent the support nut from being worn by periodic maintenance. Specifically, if the rotating screw shaft is greased once every three months to suppress the adhesion of dust such as iron powder, the support nut can be replaced only once every 10 years. However, since these measures are not sufficient, various attempts have been made to detect abnormalities in the care machine or the discharge screw in order to avoid damage to the care machine or the discharge screw.

  For example, Patent Document 1 cares about the difference between the amount of rotation acquired by the rotation amount detection unit attached to each rotation screw shaft screwed to each of the gantry (support unit) on the inner side and the outer side in the radial direction, and the rotation amount acquired by the rotation amount detection unit. A control system is disclosed that includes an elevating control unit that stops an external notification or rotation drive source as the inclination of the machine or the discharge screw. Patent Document 1 discloses a method of detecting an inclination by monitoring the orthogonal relationship between a care machine or a discharge screw and a gantry with a strain gauge, a steel ball mounted in a groove or the like linked to the posture of the care machine or the discharge screw, A method for detecting the displacement of mercury as a tilt of a care machine or a discharge screw is disclosed. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 is a method in which a distance sensor that measures the height from the culture bed is attached to each of the radially inner and outer frames, and a difference in height of each support nut is detected as a tilt of a care machine or a discharge screw. (Patent Document 1 [Claim 3] and others [0012]).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-276761

  The control system composed of the rotation amount detection unit and the elevation control unit disclosed in Patent Document 1 is based on the difference in the rotation amount of each rotation screw shaft that is screwed to each of the radially inner and outer mounts. Although tilt is detected, there is no correlation between the wear of the support nut and the amount of rotation of the rotating screw shaft, so even if the inner and outer support nuts in the radial direction wear out over time, the amount of rotation of the rotating screw shaft changes. Is not seen. Therefore, although the support nut is worn, the inclination of the care machine or the discharge screw is not detected, and the support nut suddenly falls off the rotating screw shaft, and the care machine or the discharge screw is damaged. This is a method of detecting the orthogonality between the care machine or the discharge screw and the gantry disclosed in Patent Document 1 with a strain gauge, or a method of detecting the inclination of the care machine or the discharge screw from the positional displacement of a steel ball or mercury. But the same is true.

  Moreover, the method of detecting the difference in height of the gantry on the inside and outside in the radial direction measured by the distance sensor as the inclination of the care machine or the discharge screw has a problem that the gantry height cannot be measured accurately. As the distance sensor, a non-contact sensor such as an optical sensor or an ultrasonic sensor is used so that foreign substances do not touch the culture raw material. However, since the culture raw material and bacteria are dancing in the culture chamber, for example, the culture raw material and bacteria floating between the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the optical sensor hinder accurate measurement. Moreover, since the height of the pedestal to be measured by the distance sensor varies greatly depending on the raising and lowering of the care machine or the discharge screw, a measurement error occurs according to each height. Therefore, the method of detecting the difference in the height of the gantry on the inside and outside in the radial direction as the inclination of the grooming machine or the discharge screw by the distance sensor disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not practical.

  Such a problem is caused by determining the inclination of the care machine or the discharge screw as a monitoring target and determining that the inclination is an abnormality of the care machine or the discharge screw. However, since the cause of the damage to the care machine or the discharge screw is the dropping of the support nut due to the wear of the support nut, the object to be monitored must be the wear of the support nut itself. Thereby, breakage of the care machine or the discharge screw due to wear of the support nut can be appropriately avoided, and the replacement timing of the support nut can be properly grasped. Then, it examined in order to develop the support nut abrasion detection method and apparatus of each of the care machine or discharge screw with which a solid culture apparatus is equipped.

  What was developed as a result of the study is a reference part that moves up and down in conjunction with the care machine or the discharge screw in a solid culture device equipped with a care machine or a discharge screw that moves up and down by rotating a rotating screw shaft screwed with a support nut. And a support nut wear detection method for the care machine or the discharge screw provided in the solid culture device that detects that the positional relationship between the care machine or the detection site provided on the discharge screw has changed as wear of the support nut. The reference part moves up and down in conjunction with the care machine or the discharge screw without applying the load of the care machine or the discharge screw. Part that rises and falls equally. The change in the positional relationship between the reference part and the detection part may be grasped as a change in the distance between the reference part and the detection part. The degree of wear of the support nut is grasped by the magnitude of the change in the distance between the reference part and the detection part.

  The reference part can be exemplified by a dummy nut screwed onto the rotating screw shaft above or below the support nut, and the detection part can be exemplified by a support nut, a nut case, or a stand positioned in the vertical direction of the dummy nut. The dummy nut is close to the support nut, but is spaced apart and screwed into the rotating screw shaft above or below the supporting nut, and the reference is fixed in the horizontal plane so as not to rotate with the rotation of the rotating screw shaft. It is. Since the dummy nut is screwed onto the rotating screw shaft without applying a load of the care machine or the discharge screw, wear due to the rotating screw shaft does not occur.

  The support nut is disposed, for example, on a pedestal, and is fixed to the pedestal by covering a protective nut case, so that the support nut, the nut case, and the pedestal move up and down integrally. For this reason, if any one of the support nut, the nut case, and the gantry is selected as the detection part and the distance from the dummy nut is measured, the change in the distance between the reference part and the detection part can be measured. For example, when the reference part is a dummy nut and the detection part is a support nut, the change in the distance between the dummy nut and the support nut is, for example, a change from a measurement value measured first by a distance sensor described later. The positional relationship between the dummy nut and the support nut may be measured anywhere, but it is usually preferable to measure the distance between the faces facing each other in the vertical direction, that is, the distance in the vertical direction. The degree of wear of the support nut is grasped by the magnitude of the measured value. The dummy nut is made of metal such as gun metal or resin.

  The support nut wear detection method of the present invention considers that the change in the positional relationship of the detection site with respect to the reference site set on the rotating screw shaft correlates with the wear of the support nut over time, and the change in the positional relationship of the detection site with respect to the reference site, For example, a change in the distance between the dummy nut and the support nut is detected as wear of the support nut. This wear of the support nut can be detected individually for each of the support nuts on the inner side and the outer side in the radial direction, so that even if each support nut wears to the same extent and the care machine or the discharge screw does not tilt, it is supported from the rotating screw shaft. The danger of dropping the nut and damaging the care machine or the discharge screw can be detected in advance. Furthermore, since the wear of the support nut over time is detected, the replacement time corresponding to the wear of the support nut can be grasped.

  Since the support nut is loaded by the care machine or the discharge screw, the support nut gradually shifts downward from the normal screwing position due to wear over time. On the other hand, the dummy nut is only screwed onto the rotating screw shaft and is not subjected to any external load. Therefore, the dummy nut is hardly worn and is not rotated around the rotating screw shaft. Does not deviate from the position set to. For this reason, the support nut that wears over time is moved away from the dummy nut that is screwed onto the rotating screw shaft above the support nut, and the distance measured later exceeds the allowable range beyond the first measured distance. For example, it can be determined that the replacement time has been reached. Also, the support nut that wears over time approaches the dummy nut that is screwed onto the rotating screw shaft below the support nut, so if the distance measured later from the distance measured between the first time falls below the allowable range For example, it can be determined that the replacement time has been reached.

  The support nut wear detection device according to the present invention is a solid culture device provided with a care machine or a discharge screw that rotates and rotates a rotating screw shaft to which a supporting nut is screwed. A dummy nut to be screwed, a distance sensor provided on one or both of the support nut and the dummy nut, and a control unit that determines whether the support nut is worn or not based on the distance between the support nut and the dummy nut measured by the distance sensor. It consists of. The support nut here includes not only the support nut itself, but also a nut case that covers the support nut, a frame on which the support nut is integrally attached, and a part that moves up and down integrally with the support nut.

  The dummy nut is provided with an anti-rotation means so as not to be rotated around the rotating screw shaft. The distance sensor is preferably a non-contact type sensor such as an optical sensor or an ultrasonic sensor. However, unlike Patent Document 1, only a distance between a support nut and a dummy nut that are extremely close to each other is measured. , The influence of the environment can be suppressed or prevented. The non-contact type sensor has a sensor part and a detected part as a pair, and the sensor part is divided into a transmission part (light emitting part in the case of an optical sensor) and a receiving part (light receiving part in the case of an optical sensor). There is a thing. In the former case, for example, a sensor part is assigned to one of the support nut and the dummy nut, and a detected part is assigned to the other. In the latter case, for example, a transmitter is assigned to one of the support nut and the dummy nut, and a receiver is assigned to the other.

  The control unit records the measured value sent from the distance sensor, for example, compares the first measured value or the measured value before a certain period from the present value with the currently obtained measured value, and determines the magnitude of wear of the support nut. Calculated as the amount of change in the measured value. In this case, the amount of change can also be recorded, the change in the amount of change by periodic measurement can be calculated, and it can be determined that the support nut is worn when the change in the amount of change becomes large. In addition, the measured value is handled absolutely, and a preset threshold value is compared with the measured value. When the measured value exceeds the threshold value (for example, when a dummy nut is disposed above the support nut) or below the threshold value ( For example, when a dummy nut is disposed below the support nut), it may be determined that the support nut is worn and the replacement time has come. Since such measurement values need to be recorded and calculated, the control unit may be a computer or a programmable logic controller (programmable controller).

  The present invention brings about an effect of accurately detecting wear of a support nut from a change in the positional relationship between a support nut and a reference portion that are arranged close to each other, for example, a change in the distance between the support nut and the dummy nut. As a result, even if each support nut is worn to the same extent and the care machine or the discharge screw is not inclined, the risk of dropping the support nut from the rotating screw shaft and damaging the care machine or the discharge screw can be detected in advance. become. This means that the risk of damaging the care machine or the discharge screw can be detected more accurately than in the past. Further, since the wear of the support nut over time is detected, it is possible to grasp the replacement time corresponding to the wear of the support nut. This means that the appropriate replacement time can be properly grasped regardless of the personal judgment of the inspector.

It is a side view showing the care machine in the rotary disk solid culture apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is sectional drawing of the A arrow part in FIG. 1 showing the normal time of the support nut abrasion detection apparatus which has arranged the dummy nut above the support nut. It is a top view of the A arrow view part in FIG. 1 showing the normal time of the support nut abrasion detection apparatus of this example. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 illustrating a normal state of a support nut wear detection device in which a dummy nut is disposed below the support nut. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 illustrating when the support nut wear detection device of this example is worn.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention can be applied to a care machine or a discharge screw that moves up and down by screwing a support nut onto a rotating screw shaft regardless of the type of the solid culture apparatus. Further, the configuration of the support nut wear detection device centering on the distance sensor is not greatly different between the case where the present invention is applied to a care machine and the case where the present invention is applied to a discharge screw. In the following, in the rotating disk solid culture apparatus, a care machine (FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5) in which a dummy nut is arranged above the support nut will be described as this example, and as another example, the dummy nut is provided below the support nut. Only the care machine (FIG. 4) arranged will be described, and the description and illustration of the discharge screw in the rotating disk solid culture device and the other care machines and discharge screws other than the rotating disk solid culture device will be omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the support nut wear detection device of the present invention is a rotating disk solid culture device in which a rotating screw shaft 12 screwed with a gun support nut 11 is rotated and moved up and down. A plate to be detected that protrudes horizontally from a stainless nut case 112 that is placed on the support nut 11 by screwing a resin dummy nut 13 as a reference portion to the rotating screw shaft 12 above the support nut 11 with respect to the machine 1. A distance sensor 131 directed to 111 is attached to the dummy nut 13. Although not shown in the drawings, a configuration may be adopted in which the detection plate 111 is horizontally projected from the dummy nut 13 and the distance sensor 131 directed to the detection plate 111 is attached to the nut case 112. The support nut 11 is fixed to the surface side of the gantry upper surface plate 142 via a nut case 112 fixed to the gantry upper surface plate 142 with a fixing bolt 113, and moves up and down integrally with the gantry 14 that supports the bender 15 horizontally. . The detected plate 111 is a stainless steel plate. The dummy nut 13 is engaged with the slit of the U-shaped anti-rotation block 132 in a plan view in the horizontal direction through a guide bar 141 that protrudes vertically from the gantry top plate 142 to change the distance from the support nut 11. While being allowed, it is prevented from rotating around the rotating screw shaft 12.

  The distance sensor 131 measures the distance to the detected plate 111 in a non-contact manner. Non-contact type sensors include optical sensors and ultrasonic sensors, but they can be measured stably without being affected by the poor environment of a high-humidity culture room because of the culture raw materials and bacteria. A proximity sensor using is desirable. Compared to other non-contact sensors (optical sensors and ultrasonic sensors), proximity sensors do not need to expose the light source or ultrasonic radiation source, and thus have an advantage of stable operation particularly under high humidity. . In addition, the inductive proximity sensor can reduce the manufacturing cost of the support nut wear detecting device by using the non-detecting plate 111 made of an inexpensive metal plate for the non-detecting portion to be paired.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the support nut wear detection device is configured such that a dummy nut 13 is screwed as a reference portion to the rotating screw shaft 12 in the gantry 14 of the care machine 1 below the support nut 11, and the back surface of the gantry upper surface plate 142. It is also possible to configure the distance sensor 131 directed to the dummy nut 13 attached thereto. Although not shown in the drawings, as described above, the detection plate 111 is horizontally protruded from the dummy nut 13 and the distance sensor 131 directed to the detection plate 111 is attached to the back surface of the gantry top plate 142. Good. The support nut 11 is made of gunmetal, and the dummy nut 13 is made of resin. As described above, the support nut 11 is fixed to the surface side of the gantry upper surface plate 142 via a nut case 112 fixed to the gantry upper surface plate 142 with fixing bolts 113, and is integrated with the gantry 14 that pivotally supports the bender 15 horizontally. Go up and down. The dummy nut 13 is engaged with the slit of the U-shaped anti-rotation block 132 in a plan view in the horizontal direction through a guide bar 141 protruding downward from the gantry top plate 142 to change the distance with the support nut 11. The point of preventing rotation with respect to the rotating screw shaft 12 while allowing is the same as described above.

  The distance measured by the distance sensor 131 is constantly sent as an electrical signal to the control unit 2 and is periodically recorded as a measured value L in an external storage device or the like. In the present invention, the wear of the support nut 11 is determined from the amount of change in the distance between the support nut 11 and the dummy nut 13. In this example, a threshold value Lth is set for the change amount of the measurement value L, and the control unit 2 calculates a difference between the measurement value LX acquired for the Xth time and the first measurement value separation L1, for example. By comparing, it is determined whether the support nut 11 is worn. FIG. 2 illustrates a case where the first measurement value L1 and the measurement value LX acquired for the Xth time are equal (in FIG. 2, expressed as measurement value LX = L1), and the difference does not exceed the threshold value Lth.

  When the support nut 11 is worn and the gap B is formed, as shown in FIG. 5, the screwing position with respect to the rotating screw shaft 12 is relatively lowered, and the support nut 11 is moved away from the dummy nut 13 (FIG. 5). The measured value L measured by the distance sensor 131 also increases. For example, when the difference between the first measurement value L1 and the measurement value LX acquired for the Xth time exceeds the threshold value Lth, it can be determined that the wear of the support nut 11 has reached a dangerous level. In addition, if the absolute value of the measured value L that can be determined to have worn the support nut 11 is known, a threshold is set for the absolute value at each stage such as caution and lifting stop, and a danger signal is notified to the outside. Or the entire carrot machine or rotating disk solid culture apparatus.

  Since the support nut wear detection device is configured for each support nut 11, the care machine 1 is provided on each of the gantry 14 supported by the rotating screw shaft 12 inside and outside in the radial direction. In this case, the control unit 2 of the support nut wear detecting device in each of the inside and outside in the radial direction can be provided separately. For example, a common control unit 2 is provided for both, and the support nut 11 monitored by each of the support nut wear devices is provided. It is also possible to judge the wear of each. Usually, if the wear of each support nut 11 is monitored, the danger of the care machine 1 falling off can be prevented beforehand. As described above, the present invention also has a function of monitoring whether or not the care machine 1 is abnormal.

1 Care machine
11 Support nut
111 Detected plate
12 Rotating screw shaft
13 Dummy nut
131 Distance sensor
14 Base 2 Control part L Measured value
L1 Initial measurement value
LX Xth measurement value
Lth threshold B gap

Claims (3)

In a solid culture apparatus equipped with a care machine or a discharge screw that moves up and down by rotating a rotating screw shaft into which a support nut is screwed,
A solid characterized by detecting a change in the positional relationship between a reference part that moves up and down in conjunction with a care machine or a discharge screw and a detection part provided in the care machine or the discharge screw as wear of a support nut A support nut wear detection method for a care machine or a discharge screw provided in the culture apparatus. 2. The support nut wear detection method for a care machine or a discharge screw provided in the solid culture device according to claim 1, wherein a change in the distance between the reference portion and the detection portion is detected as wear of the support nut. In a solid culture apparatus equipped with a care machine or a discharge screw that moves up and down by rotating a rotating screw shaft into which a support nut is screwed,
A dummy nut screwed onto the rotating screw shaft above or below the support nut;
A distance sensor provided on one or both of the support nut and the dummy nut;
A support nut wear detection device provided in a solid culture apparatus, comprising: a control unit that determines whether or not a support nut is worn from a distance between a support nut and a dummy nut measured by a distance sensor.

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