JP2013060999A - Rolling bearing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rolling bearing device having an oil-supply unit 10 that is energy-efficient and can supply a lubricant 14 without using a pump from a lubricant tank 15 to a rolling bearing with no time lag.SOLUTION: In the rolling bearing device, the oil-supply unit 10 is installed at a fixed ring side of the rolling bearing. The oil-supply unit comprises: a lubricant tank 15 that reserves a pressurized lubricant 14 and has a delivery port for the lubricant 14; a valve 16 that opens and closes the delivery port of the lubricant tank 15; a drive part 21 that drives the valve 16; and a power-supply part 22 that generates electrical energy to drive the drive part 21.

Description

  The present invention relates to a rolling bearing device provided with an oil supply unit used for machine tools, industrial machines, and the like.

  As a lubrication method for a rolling bearing that supports a spindle of a machine tool or the like, there is one in which an oil supply unit that supplies lubricant to a fixed ring or a rotating ring of a rolling bearing as needed is attached to the rolling bearing (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 2).

  A rolling bearing device disclosed in these patent documents includes a lubricant tank that stores a lubricant, a pump that sucks and discharges the lubricant in the lubricant tank, and a drive unit that drives the pump. It is installed in the space between the fixed ring and the rotating ring of the rolling bearing.

JP 2004-108388 A JP 2004-316707 A

  However, in the rolling bearing device including the conventional oil supply unit, since the lubricant is sucked and discharged from the lubricant tank by the pump, it takes time to reach the dischargeable pressure after starting the pump.

  In addition, since the pump is driven by converting electrical energy into mechanical rotational energy, there is a problem that energy efficiency is not good.

  Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide a rolling bearing device including an oil supply unit that can supply lubricant from a lubricant tank to a rolling bearing without a time lag without using a pump, and also has good energy efficiency. Is.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a rolling bearing device according to the present invention stores a pressurized lubricant and has a lubricant tank having a lubricant discharge port, and an open / close that opens and closes the discharge port of the lubricant tank. An oil supply unit including a valve, a drive unit that drives the on-off valve, and a power generation unit that generates electric energy that drives the drive unit is installed on the fixed ring side of the rolling bearing.

  The oil supply unit is installed in a space between a fixed ring and a rotating ring of a rolling bearing, or a space between an inner ring and an outer ring of a spacer provided adjacent to the rolling bearing.

  The said oil supply unit can be accommodated in the housing installed so that attachment or detachment with respect to a rolling bearing or a spacer is possible.

  The pressurizing device that pressurizes the lubricant in the lubricant tank can be constituted by a pressurizing spring that presses the lubricant filled in the lubricant tank.

  The discharge port may be formed in a nozzle shape that sprays the lubricant in a mist form.

  As a power generation unit that generates electric energy for driving the drive unit, one using electromotive force due to Seebeck effect, one utilizing electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction, one utilizing electromotive force due to electrostatic induction, or due to dielectric polarization It can be used properly depending on the environment of the rolling bearing, such as one using an electromotive force.

  The electrical energy generated by the power generation unit is preferably stored in a capacitor.

  The oil supply unit incorporates a temperature sensor and a rotation sensor, so that the temperature and rotation state of the rolling bearing can be monitored and the amount of lubricant discharged from the oil supply unit can be automatically controlled.

  According to the present invention, the lubricant can be supplied from the lubricant tank by opening and closing the discharge port of the lubricant tank storing the pressurized lubricant by the on-off valve. There is no time lag until the lubricant is supplied as in the case of supplying the agent.

  Further, since the lubricant can be supplied by opening and closing the on-off valve, it is more energy efficient than the pump-driven type.

  By storing the electric energy generated by the power generation unit in the capacitor, there is no deterioration of the power storage device, so that maintenance work is unnecessary.

It is sectional drawing which shows embodiment using the rolling bearing apparatus which concerns on this invention for the machine tool. It is sectional drawing which looked at the oil supply unit of the rolling bearing apparatus which concerns on this invention from the axial direction. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line b-o in FIG. 2. It is sectional drawing of the c-c 'line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the ao line of FIG. It is the schematic of the electric power generation part using the electromotive force by Seebeck effect. It is the schematic of the electric power generation part using the electromotive force by electromagnetic induction. It is the schematic of the electric power generation part using the electromotive force by electrostatic induction. It is the schematic of the electric power generation part using the electromotive force by dielectric polarization.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a machine tool in which a rolling bearing device having an oil supply unit of the present invention is incorporated.

  A main shaft 1 of a machine tool is rotatably supported by a pair of left and right rolling bearings 3 with respect to a housing 2.

  An angular ball bearing is used as the rolling bearing 3. The rolling bearing 3 includes an outer ring 4 on the fixed wheel side, an inner ring 5 on the rotating wheel side, and a ball 7 held by a cage 6.

  A central spacer 8 is disposed between the left and right rolling bearings, and a spacer 9 is fitted between both ends of the housing 2 and the rolling bearing 3, and the rolling bearing 4 is formed by the central spacer 8 and the left and right spacers 9. A predetermined preload is applied.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 1, an oil supply unit 10 that supplies a lubricant 14 to the left and right rolling bearings 3 is installed in a circumferential space between the outer ring 11 and the inner ring 12 of the left and right spacers 9.

  The spacer 9 provided with the fueling unit 10 is symmetrical, and FIG. 2 is a view of the right spacer 9 in FIG. 1 viewed from the axial direction, and seals between the outer ring 11 and the inner ring 12 of the spacer B. It shows in a state where a part of the cover plate 13 is removed.

  A lubricant tank 15 for filling the lubricant 14 is installed along the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 11 on the fixed side of the spacer 9.

  The lubricant tank 15 is provided with a discharge nozzle 17 via an on-off valve 16. A pressurization device 18 that pressurizes the lubricant 14 is installed in the lubrication tank 15. When the on-off valve 16 is opened, the lubricant 14 in the lubricant tank 15 is discharged from the discharge nozzle 17 by the pressurization force of the pressurization device 18. By discharging and closing the on-off valve 16, the discharge of the lubricant 14 is stopped.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the pressurizing device 18 uses a type in which the lubricant 14 filled in the lubricant tank 15 is pressed by a pressurizing spring 20 through a pressurizing seal plate 19. be able to.

  The discharge pressure of the lubricant 14 discharged from the lubricant tank 15 is determined by the pressure applied to the lubricant tank 15 by the pressurizing device 18 if the diameter of the discharge nozzle 17 is constant. Therefore, the lubricant 14 can be pumped from the lubricant tank 15 at a constant pressure by adjusting the pressure of the pressurizing device 18 according to the type of the lubricant 14.

  As the lubricant 14, either lubricating oil or grease can be used.

  The discharge nozzle 17 is inserted into the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 4 on the fixed ring side of the rolling bearing 3, and supplies the lubricant 14 discharged from the discharge nozzle 17 to the surface of the ball 7 or the raceway surface.

  When the discharge nozzle 17 has a nozzle shape in which the lubricant 14 is sprayed in a mist shape, the stirring resistance by the lubricant 14 can be reduced, so that the heat generation of the rolling bearing 3 can be suppressed.

  Further, the discharge amount of the lubricant 14 from the discharge nozzle 17 can also be adjusted by changing the opening degree of the on-off valve 16.

  Similarly to the lubricant tank 15, the drive unit 21 that opens and closes the on-off valve 16 and the power generation unit 22 that drives the drive unit 21 are also installed between the outer ring 11 and the inner ring 12 of the spacer 9.

  As described above, the oil supply unit 10 of this embodiment includes the lubricant tank 15, the on-off valve 16, the discharge nozzle 17, the pressurizing device 18, the drive unit 21, and the power generation unit 22. 23 may be unitized and provided so as to be removable from the spacer 9.

  A discharge nozzle 17 is formed integrally with the housing 23, and positioning with the rolling bearing 3 is achieved by the housing 23. The housing 23 is formed of resin or metal, and the cover plate 13 is attached to the entire surface.

  The power generation unit 22 that drives the drive unit 21 is a device that supplies electric energy to the drive unit 21. For example, an electromotive force due to the Seebeck effect, an electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction, or an electromotive force due to electrostatic induction, depending on the usage environment. Those utilizing an electromotive force due to dielectric polarization can be used. Efficient power generation becomes possible by properly using the power generation unit 22 according to the environment in which it is used. In addition, a backup function can be achieved by using another type of power generation unit 22 in combination.

  For example, when the rolling bearing 3 is used, frictional heat is generated between the balls 7, the outer ring 4, and the inner ring 5, and the temperatures of the outer ring 4 and the inner ring 5 rise. Generally, since the outer ring 4 side is incorporated in a device or the like, heat is dissipated by heat conduction, and a temperature difference occurs between the outer ring 4 and the inner ring 5. The power generation unit 22 that generates an electromotive force by the Seebeck effect using this temperature difference is configured by giving a temperature difference to the Seebeck element 25 through the heat conductors 24a and 24b, as shown in FIG.

  When an alternating magnetic field is present in the rolling bearing device, for example, in the vicinity of a built-in spindle such as a machine tool or a high-frequency device that handles high power, an alternating magnetic field is generated due to leakage magnetic flux or high-frequency irradiation. The power generation unit 22 can be configured by electromagnetic induction using this alternating magnetic field. As shown in FIG. 7, the power generation unit 22 using electromagnetic induction captures an alternating magnetic field efficiently by combining a coil 27 with an iron core 26 opened on one side, and generates power by electromagnetic induction. When the frequency of the alternating magnetic field is known, a coil that resonates with the frequency of the alternating magnetic field except for the iron core 26 may be used.

  Further, in an environment in which vibration is generated in the rolling bearing device, a power generation unit 22 by electrostatic induction as shown in FIG. 8 or a power generation unit 22 by dielectric polarization as shown in FIG. 9 can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the power generation unit 22 by electrostatic induction has a structure in which the electrode 29 and the electret 30 are stacked only on the movable side and fixed side insulating substrates 28a and 28b, and only on the fixed side. Arranged so as to face each other. The insulating substrate 28b on the movable part side can be moved only in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The principle of power generation is that when the vibration is generated, the movable part side insulating substrate 28b vibrates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. At this time, electric charges are generated in the electrode 29 by the relative movement of the insulating substrates 28 a and 28 b on the fixed side and the movable side and the electret 30. The power generation unit 22 is configured by taking out the generated charges to the outside.

  Further, the power generation unit 22 by dielectric polarization as shown in FIG. 9 is configured by disposing an elastic sheet-like piezoelectric body (piezo element) 34 between the fixed insulating substrate 32 and the weight 33. The principle of power generation is that the weight 33 vibrates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. At this time, distortion occurs in the piezoelectric body 34, and an electromotive force is generated due to dielectric polarization. The power generation unit 22 is configured by taking out this electromotive force to the outside.

  Next, by incorporating a temperature sensor and a rotation sensor in the oil supply unit 10, the temperature and rotation state of the rolling bearing 4 are monitored, and the discharge amount of the lubricant 14 from the oil supply unit 10 is automatically controlled. May be.

  In addition, a capacitor can be used instead of a storage battery as a power storage device that temporarily stores drive energy. As a result, a circuit for charging the storage battery is not required and space can be saved.

  Further, since the power generation unit 22 frequently repeats charging and discharging over a long period of time, a capacitor is superior to a storage battery in terms of deterioration and life characteristics. This eliminates the need for maintenance work for battery replacement.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main shaft 2 Housing 3 Rolling bearing 4 Outer ring 5 Inner ring 6 Cage 7 Ball 8 Center spacer 9 Spacer 10 Lubrication unit 11 Outer ring 12 Inner ring 13 Cover plate 14 Lubricant 15 Lubricant tank 16 On-off valve 17 Discharge nozzle 18 Pressure device 19 pressure seal plate 20 pressure spring 21 drive unit 22 power generation unit 23 housings 24a, 24b heat conductor 25 Seebeck element 26 iron core 27 coils 28a, 28b insulating substrate 29 electrode 30 electret 31 sliding device 32 stationary insulating substrate 33 weight 34 Piezoelectric material

Claims (13)

  A lubricant tank that stores pressurized lubricant and has a discharge port for the lubricant, an open / close valve that opens and closes the discharge port of the lubricant tank, a drive unit that drives the open / close valve, and a drive unit that drives the drive unit A rolling bearing device characterized in that an oil supply unit comprising a power generation unit for generating electrical energy to be generated is installed on the fixed ring side of the rolling bearing.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the oil supply unit is installed in a space between a fixed ring and a rotating ring of the rolling bearing.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the oil supply unit is installed in a space between an inner ring and an outer ring of a spacer provided adjacent to the rolling bearing.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the oil supply unit is housed in a housing and is detachably installed on a rolling bearing or a spacer.   The rolling bearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a pressurizing device configured by a pressurizing spring that presses the lubricant filled in the lubricant tank is provided in the lubricant tank.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port is formed in a nozzle shape that sprays the lubricant in a mist form.   The rolling bearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a power generation unit that generates electrical energy for driving the drive unit uses an electromotive force due to the Seebeck effect.   The rolling bearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a power generation unit that generates electric energy for driving the drive unit uses an electromotive force generated by electromagnetic induction.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation unit that generates electric energy for driving the drive unit uses an electromotive force generated by electrostatic induction.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation unit that generates electric energy for driving the drive unit uses an electromotive force generated by dielectric polarization.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, wherein electrical energy generated by the power generation unit is stored in a capacitor.   12. A temperature sensor and a rotation sensor are incorporated in the oil supply unit, thereby monitoring the temperature and rotation state of the rolling bearing, and automatically controlling the amount of lubricant discharged from the oil supply unit. The rolling bearing device according to any one of the above.   The rolling bearing device according to claim 1, which is used for a machine tool, a windmill, or a railway.

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