JP2016130577A - Bearing with wireless sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate replacement work accompanied by specification change or the like of a detection sensor.SOLUTION: A bearing 1 with a wireless sensor includes a bearing body 5, a detection sensor provided on the bearing body 5 and detecting a physical quantity related to the bearing body 5, a radio communication processing unit provided on the bearing body 5 and transmitting detection information by the detection sensor by radio communication, and a power generating unit provided on the bearing body 5 and supplying electric power to the detection sensor and the radio communication processing unit. The detection sensor and the radio communication processing unit are respectively mounted on a sensor substrate 31 and a radio communication substrate 32. In replacing the detection sensor due to the specification change, only the sensor substrate 31 on which the detection sensor is mounted is required to be replaced, and redesigning of the radio communication processing unit is not required even in the case of redesigning the substrate itself due to the specification change of the detection sensor, and design work can be simplified accordingly, and the replacement work can be facilitated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a bearing with a wireless sensor.

A bearing with a wireless sensor that detects various physical quantities such as the temperature around the bearing with a wireless sensor and wirelessly transmits detection information to a receiving device such as a host device has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). ).
In such a bearing with a wireless sensor, a space is provided outside the bearing seal, and the space is provided with a self-power generation function using a coil and a magnet, a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a transmitter, and the like. The board is incorporated.

JP 2003-307435 A JP 2003-308588 A

By incorporating a circuit for realizing a wireless sensor, such as a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a transmitter, and a circuit for realizing a self-power generation function into a single control board, the control board can be assembled or It is possible to easily perform operations such as changing the specifications and replacing the various mounted circuits.
However, as the number of measurement items by the detection sensor increases, the board area of the control board increases accordingly, and each time the measurement item is changed, the control board must be removed or the control board must be redesigned. Therefore, as the number of measurement items by the detection sensor increases, the effort involved in replacing or changing the control board also increases.
Therefore, there has been a demand for a bearing with a wireless sensor that can change or add measurement items more easily even when there are many measurement items by detection sensors.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a bearing body, a detection sensor that is provided in the bearing body and detects a physical quantity related to the bearing body, and a wireless communication processing unit that is provided in the bearing body and transmits detection information by the detection sensor by wireless communication. A bearing with a wireless sensor provided on the bearing body, provided on a different substrate from the detection sensor and the wireless communication processing unit. Is provided.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, when a detection sensor is replaced due to a specification change or the like, it is only necessary to replace the substrate on which the detection sensor is mounted without changing the substrate on which the wireless communication processing unit or the like is mounted. In addition, even when the design of the substrate is changed due to the replacement of the detection sensor, the design can be redesigned except for the wireless communication processing unit, so that the replacement work accompanying the replacement of the detection sensor can be easily performed. The substrate on which the detection sensor is mounted can be easily expanded.

(A) is an exploded perspective view which shows an example of the bearing with a wireless sensor in one Embodiment of this invention, (b) is an exploded view of a sensor unit, (c) is a block diagram which shows the principal part of a bearing main body. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the electric power generation method. It is a figure for demonstrating the attachment method of an antenna. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the bearing with a wireless sensor in one Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a bearing 1 with a wireless sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an exploded perspective view of the bearing 1 with a wireless sensor, and (b) is an exploded view of the sensor unit. (C) is a schematic block diagram which shows the principal part of a bearing main body.
This bearing 1 with a wireless sensor is a wireless sensor incorporated in a rolling bearing. It is also possible to incorporate it into a sliding bearing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bearing 1 with a wireless sensor includes a tone ring 2, a sensor unit 3, a cover 4, and a bearing body 5.
Grooves 51a and 52a are formed on the inner peripheral side of the end surface of the inner ring 51 of the bearing body 5 and the outer peripheral side of the end surface of the outer ring 52, respectively, and the cylindrical tone ring 2 is formed in the groove 51a on the inner peripheral side of the end surface of the inner ring 51. The cover 4 is attached to the groove 52 a on the outer peripheral side of the end surface of the outer ring 52.

The tone ring 2 has periodic irregularities formed on the outer periphery.
The sensor unit 3 includes a sensor substrate 31 and a wireless communication substrate 32 on which a detection sensor, a wireless communication processing unit, and the like, which will be described later, are mounted, and a coil unit 35 including a plurality of coils 34. The sensor substrate 31 and the wireless communication substrate 32 and the coil part 35 are formed in an arc shape so as to form a part of a ring. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the coil 34 is formed by sandwiching a magnet 33a between two yokes 33 and winding a conductor wire around the yoke 33 sandwiching the magnet 33a.

  Various sensors for detecting temperature, vibration, rotation speed, humidity, gas, ultrasonic waves, and the like are mounted on the sensor substrate 31. The wireless communication board 32 is provided with circuits for realizing various functions for transmitting sensor information detected by various sensors to a host device or the like by wireless communication, such as a power management function, a wireless communication function, and a signal processing function. ing. The cover 4 and the wireless communication board 32, the cover 4 and the yoke 33, and the cover 4 and the coil 34 are each subjected to insulation treatment to prevent a short circuit.

The sensor board 31 is provided with a connector 31a, and the wireless communication board 32 is provided with a connector 32a that is paired with the connector 31a. By connecting the connector 31a and the connector 32a, detection described later on the sensor board 31 is performed. The sensor 14 and a later-described wireless communication processing unit 15 on the wireless communication board 32 are electrically connected.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the distance between the sensor substrate 31 and the wireless communication board 32 is kept constant by fixing the sensor board 31 and the wireless communication board 32 by screwing or the like through the spacer 31b. These are fixed together.

The tone ring 2 is disposed in the hollow portion of the sensor unit 3 so that the unevenness on the outer periphery of the tone ring 2 and the coil portion 35 of the sensor unit 3 face each other.
The cover 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape, one surface of the cylinder is opened, the other surface is formed in an annular shape, and the inner surface of the cover 4 is a mounting surface 41 of the sensor unit 3. The open surface side of the cover 4 is fitted into a groove 52 a formed on the outer peripheral side of the end surface of the outer ring 52 of the bearing body 5 and fixed to the bearing body 5.

  The wireless communication board 32 and the coil part 35 are disposed adjacent to each other along the ring of the attachment surface 41 and are fixed by screwing or the like. By fitting the cover 4 into the groove 52a of the outer ring 52 of the bearing body 5 in a state where the wireless communication board 32 to which the sensor board 31 is fixed and the coil portion 35 are fixed to the mounting surface 41, the sensor unit 3 is It is accommodated between the cover 4 and the bearing body 5. As a method for attaching the cover 4, a method such as press-fitting, caulking, or adhesion can be applied.

A plurality of rolling elements 53 are interposed between the inner ring 51 and the outer ring 52 of the bearing body 5. This rolling element 53 is preferably a ceramic ball to prevent electrolytic corrosion.
When the outer ring 52 is fixed and the inner ring 51 rotates, the tone ring 2 rotates together with the inner ring 51, and the tone ring 2 and the coil 34 rotate relatively to each other, as shown in FIG. The position of the coil 34 facing the unevenness on the outer periphery changes. For this reason, the magnetic flux density generated in each coil 34 changes when the distance between each coil 34 and the outer periphery of the tone ring 2 periodically changes due to the irregularities on the outer periphery of the tone ring 2. That is, when the yoke 33 including the magnet 33a and the tone ring 2 are close to each other, the magnetic flux passing through the magnet 33a, the yoke 33, and the tone ring 2 is large, and the yoke 33 and the tone ring 2 are separated from each other. The magnetic flux passing through the magnet 33a, the yoke 33, and the tone ring 2 is reduced. When the change in the magnetic flux density appears periodically, a sinusoidal AC voltage is generated in the coil 34 in which the conductor wire is wound around the yoke 33.

  The generated AC voltage is converted into a DC voltage and supplied to each part of the sensor unit 3 as operating power. Here, the case where power generation is performed by the electromagnetic induction method is described, but power generation may be performed by the electrostatic induction method, and any power generation method may be used. Although the case where the outer ring 52 is fixed and the inner ring 51 is rotated has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied even when the inner ring 51 is fixed and the outer ring 52 is rotated. .

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, an antenna 15 a to be described later is attached to the cover 4 for transmitting detection information by wireless communication. The antenna 15a is formed on a thin plate.
As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the mounting surface 41 of the cover 4 has a through hole 4a as a storage portion having a substantially rectangular top view for fitting the antenna 15a formed on a substantially rectangular thin plate. Is formed. When the surface of the attachment surface 41 of the cover 4 opposite to the side on which the wireless communication board 32 is fixed is the surface of the cover 4, the antenna 15a is fitted into the through hole 4a, so that FIG. As shown, the antenna 15 a is fixed in a state where it is flush with the surface of the cover 4 or inward in the thickness direction with respect to the surface of the cover 4. Further, by fitting the antenna 15a into the through hole 34a, a connection terminal (not shown) of the antenna 15a and an antenna connection terminal (not shown) of the wireless communication processing unit 15 described later formed on the wireless communication board 32 are provided. ) And are electrically connected.

With this configuration, the antenna 15a can be attached to the cover 4 without protruding from the surface of the cover 4, and the antenna 15a can be wirelessly connected to the antenna 15a simply by fitting the antenna 15a into the through hole 34a. Since the communication processing unit 15 can be electrically connected, the assembly characteristics of the bearing 1 with the wireless sensor can be improved.
Here, the case where the antenna 15a is formed on a substantially rectangular thin plate has been described. However, the shape of the antenna 15a is not limited to this, and the antenna 15a is fitted into the through hole 4a of the cover 4. Can be fixed to the cover 4, the antenna 15 a and the through hole 34 a may have any shape.
In addition, here, the case where the through hole 4a is formed as the housing portion of the antenna 15a has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the antenna 15a can be fixed to the cover 4 by being housed in the housing portion. Any shape may be used as long as the antenna 15a and the wireless communication processing unit 15 can be electrically connected.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the bearing 1 with a wireless sensor.
The bearing 1 with a wireless sensor includes, for example, a power generation unit 11, a charging circuit 12, a secondary battery 13, a detection sensor 14, and a wireless communication processing unit 15.
The AC voltage generated by the power generation unit 11 is converted into a DC voltage by the charging circuit 12 and is supplied to the detection sensor 14 and the wireless communication processing unit 15, and the surplus is stored in the secondary battery 13. The detection sensor 14 and the wireless communication processing unit 15 operate by receiving power from the charging circuit 12 and the secondary battery 13. The tone ring 2 and the coil part 35 in FIG.

  The detection sensor 14 includes, for example, a rotation sensor that detects the number of rotations of the bearing body 5 in which the wireless sensor is incorporated, a temperature sensor that detects the ambient temperature of the bearing body 5, a vibration sensor that detects vibration of the bearing body 5, and a bearing body. 5, a humidity sensor that detects ambient humidity, a gas sensor that detects gaseous hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and the like that are generated due to the oxidative deterioration of the lubricating oil in the bearing body 5, an ultrasonic sensor that detects friction noise generated in the bearing, and the like Any one or a plurality of sensors are provided.

Information detected by the detection sensor 14 is transmitted by wireless communication through the antenna 15a by the wireless communication processing unit 15, and is received by a wireless reception unit 50 provided in a receiving device such as a host device.
In the bearing 1 with a wireless sensor having such a configuration, detection information detected by the detection sensor 14 provided on the sensor substrate 31 is wirelessly communicated via the connector 31a of the sensor substrate 31 and the connector 32a of the wireless communication substrate 32. The signal is output to the wireless communication processing unit 15 provided on the board 32, transmitted from the wireless communication processing unit 15 through the antenna 15a by wireless communication, and received by the wireless reception unit 50 of the receiving device.

When the measurement item by the detection sensor 14 is increased or decreased, or when the specification of the detection sensor 14 is changed due to a change in the measurement item, the cover 4 is removed from the bearing body 5, and the sensor substrate 31 is removed from the wireless communication substrate 32. Remove. Then, after changing the specification of the detection sensor 14, the sensor substrate 31 is attached to the wireless communication substrate 32.
Here, since the detection sensor 14 and the wireless communication processing unit 15 are mounted on different substrates, the sensor substrate 31 is removed from the wireless communication substrate 32 when the specification of the detection sensor 14 is changed. It is only necessary to change the design of the substrate, the specification of the detection sensor 14, etc.

  If the detection sensor 14 and the wireless communication processing unit 15 are mounted on the same control board, when the specification of the detection sensor 14 is changed, the entire control board may be redesigned or the entire control board may be changed. In particular, as the number of measurement items of the detection sensor 14 increases, the number of times the control board is removed or the design is changed increases, and the control board becomes larger and difficult to handle. It is difficult to change the specifications.

  On the other hand, in the bearing 1 with a wireless sensor in the example of the present embodiment, since the detection sensor 14 and the wireless communication processing unit 15 are mounted on different substrates, only the sensor substrate 31 on which the detection sensor 14 is mounted is new. What is necessary is just to replace | exchange for a sensor board | substrate, and only the sensor board | substrate 31 should just carry out specification change and design change. The various sensors on the sensor board 31 are electrically connected to the wireless communication processing unit 15 of the wireless communication board 32 by the connectors 31a and 32a. The sensor substrate 31 can be easily removed. Therefore, the specification of the detection sensor 14 can be easily changed, the sensor substrate 31 can be replaced, the substrate can be easily expanded, and the usability can be improved. In addition, when changing the specification of the detection sensor 14 and the like, it is not necessary to change the design on the wireless communication board 32 side, so that it is possible to shorten the time required for the specification change and the like. Cost reduction required for design can also be achieved.

  Further, since the sensor substrate 31 and the wireless communication substrate 32 are not only electrically joined by the connectors 31a and 32a but also fixed by screwing or the like via the spacer 31b, the sensor substrate 31 and the wireless communication substrate 32 are fixed. 32 can be treated as an integral substrate that is electrically and physically coupled. That is, it can be handled in the same manner as when various circuits for realizing a wireless sensor such as the detection sensor 14 and the wireless communication processing unit 15 are mounted on a single substrate.

  Therefore, fixing the wireless communication board 32 to the bearing body 5 is equivalent to fixing the detection sensor 14 to the bearing body 5, and actually, from two substrates, the sensor board 31 and the wireless communication board 32. However, the assembly to the bearing body 5 can be performed in the same procedure as when various circuits for realizing the wireless sensor are mounted on a single substrate. That is, various circuits for realizing the wireless sensor are separately mounted on the two substrates of the sensor substrate 31 and the wireless communication substrate 32, but the operability of the assembly is the same as when mounted on a single substrate. Can be secured. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the required time and reduce the cost associated with the change of the measurement item of the detection sensor 14 and the like, while ensuring the operability of assembling the sensor substrate 31 and the wireless communication substrate 32.

In addition, the bearing 1 with a wireless sensor in one embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various bearings such as industrial machine bearings and vehicle bearings, and also includes a bearing side device provided with the bearing and the bearing side device. The present invention can also be applied to a management device, a monitoring device, and the like that include a receiving side device that receives detection information of the detection sensor 14.
Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where electric power generation was performed using the tone ring 2 and the coil 34, the electric power generation method is not restricted to this, Other electric power generation methods may be sufficient.

  Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. From the description of the invention, other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, along with various variations of the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, it is to be understood that the claims encompass these modifications and embodiments that fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bearing with wireless sensor 2 Tone ring 3 Sensor unit 4 Cover 11 Power generation part 12 Charging circuit 13 Secondary battery 14 Detection sensor 15 Wireless communication processing part 15a Antenna 31 Sensor board 31a Connector 32 Wireless communication board 32a Connector 33 Yoke 34 Coil 35 Coil Part 51 Inner ring 52 Outer ring 51a, 52a Groove 53 Rolling element

Claims (7)

A bearing body;
A detection sensor provided in the bearing body for detecting a physical quantity related to the bearing body;
A wireless communication processing unit that is provided in the bearing body and transmits detection information by the detection sensor by wireless communication;
A power generation unit provided in the bearing body for supplying power to the detection sensor and the wireless communication processing unit;
With
A bearing with a wireless sensor, wherein the detection sensor and the wireless communication processing unit are mounted on different substrates and provided on the bearing body.   The sensor substrate on which the detection sensor is mounted and the wireless communication substrate on which the wireless communication processing unit is mounted are coupled via a connector that electrically connects the detection sensor and the wireless communication processing unit. Item 2. A bearing with a wireless sensor according to item 1. A cover for housing the sensor board and the wireless communication board and fixing the sensor board and the bearing body;
The cover has a storage unit that stores an antenna for wireless communication in the wireless communication processing unit so as not to protrude from the cover surface;
The bearing with a wireless sensor according to claim 2, wherein the antenna and the wireless communication processing unit are electrically connected by storing the antenna in the storage unit.   The bearing with a wireless sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection sensor detects any one or more of vibration, temperature, humidity, and rotation speed.   The bearing with a wireless sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the detection sensor includes any one of an ultrasonic sensor and a gas sensor.   The bearing with a wireless sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bearing body is a rolling bearing.   The bearing with a wireless sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bearing body is a sliding bearing.

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