JP2020030205A - Industrial device having sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an industrial device capable of collecting, in a sensor, abrasion powder (conductor material) of an amount required for appropriate failure prognosis.SOLUTION: An industrial device 1 includes: a lubricant reserving unit including a region in which the lubricant circulates; and a sensor 5 that has a pair of electrodes disposed in the region in which the lubricant circulates and detects the variation in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes. The industrial device includes a speed reducer 2. The industrial device includes: a hollow cylindrical member; and a center gear that is disposed near the sensor and rotates about the central axis of the cylindrical member. The sensor is disposed in the region facing the center gear. Furthermore, a blanket is disposed in the lubricant reserving unit, and the sensor is fixed to the blanket.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an industrial device provided with a sensor, for example, a device including a gear device such as a speed reducer.

  Industrial apparatuses such as reduction gears are housed in a housing in which lubricating oil is stored in order to suppress damage to mechanical parts such as gears. When the mechanical parts are worn during operation of such a mechanical device, wear powder is mixed into the lubricating oil. The wear powder is, for example, a conductive substance such as iron powder.

  When the wear of the mechanical parts progresses and enters the wear failure period in the failure rate curve (bathtub curve), the amount of wear powder mixed into the lubricating oil increases. For this reason, the preventive maintenance of a machine part can be performed accurately by the sensor which detects the amount of abrasion powder in lubricating oil.

  As such a sensor, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sensor that detects the amount of metal powder in oil. The sensor described in Patent Literature 1 includes a sensor head having a permanent magnet, a cup-shaped electrode provided on a distal end surface of the sensor head, and a plurality of rod-shaped conductors arranged side by side on the outer peripheral surface of the sensor head. It has. When wear powder accumulates between the opposing end surfaces (detection area) of the rod-shaped conductor to which a magnetic field is applied by the permanent magnet and the cup-shaped electrode (detection area) and the conductor is short-circuited, the output of the sensor changes, making use of oil. It is disclosed that the degree of contamination can be detected.

JP 2005-331324 A

  There are various sizes of industrial equipment, from small to large, and the size of mechanical parts in the equipment is also different. Therefore, the amount of abrasion powder (conductor material) generated during operation is limited to mechanical equipment. Depends on In particular, in a small-sized industrial device, since the amount of generated conductive material is small, it may be difficult to integrate the necessary amount of conductive material into the sensor for proper failure prediction. For this reason, it is required that a sensor can collect a necessary amount of a conductive material for predicting a failure of a mechanical component or the like.

  One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an industrial device capable of integrating an amount of abrasion powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction into a sensor.

  An industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lubricant reservoir including a region in which a lubricant circulates, and a pair of electrodes arranged in a region in which the lubricant circulates, and an electric device between the pair of electrodes. A sensor for detecting a change in resistance.

  The industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a speed reducer.

  An industrial device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a hollow cylindrical member, and a center gear that is arranged near a sensor and that rotates around a central axis of the cylindrical member.

  In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor may be provided in a region facing the center gear.

  The industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that a blanket is provided in the lubricant reservoir, and the sensor is fixed to the blanket.

  An industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a drive source at least partially housed in a case, one end of a lubricant reservoir is defined by an end surface of the case, and a drive shaft of the drive source is an end surface of the case. And the sensor may be fixed to the end face of the case.

  In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive source may be configured to be a motor.

  The industrial device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a rotatable carrier to which the sensor is fixed.

  The carrier of the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention may be connected to the first member.

  In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the first member may be a robot arm.

  The industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a crank member fixed at a position facing the sensor. In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor may be fixed at a position facing the crank member in the axial direction of the crank member.

  An industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lubricant reservoir in which lubricant is stored, and a pair of electrodes disposed vertically below the lubricant reservoir, and a conductor material is disposed between the pair of electrodes. A sensor for detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.

  In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor has a pair of electrodes disposed vertically above the lubricant reservoir, and a pair of electrodes is formed by accumulating a conductive material between the pair of electrodes. Another sensor that detects a change in electrical resistance between the sensors may be provided.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an industrial apparatus capable of collecting an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction in a sensor.

It is a sectional view of an industrial device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a sensor included in the industrial device in FIG. 1. It is a figure showing composition of a sensor concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing composition of a sensor concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing the composition of the sensor concerning a 4th embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing composition of a sensor concerning a 5th embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing the composition of the sensor concerning a 6th embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, various devices can be assumed as the industrial device in one embodiment of the present invention, but for convenience of explanation, a description will be given taking a speed reducer as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an industrial device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the industrial device 1 is a movable unit such as a robot arm, for example, and includes a speed reducer 2, a flange 3 provided on an input side, a drive source (for example, a servomotor or the like) 4, An output-side device A1.

  The speed reducer 2 includes a case 12 attached to the flange 3, an input shaft 14 connected to the output shaft 13 of the drive source 4, and an output shaft 15 connected to the output device A1. The input shaft 14 and the output shaft 15 are rotatably supported on the case 12 about the axis AX. The output of the drive source 4 is input to the speed reducer 2 via the input shaft 14, decelerated by the speed reducer 2, and transmitted to the output side device A 1 via the output shaft 15. Thereby, the output side device A1 and the flange 3 can be relatively rotated.

  The flange 3 is a cylindrical member having a hollow portion, and accommodates at least a part of the speed reducer 2. A drive source 4 is attached to the flange 3. The opening at one end of the flange 3 in the direction along the axis AX is closed by the speed reducer 2, and the opening at the other end is closed by the drive source 4. As a result, a closed hollow portion (that is, a lubrication material storage portion) S is formed in the flange 3. A lubricant such as lubricating oil is accommodated in the lubricant reservoir S, and the flange 3 also functions as an oil bath.

  For example, a gear mechanism is housed in the case 12 of the speed reducer 2. The space in the case 12 is continuous with the lubricant reservoir S in the flange 3. When the speed reducer 2 operates, the circulation of the lubricant (also referred to as convection) occurs between the space in the case 12 and the space in the flange 3 as the gear mechanism in the case 12 rotates. Due to the circulation of the lubricant, a conductive substance such as abrasion powder generated inside the reduction gear 2 circulates or is discharged to the lubricant reservoir S in the flange 3. The lubricant reservoir S may include a space inside the reduction gear 2 in addition to the hollow portion of the flange 3.

  A sensor 5 for detecting a conductor substance contained in the lubricant is mounted in the lubricant reservoir S. The sensor 5 uses a magnet to accumulate a conductor material contained in the lubricant between the pair of electrodes, and detects the conductor material in the lubricant based on a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes. The sensor 5 is provided, for example, in a region A shown in FIG. 1 where the lubricant circulates.

  Next, an example of the sensor 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The sensor 5 may have various shapes, structures, and dimensions, and is not intended to be limited to the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the sensor 5 provided in the industrial device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a top view of the sensor 5 and a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the top view.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor 5 includes a center electrode (first electrode) 6, a magnet 7, a box-shaped electrode (second electrode) 8, a screw member 9, and a resin material 10. As shown, the center electrode (first electrode) 6 and the magnet 7 are fixed to a box-shaped electrode (second electrode) 8 by a screw member 9. The signal line 41 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the box-shaped electrode 8, and the signal line 42 is connected to the center electrode 6.

  The box-shaped electrode 8 is a magnetic member formed of a conductive magnetic material such as iron, ferrite, or silicon steel. The box-shaped electrode 8 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and an opening at one end side (lower side in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2) in the axial direction is closed by a bottom 8a, and a cylinder having an opening on the upper surface. It is configured in a box shape. The shape of the box-shaped electrode 8 may be an electrode having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with only the upper surface opened or a polygonal tube shape with the lower surface closed.

  A resin material 10 which is a non-magnetic material (insulator) is disposed inside the box-shaped electrode 8. Thus, the center electrode (first electrode) 6 and the magnet 7 are formed such that at least a part thereof is embedded in the central region of the resin material. The box-shaped electrode 8 is arranged so as to surround the magnet 7 and the resin material 10. The shape of the magnet 7 and the center electrode 6 is not limited to a columnar shape, but may be another shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a polygonal column shape.

  As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the outer shape of the center electrode 6 is smaller than the inner circumference of the box-shaped electrode 8. Thereby, a gap portion GA is formed between the center electrode 6 and the box-shaped electrode 8 over the entire periphery of the center electrode 6 (that is, so as to surround the center electrode). In other words, the center electrode 6 and the box-shaped electrode 8 are arranged to face each other with the gap GA above the resin material 10 interposed therebetween. The gap portion GA is formed above the resin material 10.

  Output lines (signal lines 41 and 42 in FIG. 1) are connected to the center electrode 6 and the box-shaped electrode 8, respectively. As shown, the magnet 7 may be attached to the lower part of the center electrode 6 or the like, or may not be. When the magnet 7 is attached, the magnet 7 is formed of a magnet or an electromagnet. The magnet 7 is coated with a non-magnetic material such as copper, and the signal line 41 or the signal line 42 is connected to the coating layer. May be. When an electromagnet is used as the magnet 7, the center electrode 6 may be configured to also serve as an electrode of the electromagnet.

  The output end of the output line is connected to a sensor drive circuit (not shown). The sensor drive circuit monitors the resistance value of the sensor 5 and predicts a failure of a mechanical component based on a change in the resistance value due to accumulation of the conductive material between the electrodes. When a certain amount of conductive material is accumulated in the gap portion GA, the electric resistance between the central electrode 6 to which the voltage is applied and the box-shaped electrode 8 decreases, and the output level of the output line changes. The sensor drive circuit detects a decrease in the electric resistance, thereby enabling a failure prediction of a mechanical component. Further, the decrease in the electric resistance also includes an on / off signal due to non-energization and conduction, and detection may be performed in two states of non-energization and conduction (hereinafter, referred to as “digital detection”).

  The sensor drive circuit is connected to a host controller such as a manipulator by wire or wirelessly. The circuit board 43 in FIG. 1 may always transmit the output of the output line (the output of the sensor 5) to the higher-level control device. ).

  Upon detecting a change in the output level of the output line received from the circuit board 43, the higher-level control device issues, for example, a warning that prompts maintenance of the speed reducer 2 by using predetermined notification means (display device or audio output device). Can be configured.

  The magnet 7 is magnetized, and a magnetic flux path φA (not shown) is formed in a predetermined direction. In particular, a strong magnetic flux flows through the gap GA around the center electrode 6. Due to the magnetic force of the magnet 7, the conductive material of the mechanical component (for example, the conductive material of the mechanical component mixed into the lubricating oil) is adsorbed to the gap portion GA.

  Here, when the wear of the mechanical parts progresses and the wear failure period in the failure rate curve (bathtub curve) begins, the amount of the conductive material generated increases, but this amount greatly varies depending on the size of the industrial equipment. In general, the larger the equipment, the larger or more mechanical components it produces, and the more conductive material will be generated. On the other hand, in a small-sized device or the like, since the amount of generated conductive material is small, it may be difficult to integrate the required amount of conductive material into the sensor 5 for appropriate failure prediction. Therefore, it is desirable to enable the sensor 5 to collect an amount of conductive material necessary for predicting a failure of a mechanical component or the like.

  As described above, in the industrial device 1, the sensor 5 is provided in the region A in which the lubricant circulates. This makes it easier for the conductor material contained in the lubricant to pass near the sensor 5, so that the conductor material is easily attracted to the sensor 5. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Next, an industrial device 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 101 includes a flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  Like the industrial device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the industrial device 101 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, a first electrode 6 and a second electrode 8). A sensor 5 for applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes, accumulating a conductive material between the electrodes, and detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.

The industrial device 101 includes a hollow cylindrical member 17 and a center gear 18 that rotates around a central axis of the cylindrical member 17. The sensor 5 is arranged near the center gear 18.

  As described above, since the sensor 5 is disposed near the center gear 18, the lubricant circulates as the center gear 18 rotates, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  In the industrial device 101, the sensor 5 is provided in a region facing the center gear 18. Thus, the lubricant can be circulated in the direction of the sensor as the center gear 18 rotates, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Further, the industrial apparatus 101 is configured such that a blanket 19 is provided in the lubricant reservoir S, and the sensor 5 is fixed to the blanket 19. Thus, the sensor can be arranged at a position facing the center gear 18, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction. . Here, the blanket 19 can be attached to an appropriate position inside the industrial device 1 with a screw or the like, but an attachment method can be appropriately selected.

  Next, an industrial device 201 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 201 includes the flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  The industrial device 201 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes. A sensor for integrating a conductive material between the pair of electrodes and detecting a change in electrical resistance between the pair of electrodes;

  The industrial device 201 includes the drive source 4 partially housed in the case 20. The drive source 4 is, for example, a motor. One end of the lubricant reservoir S is defined by an end face 22 of the case 20. The drive shaft 21 of the drive source 4 passes through the end face 22 of the end face 22 of the case 20, and the sensor 5 is fixed to the end face 22 of the case 20. Accordingly, the lubricant can be circulated toward the sensor 5 with the rotation of the drive shaft 21 of the drive source 4 to collect a larger amount of the conductive substance. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction. Further, as compared with the case where the sensor 5 is provided on the flange 3, the molding of the flange 3 becomes simpler, and the connection line of the drive source 4 and the connection line of the sensor 5 are easily integrated.

  Next, an industrial device 301 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 301 includes a flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2 including the carrier 23, and the drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion. The space S is filled with a lubricant (for example, lubricating oil).

  The industrial device 301 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes to form a conductor. A sensor for accumulating a substance between the pair of electrodes and detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.

  The industrial apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a rotatable carrier 23, and the sensor 5 is configured to be fixed to the carrier 23. As a result, the sensor 5 rotates together with the carrier 23, and thus comes into contact with more lubricant as the sensor 5 moves. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Next, an industrial device 401 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 401 includes the flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 including the carrier 23 is accommodated in the flange 3. On the output side of the speed reducer 2, the carrier 23 is connected to a first member (for example, a robot arm) 24. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  The industrial device 401 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (a first electrode 6 and a second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes to form a conductor material. Is integrated between the pair of electrodes, and a sensor 5 for detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes is provided.

  The industrial device 401 includes the carrier 23 connected to the first member 24. The first member 24 is, for example, a robot arm. The speed reducer 2 and a member that can be attached thereto are rotatable with respect to the flange 3, and the sensor 5 is fixed to the first member 24. As a result, the sensor 5 rotates together with the first member 24, so that the sensor 5 comes into contact with more lubricant as the sensor 5 moves. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  The industrial device 401 includes a crank member (crank mechanism) 25, and the sensor 5 is fixed at a position facing the crank member 25. The sensor 5 is fixed at a position facing the crank member 25 in the axial direction of the crank member 25. Thus, the movement of the sensor 5 makes contact with more lubricant near the crank member 25, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Next, an industrial device 501 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 501 includes the flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  The industrial device 501 includes a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes. It is configured to include a sensor 5 that integrates a conductive material between the pair of electrodes and detects a change in electrical resistance between the pair of electrodes.

  In the industrial device 501, the sensor 5 is disposed vertically below the lubricant reservoir S. The industrial device 501 is installed, for example, with the drive shaft of the drive source 4 orthogonal to the vertical direction. In the sensor 5 disposed below the oil bath, the conductor material that has precipitated due to little stirring of the lubricant is easily collected, and can be used for predicting a failure of the industrial apparatus 1. This makes it easy to attract the precipitated conductor material, so that it is possible to accumulate the required amount of wear powder (conductor material) in the sensor 5 for proper failure prediction.

  The industrial device 501 includes another sensor 5 that has a pair of electrodes and integrates a conductive material between the pair of electrodes to detect a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes. The sensor 5 is disposed vertically above the lubricant reservoir S. In the sensor 5 disposed above the oil bath, when the agitation of the lubricant is small, the conductive substance generated due to the failure of the speed reducer precipitates. In this case, the conductor substance is unlikely to adhere to the sensor 5 disposed above the oil bath, and is configured to react at a certain time after the failure of the speed reducer (more conductors after the failure). Substance is released). For this reason, the sensor 5 on the lower side in the vertical direction, where the precipitated conductor material is easily collected, is used for failure prediction, and the release of a large amount of the conductor material due to the failure is detected by the sensor 5 on the upper side in the vertical direction and used for failure detection. This makes it possible to provide a sensor mode with less possibility of false alarm. Further, by further increasing the number of the sensors 5, it is possible to provide a sensor group that enables more reliable and accurate detection.

  The above is the description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. For example, the embodiments of the present application also include embodiments exemplarily illustrated in the specification or contents obtained by appropriately combining obvious embodiments and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Industrial apparatus 2 Reduction gear 3 Flange part 4 Drive source 5 Sensor 6 Center electrode 7 Magnet 8 Box-shaped electrode 9 Screw member 10 Resin material 11 Spring member 12 Case 13 Output shaft 14 Input shaft 15 Output shaft 16 Support member 17 Cylindrical member 18 Center gear 19 Blanket 20 Case 21 Drive shaft 22 End surface 23 Carrier 24 First member 25 Crank member 41 Signal line 42 Signal line 43 Circuit board

  The present invention relates to an industrial device provided with a sensor, for example, a device including a gear device such as a speed reducer.

  Industrial apparatuses such as reduction gears are housed in a housing in which lubricating oil is stored in order to suppress damage to mechanical parts such as gears. When the mechanical parts are worn during operation of such a mechanical device, wear powder is mixed into the lubricating oil. The wear powder is, for example, a conductive substance such as iron powder.

  When the wear of the mechanical parts progresses and enters the wear failure period in the failure rate curve (bathtub curve), the amount of wear powder mixed into the lubricating oil increases. For this reason, the preventive maintenance of a machine part can be performed accurately by the sensor which detects the amount of abrasion powder in lubricating oil.

  As such a sensor, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sensor that detects the amount of metal powder in oil. The sensor described in Patent Literature 1 includes a sensor head having a permanent magnet, a cup-shaped electrode provided on a distal end surface of the sensor head, and a plurality of rod-shaped conductors arranged side by side on the outer peripheral surface of the sensor head. It has. When wear powder accumulates between the opposing end surfaces (detection area) of the rod-shaped conductor to which a magnetic field is applied by the permanent magnet and the cup-shaped electrode (detection area) and the conductor is short-circuited, the output of the sensor changes, making use of oil. It is disclosed that the degree of contamination can be detected.

JP 2005-331324 A

  There are various sizes of industrial equipment, from small to large, and the size of mechanical parts in the equipment is also different. Therefore, the amount of abrasion powder (conductor material) generated during operation is limited to mechanical equipment. Depends on In particular, in a small-sized industrial device, since the amount of generated conductive material is small, it may be difficult to integrate the necessary amount of conductive material into the sensor for proper failure prediction. For this reason, it is required that a sensor can collect a necessary amount of a conductive material for predicting a failure of a mechanical component or the like.

  One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an industrial device capable of integrating an amount of abrasion powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction into a sensor.

  An industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lubricant reservoir including a region in which a lubricant circulates, and a pair of electrodes arranged in a region in which the lubricant circulates, and an electric device between the pair of electrodes. A sensor for detecting a change in resistance.

  The industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a speed reducer.

An industrial device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a hollow cylindrical member, and a center gear disposed near the sensor and rotating around a central axis of the cylindrical member.

In industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, sensor may be provided in the area facing the cell Ntagiya.

Industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the bracket is provided in portion reservoir lubrication material, sensor may be configured to be secured to the bracket.

  An industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a drive source at least partially housed in a case, one end of a lubricant reservoir is defined by an end surface of the case, and a drive shaft of the drive source is an end surface of the case. And the sensor may be fixed to the end face of the case.

In industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, it drives Dogen may be configured to be a motor.

Industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise a rotatable carrier which sensor is fixed.

  The carrier of the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention may be connected to the first member.

  In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the first member may be a robot arm.

  The industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a crank member fixed at a position facing the sensor. In the industrial device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor may be fixed at a position facing the crank member in the axial direction of the crank member.

Industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lubricant reservoir which lubricant is accumulated, a pair of electrodes disposed vertically below the lubrication material reservoir, a conductor material between a pair of electrodes A sensor for detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.

Industrial apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention has a pair of electrodes disposed vertically above the lubrication material reservoir, an electric between the pair of electrodes by integrating conductor material between a pair of electrodes Another sensor for detecting a change in resistance may be provided.

  According to the present invention, there is provided an industrial apparatus capable of collecting an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction in a sensor.

It is a sectional view of an industrial device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a sensor included in the industrial device in FIG. 1. It is a figure showing composition of a sensor concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing composition of a sensor concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing the composition of the sensor concerning a 4th embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing composition of a sensor concerning a 5th embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing the composition of the sensor concerning a 6th embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, various devices can be assumed as the industrial device in one embodiment of the present invention, but for convenience of explanation, a description will be given taking a speed reducer as an example.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an industrial device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the industrial device 1 is a movable unit such as a robot arm, for example, and includes a speed reducer 2, a flange 3 provided on an input side, a drive source (for example, a servomotor or the like) 4, An output-side device A1.

  The speed reducer 2 includes a case 12 attached to the flange 3, an input shaft 14 connected to the output shaft 13 of the drive source 4, and an output shaft 15 connected to the output device A1. The input shaft 14 and the output shaft 15 are rotatably supported on the case 12 about the axis AX. The output of the drive source 4 is input to the speed reducer 2 via the input shaft 14, decelerated by the speed reducer 2, and transmitted to the output side device A 1 via the output shaft 15. Thereby, the output side device A1 and the flange 3 can be relatively rotated.

  The flange 3 is a cylindrical member having a hollow portion, and accommodates at least a part of the speed reducer 2. A drive source 4 is attached to the flange 3. The opening at one end of the flange 3 in the direction along the axis AX is closed by the speed reducer 2, and the opening at the other end is closed by the drive source 4. As a result, a closed hollow portion (that is, a lubrication material storage portion) S is formed in the flange 3. A lubricant such as lubricating oil is accommodated in the lubricant reservoir S, and the flange 3 also functions as an oil bath.

  For example, a gear mechanism is housed in the case 12 of the speed reducer 2. The space in the case 12 is continuous with the lubricant reservoir S in the flange 3. When the speed reducer 2 operates, the circulation of the lubricant (also referred to as convection) occurs between the space in the case 12 and the space in the flange 3 as the gear mechanism in the case 12 rotates. Due to the circulation of the lubricant, a conductive substance such as abrasion powder generated inside the reduction gear 2 circulates or is discharged to the lubricant reservoir S in the flange 3. The lubricant reservoir S may include a space inside the reduction gear 2 in addition to the hollow portion of the flange 3.

  A sensor 5 for detecting a conductor substance contained in the lubricant is mounted in the lubricant reservoir S. The sensor 5 uses a magnet to accumulate a conductor material contained in the lubricant between the pair of electrodes, and detects the conductor material in the lubricant based on a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes. The sensor 5 is provided, for example, in a region A shown in FIG. 1 where the lubricant circulates.

  Next, an example of the sensor 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The sensor 5 may have various shapes, structures, and dimensions, and is not intended to be limited to the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the sensor 5 provided in the industrial device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a top view of the sensor 5 and a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the top view.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor 5 includes a center electrode (first electrode) 6, a magnet 7, a box-shaped electrode (second electrode) 8, a screw member 9, and a resin material 10. As shown, the center electrode (first electrode) 6 and the magnet 7 are fixed to a box-shaped electrode (second electrode) 8 by a screw member 9. The signal line 41 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the box-shaped electrode 8, and the signal line 42 is connected to the center electrode 6.

  The box-shaped electrode 8 is a magnetic member formed of a conductive magnetic material such as iron, ferrite, or silicon steel. The box-shaped electrode 8 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and an opening at one end side (lower side in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2) in the axial direction is closed by a bottom 8a, and a cylinder having an opening on the upper surface. It is configured in a box shape. The shape of the box-shaped electrode 8 may be an electrode having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with only the upper surface opened or a polygonal tube shape with the lower surface closed.

  A resin material 10 which is a non-magnetic material (insulator) is disposed inside the box-shaped electrode 8. Thus, the center electrode (first electrode) 6 and the magnet 7 are formed such that at least a part thereof is embedded in the central region of the resin material. The box-shaped electrode 8 is arranged so as to surround the magnet 7 and the resin material 10. The shape of the magnet 7 and the center electrode 6 is not limited to a columnar shape, but may be another shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a polygonal column shape.

  As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the outer shape of the center electrode 6 is smaller than the inner circumference of the box-shaped electrode 8. Thereby, a gap portion GA is formed between the center electrode 6 and the box-shaped electrode 8 over the entire periphery of the center electrode 6 (that is, so as to surround the center electrode). In other words, the center electrode 6 and the box-shaped electrode 8 are arranged to face each other with the gap GA above the resin material 10 interposed therebetween. The gap portion GA is formed above the resin material 10.

  Output lines (signal lines 41 and 42 in FIG. 1) are connected to the center electrode 6 and the box-shaped electrode 8, respectively. As shown, the magnet 7 may be attached to the lower part of the center electrode 6 or the like, or may not be. When the magnet 7 is attached, the magnet 7 is formed of a magnet or an electromagnet. The magnet 7 is coated with a non-magnetic material such as copper, and the signal line 41 or the signal line 42 is connected to the coating layer. May be. When an electromagnet is used as the magnet 7, the center electrode 6 may be configured to also serve as an electrode of the electromagnet.

  The output end of the output line is connected to a sensor drive circuit (not shown). The sensor drive circuit monitors the resistance value of the sensor 5 and predicts a failure of a mechanical component based on a change in the resistance value due to accumulation of the conductive material between the electrodes. When a certain amount of conductive material is accumulated in the gap portion GA, the electric resistance between the central electrode 6 to which the voltage is applied and the box-shaped electrode 8 decreases, and the output level of the output line changes. The sensor drive circuit detects a decrease in the electric resistance, thereby enabling a failure prediction of a mechanical component. Further, the decrease in the electric resistance also includes an on / off signal due to non-energization and conduction, and detection may be performed in two states of non-energization and conduction (hereinafter, referred to as “digital detection”).

  The sensor drive circuit is connected to a host controller such as a manipulator by wire or wirelessly. The circuit board 43 in FIG. 1 may always transmit the output of the output line (the output of the sensor 5) to the higher-level control device. ).

  Upon detecting a change in the output level of the output line received from the circuit board 43, the higher-level control device issues, for example, a warning that prompts maintenance of the speed reducer 2 by using predetermined notification means (display device or audio output device). Can be configured.

  The magnet 7 is magnetized, and a magnetic flux path φA (not shown) is formed in a predetermined direction. In particular, a strong magnetic flux flows through the gap GA around the center electrode 6. Due to the magnetic force of the magnet 7, the conductive material of the mechanical component (for example, the conductive material of the mechanical component mixed into the lubricating oil) is adsorbed to the gap portion GA.

  Here, when the wear of the mechanical parts progresses and the wear failure period in the failure rate curve (bathtub curve) begins, the amount of the conductive material generated increases, but this amount greatly varies depending on the size of the industrial equipment. In general, the larger the equipment, the larger or more mechanical components it produces, and the more conductive material will be generated. On the other hand, in a small-sized device or the like, since the amount of generated conductive material is small, it may be difficult to integrate the required amount of conductive material into the sensor 5 for appropriate failure prediction. Therefore, it is desirable to enable the sensor 5 to collect an amount of conductive material necessary for predicting a failure of a mechanical component or the like.

  As described above, in the industrial device 1, the sensor 5 is provided in the region A in which the lubricant circulates. This makes it easier for the conductor material contained in the lubricant to pass near the sensor 5, so that the conductor material is easily attracted to the sensor 5. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Next, an industrial device 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 101 includes a flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  Like the industrial device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the industrial device 101 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, a first electrode 6 and a second electrode 8). A sensor 5 for applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes, accumulating a conductive material between the electrodes, and detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.

  The industrial device 101 includes a hollow cylindrical member 17 and a center gear 18 that rotates around a central axis of the cylindrical member 17. The sensor 5 is arranged near the center gear 18.

  As described above, since the sensor 5 is disposed near the center gear 18, the lubricant circulates as the center gear 18 rotates, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  In the industrial device 101, the sensor 5 is provided in a region facing the center gear 18. Thus, the lubricant can be circulated in the direction of the sensor as the center gear 18 rotates, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

Further, the industrial apparatus 101 is configured such that a bracket 19 is provided in the lubricant reservoir S, and the sensor 5 is fixed to the bracket 19. Thus, the sensor can be arranged at a position facing the center gear 18, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction. . Here, the bracket 19 can be attached to an appropriate position inside the industrial device 1 with a screw or the like, but an attachment method can be appropriately selected.

  Next, an industrial device 201 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 201 includes the flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  The industrial device 201 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes. A sensor for integrating a conductive material between the pair of electrodes and detecting a change in electrical resistance between the pair of electrodes;

  The industrial device 201 includes the drive source 4 partially housed in the case 20. The drive source 4 is, for example, a motor. One end of the lubricant reservoir S is defined by an end face 22 of the case 20. The drive shaft 21 of the drive source 4 passes through the end face 22 of the end face 22 of the case 20, and the sensor 5 is fixed to the end face 22 of the case 20. Accordingly, the lubricant can be circulated toward the sensor 5 with the rotation of the drive shaft 21 of the drive source 4 to collect a larger amount of the conductive substance. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction. Further, as compared with the case where the sensor 5 is provided on the flange 3, the molding of the flange 3 becomes simpler, and the connection line of the drive source 4 and the connection line of the sensor 5 are easily integrated.

  Next, an industrial device 301 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 301 includes a flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2 including the carrier 23, and the drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion. The space S is filled with a lubricant (for example, lubricating oil).

  The industrial device 301 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes to form a conductor. A sensor for accumulating a substance between the pair of electrodes and detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.

  The industrial apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a rotatable carrier 23, and the sensor 5 is configured to be fixed to the carrier 23. As a result, the sensor 5 rotates together with the carrier 23, and thus comes into contact with more lubricant as the sensor 5 moves. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Next, an industrial device 401 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 401 includes the flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 including the carrier 23 is accommodated in the flange 3. On the output side of the speed reducer 2, the carrier 23 is connected to a first member (for example, a robot arm) 24. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  The industrial device 401 has a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (a first electrode 6 and a second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes to form a conductor material. Is integrated between the pair of electrodes, and a sensor 5 for detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes is provided.

  The industrial device 401 includes the carrier 23 connected to the first member 24. The first member 24 is, for example, a robot arm. The speed reducer 2 and a member that can be attached thereto are rotatable with respect to the flange 3, and the sensor 5 is fixed to the first member 24. As a result, the sensor 5 rotates together with the first member 24, so that the sensor 5 comes into contact with more lubricant as the sensor 5 moves. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  The industrial device 401 includes a crank member (crank mechanism) 25, and the sensor 5 is fixed at a position facing the crank member 25. The sensor 5 is fixed at a position facing the crank member 25 in the axial direction of the crank member 25. Thus, the movement of the sensor 5 makes contact with more lubricant near the crank member 25, so that a larger amount of the conductive substance can be collected. Therefore, it is possible to accumulate in the sensor 5 an amount of wear powder (conductor material) necessary for proper failure prediction.

  Next, an industrial device 501 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The industrial device 501 includes the flange 3, and at least a part of the speed reducer 2 is housed in the flange 3. The flange 3 is a housing member that houses the speed reducer 2, and a drive source 4 (for example, a motor) is attached to the flange 3. The flange 3 is a substantially cylindrical member having a hollow portion (lubricant reservoir S). A lubricant (for example, lubricating oil) is stored in the lubricant reservoir S.

  The industrial device 501 includes a lubricant reservoir S in which lubricant is retained, and a pair of electrodes (that is, the first electrode 6 and the second electrode 8), and applies a voltage between the pair of electrodes. It is configured to include a sensor 5 that integrates a conductive material between the pair of electrodes and detects a change in electrical resistance between the pair of electrodes.

In the industrial device 501, the sensor 5 is disposed vertically below the lubricant reservoir S. The industrial device 501 is installed, for example, with the drive shaft of the drive source 4 orthogonal to the vertical direction. In the sensor 5 is arranged on the lower side of the oil bath, easily collected conductor material and which has been precipitated for agitation of lubricant is small, it can be used for failure prediction industrial device 50 1. This makes it easy to attract the precipitated conductor material, so that it is possible to accumulate the required amount of wear powder (conductor material) in the sensor 5 for proper failure prediction.

  The industrial device 501 includes another sensor 5 that has a pair of electrodes and integrates a conductive material between the pair of electrodes to detect a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes. The sensor 5 is disposed vertically above the lubricant reservoir S. In the sensor 5 disposed above the oil bath, when the agitation of the lubricant is small, the conductive substance generated due to the failure of the speed reducer precipitates. In this case, the conductor substance is unlikely to adhere to the sensor 5 disposed above the oil bath, and is configured to react at a certain time after the failure of the speed reducer (more conductors after the failure). Substance is released). For this reason, the sensor 5 on the lower side in the vertical direction, which is easy to collect the precipitated conductor material, is used for failure prediction, and the release of a large amount of conductor material due to a failure is detected by the sensor 5 on the upper side in the vertical direction and used for failure detection. Thus, it is possible to provide a sensor mode with less possibility of false alarm. Further, by further increasing the number of the sensors 5, it is possible to provide a sensor group that enables more reliable and accurate detection.

  The above is the description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. For example, the embodiments of the present application also include embodiments exemplarily illustrated in the specification or contents obtained by appropriately combining obvious embodiments and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Industrial apparatus 2 Reduction gear 3 Flange part 4 Drive source 5 Sensor 6 Center electrode 7 Magnet 8 Box-shaped electrode 9 Screw member 10 Resin material 11 Spring member 12 Case 13 Output shaft 14 Input shaft 15 Output shaft 16 Support member 17 Cylindrical member 18 Center gear 19 Bracket 20 Case 21 Drive shaft 22 End face 23 Carrier 24 First member 25 Crank member 41 Signal line 42 Signal line 43 Circuit board

Claims (14)

A lubricant reservoir including an area where the lubricant circulates,
An industrial apparatus, comprising: a pair of electrodes arranged in a region where the lubricant circulates; and a sensor for detecting a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes.   The industrial device according to claim 1, wherein the industrial device includes a speed reducer. A hollow tubular member,
The industrial apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a center gear disposed near the sensor and configured to rotate around a central axis of the tubular member.   The industrial device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is provided in a region facing the center gear. A blanket is provided in the lubricant reservoir,
The industrial device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is fixed to the blanket. A drive source at least partially housed in the case,
One end of the lubricant reservoir is defined by an end surface of the case,
The drive shaft of the drive source penetrates the end face of the case,
The industrial device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is fixed to the end surface of the case.   The industrial device according to claim 6, wherein the drive source is a motor.   The industrial device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a fixed rotatable carrier.   The industrial device according to claim 8, wherein the carrier is connected to a first member.   The industrial device according to claim 9, wherein the first member is a robot arm.   The industrial device according to claim 9, further comprising a crank member fixed at a position facing the sensor.   The industrial apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sensor is fixed at a position facing the crank member in an axial direction of the crank member. A lubrication reservoir where lubrication is stored,
A sensor that has a pair of electrodes disposed vertically below the lubricant reservoir, and that detects a change in electrical resistance between the pair of electrodes by accumulating a conductive material between the pair of electrodes. An industrial device characterized by that:   It has a pair of electrodes arranged vertically above the lubricating material reservoir, and includes another sensor that accumulates a conductive material between the pair of electrodes and detects a change in electric resistance between the pair of electrodes. The industrial apparatus according to claim 13.