RU2224229C2 - Balancing machine with wireless communication interface ( 2 variants ) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: repair of tires, mechanical engineering, machine-tool industry and instrumentation engineering. SUBSTANCE: balancing machine is supplemented with wireless communication interface, clock-timer of actual and relative time and energy-independent storage. Additional units are intended for collection of information on operation of units and blocks of system, on quality of control process, on events taking place in given system and for conversion of this information to certain type and recording in certain fields of energy-independent storage and for transmission of it from energy-independent storage on request from higher facility over wireless communication interface. EFFECT: generation of information on operation of machine, potential for remote control, loading and/or change of functioning program of machine, diagnostics, initialization, calibration and testing of machine via wireless communication interface. 2 cl, 1 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the field of information technology and can be used in the field of tire repair production, in mechanical engineering, machine tool and instrument making, as well as in other industries where it is necessary to obtain the correct information about the progress of technological processes.

 Known "GSP 9700 Vibration Management System", designed to balance and eliminate vibrations caused by the heterogeneity of the car wheel. Information is available at http: //www.gsp9700.com. (1).

 This system contains a control unit, a sensor of angular displacements of the machine shaft, vibration sensors of the machine shaft, an electric drive of the shaft with a brake, a system for measuring linear dimensions, a pressure drum with a pneumatic drive acting radially on the balanced wheel.

The disadvantages of this wheel balancing system are as follows:
- the existing balancing machine does not accumulate and process statistical and technological information for long periods of time (week, month, etc.), due to the lack of the necessary large amount of memory available in the machine control unit;
- the second drawback is a consequence of the first and lies in the fact that modern balancing machines do not provide statistics for large periods of time, and especially, issuing them in a way that is understandable to the user, such as the time of the machine’s operation, the graph of the load intensity, and the distribution of hours equipment downtime, on the list of control system error codes, that is, this machine is a balancing machine, and not a machine for analyzing machine operation statistics;
- the design of this machine does not include the possibility of exchanging data via a wireless communication interface in order to gain access to the internal resources of the machine from an external system; and this, in turn, leads to difficulties in finding and determining faults (diagnostics), product testing (especially group testing) at the stage of commissioning of OTK machines, as well as their calibration.

The aim of the invention "Balancing machine with a wireless communication interface" in two ways is:
1. simplification of the initialization and adjustment (calibration) procedure of the balancing machine even at the stage of its assembly;
2. simplification of the testing procedure of the machine at the manufacturer at the stage of delivery of the product OTK;
3. simplification of the procedure for diagnosing the machine by service centers in case of malfunctions;
4. obtaining the correct information by the service departments about the actual operating time of the machine, about the date it was started, about the list of error codes of the machine control system;
5. the ability to download the latest software to the machine control unit (program update) by the service or user;
6. receipt by the management of the enterprise operating the balancing machine (s) of information about the workload of a particular machine during the day, week, month, etc.);
7. obtaining information on the distribution of hours of equipment downtime.

 The specified goal is achieved by the following images. A non-volatile memory and a real-time clock-timer are additionally connected to the microcontroller (processor) built into the control system of the well-known balancing machine.

 According to a certain algorithm, the microcontroller collects information from sensors and actuators of the balancing machine in accordance with a certain state of the machine control program algorithm, which is “wired” into the non-volatile memory of the microcontroller programs.

 Next, the microcontroller processes this information and writes it in accordance with a certain algorithm in certain fields of non-volatile memory.

 A wireless communication interest is also connected to the microcontroller, through which information is exchanged and the balancing machine is controlled, the machine's actuators are installed, information is read from the primary sensors and the microcontroller's resources are written / read, as well as the transfer of information from non-volatile memory to an external device upon request.

 The communication interface can also be used to change data in non-volatile memory and update and download software.

 A close analogue of the proposed "balancing machine with a wireless communication interface" in the available scientific, technical and patent information is not installed.

 As a remote analogue, you can take the "GSP 9700 Vibration Control System" according to the source of technical information (1). The drawing shows the schematically proposed "balancing machine with a wireless communication interface."

 The proposed balancing machine consists of: shaft 1 of the machine mounted on two supports 2; at one end of the shaft 1, a balanced wheel 3 is fixed by means of a mounting device 4; on the other end of the shaft 1, the shaft drive 5 with the brake is mounted. Each support 2 has one vibration sensor 6 installed.

On the shaft 1 is also installed a sensor of angular displacements 7 of the shaft 1. The control unit 8 of the balancing machine contains the following nodes and microcircuits:
- microcontroller (processor) 9, to which, in turn, are connected:
- display and control unit 10;
- real-time timer clock 11, made on the basis of, for example, the DS 1307 microcircuit, with battery power connected to it;
- non-volatile memory chip 12, for example, AT 24 C 64 N-10 SI-2,5;
- wireless communication interface 13;
- power supply 14, which generates the required voltage for the corresponding microcircuits and nodes of the balancing machine, and is connected to them.

 The external device 15 can be connected via a wireless communication channel 16 to the control unit 8 of the balancing machine via a wireless communication interface 13. The power supply 14 has a power supply output terminal 17.

 The control unit 18 of the drive 5 and the brake is connected to the drive 5 of the balancing machine, and the control unit 18 is connected to the microcontroller 9 of the balancing machine.

 A linear dimensions measuring system 19 is connected to the control unit 8, which, in turn, is connected to the balancing wheel 3 through various rods, levers, and rulers.

 To the control unit 8, as necessary, a system of additional vibration sensors 20 can be connected, mounted, in turn, on an additional pressure drum 21, acting radially on the balanced wheel 3.

 The wireless communication interface can be implemented and function according to four options and the principle of communication is shown in the table.

 In this case, according to the first embodiment, the photodetector of the wireless communication interface is made on the basis of the Vishay TSOP1236 chip, and the transmitter is made on the basis of an ordinary IR LED.

 In the second embodiment, the receiver and transmitter can be performed on the Ericsson ROK 101007 microassembly using the Bluetooth solution.

 According to the third and fourth options, communication between the balancing machine and an external device can be performed based on combinations of communication channels — radio waves to infrared light waves.

 All of the above refers to the "Balancing machine with a wireless communication interface", implemented according to option 1.

 In option 2, the proposed balancing machine differs from option 1 in that it contains a simplex communication channel. Moreover, the information transmitter is physically located on the balancing machine, and the receiver is an external device 15.

 Information in this embodiment can be transmitted both via infrared light waves and radio waves.

 The radio communication channel 16 can be performed, for example, based on microassemblies of the RFM screen.

 The advantage of the balancing machine, implemented according to option 2, is that the cost of the new solution will be significantly lower (especially with the IR communication channel), since an ordinary IR LED is used as a transmitter.

 The proposed "balancing machine with a wireless communication interface" according to option 1 works (operates) as follows.

Two additional programs are inserted into the body of microcontroller 9:
1. system status monitoring program;
2. Wireless support program.

 Entrance to the program data is by interruption. For the first program - by interruption from the timer (or real or relative time clock), and for the second program - by interruption from the serial interface of the microcontroller 9. Both programs work in tone mode.

The system status monitoring program collects all the necessary information regarding the operation and status of the system, namely:
- information from primary sensors (vibration, shaft rotation, actuator positions, etc.);
- information from the outputs controlling the actuators;
- information on the state of the balancing machine systems;
- information from the display and control panel;
- other necessary technological information.

 Further, this information is decoded and its primary analysis is made in order to select the information of interest. After that, it is encoded in order to reduce the amount occupied by this information.

A special subroutine, in accordance with a certain algorithm, writes this encoded information to the cells of non-volatile memory 12. The communication support program via the wireless communication interface 13 performs the following actions:
- reading the time values from the clock-timer of real or relative time and the issuance of this information in the communication channel 16 in accordance with a certain exchange protocol;
- reading and changing fields of non-volatile memory 12;
- reading information values from primary sensors;
- reading information values from the outputs controlling the actuators of the balancing machine;
- reading and writing of certain variables and constants with which the "main" control program of the microcontroller 9 works;
- the issuance of information values from the communication channel 16 in accordance with a certain protocol in the actuators of the balancing machine;
- changing the program memory or loading the program memory of the microcontroller 9 in accordance with the information received from the communication channel 16;
- start the balancing machine program from a specific location with certain parameters;
- write / read microcontroller resources 9.

 These actions initiated by the user allow the exchange of information between the external device 15 and the balancing machine, and also allow you to control the machine, testing and diagnostics through a wireless communication channel 16.

 The above applies to the proposed balancing machine according to option 1.

 The balancing machine according to option 2 functions in a similar way, except that the communication support program via the wireless communication interface is somewhat simplified. The output of information into the communication channel 16 is carried out by long holding (5 seconds or more) of a certain button on the display and control panel 10 of the balancing machine. In this case, the external device 15 must be put into a data standby state.

 The interface protocol in this case (according to option 2) is focused only on the issuance of information. The information is produced in block packages, which include information about the unique serial number of the balancing machine, the value of the real-time or relative time clock, information from non-volatile memory 12, and other necessary technological information.

 According to options 1 and 2 of the proposed balancing machine, the clock-timer 11 can be designed in such a way that it can store information about the change in real time, and about the change in relative time.

Real time can be set on the timer:
- according to option 1 - through the influence of information on the balancing machine via a wireless communication interface or by launching a program that sets (once) the true value of the real-time timer clock;
- according to option 2 - likewise, by launching a program or by recalculating the relative time.

 Recalculation and storage of relative time is especially beneficial in machines, where the main requirement is its cheapness.

 Obtaining real time from relative time is performed by an external device 15 by recounting from relative (since it itself stores real time).

 The information read by the external device 15 (the computer acts as it) from the balancing machine is interpreted in an easy-to-read form on the display of the external device 15.

 The user, having launched a special program contained in the external device 15, can test, diagnose the balancing machine and remotely control it or a group of machines. Calibration (adjustment) of the machine is also carried out by launching a special program.

 The designs of the proposed balancing machine according to options 1 and 2 were manufactured and tested with a positive result in May 2001 in Omsk.

Literature
1. "GSP9700 Vibration Control System" designed to balance and eliminate vibrations caused by vehicle wheel heterogeneity; Information is available at http://www.gsp9700.com.

Claims (2)

1. A balancing machine with a wireless communication interface, comprising a control unit, a sensor for angular displacements of the machine shaft, shaft vibration sensors, a manual or mechanical drive of the machine shaft, controlled by a control unit for the drive and brake of the shaft, and also containing, as necessary, a system for measuring linear dimensions and an additional pressure drum acting radially on the balancing wheel, with additional vibration sensors, characterized in that it additionally contains a wireless communication interface, a clock-timer of real or relative time and non-volatile memory, designed to collect information: on the operation of nodes and blocks of the system, on the quality of the regulatory process, on the events occurring in this system, and converting this information to a specific form and recording it in certain fields of non-volatile memory and transmitting it from non-volatile memory at the request of a superior device via a wireless communication interface, as well as remote control, download and / or change the program of functioning of the balancing machine, diagnostics, initialization, tuning (calibration) and testing of this machine through a wireless communication interface. 2. A balancing machine with a wireless communication interface, comprising a control unit, a sensor for angular displacements of the machine shaft, vibration sensors for the shaft, a manual or mechanical drive of the machine shaft controlled by a control unit for the drive and brake of the shaft, and also containing, as necessary, a system for measuring linear dimensions and an additional clamping drum, acting radially on the balanced wheel, with additional vibration sensors, characterized in that it further comprises a simplex communication interface, clock-timer p of relative or relative time and non-volatile memory, designed to collect information: on the operation of nodes and blocks of the system, on the quality of the regulatory process, on events occurring in this system, and converting this information to a specific form and writing it to certain fields of non-volatile memory and transmitting it from non-volatile memory at the request of the user to the superior device via a wireless communication interface.

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