Wireless sensor system, and bearing apparatus with wireless sensor

• US 20070018837A1
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Koichi, Sahashi, Koji, Ito, Hiroyoshi, Mizutani, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/186 with three raceways provided integrally on parts other than race rings, e.g. third generation hubs
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/187 with all four raceways integrated on parts other than race rings, e.g. fourth generation hubs
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/386 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/004 Electro-dynamic machines, e.g. motors, generators, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/443 mounted in bearings bearings F16C
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

To provide a wireless sensor system, in which an abnormal power supply in the power supply section can be ascertained, for avoiding a malfunction of the system and accomplishing a stable power supply with reduction of the consumption of a power being transmitted, the wireless sensor system includes wireless sensor units and a sensor signal receiving unit. The wireless sensor units include a sensor section for detecting a detection object, a sensor signal transmitting section for transmitting by wireless a sensor signal from the sensor section, and a power supply section having a power receiving section for receiving a driving power transmitted by wireless. In this system, a power supply monitoring section is provided for monitoring the voltage of the power supply section. The sensor signal receiving unit includes a monitor dependent power control section for regulating the power to be transmitted, depending on a monitored result of the power monitoring section.

Claims

1. A wireless sensor system, which comprises one or a plurality of wireless sensor units including a sensor section for detecting a detection object, a sensor signal transmitting section for transmitting by wireless a sensor signal outputted from the sensor section, and an electric power supply section for supplying an electric driving power to the sensor section and the sensor signal transmitting section;

and a sensor signal receiving unit for receiving the sensor signal transmitted from the sensor signal transmitting section, characterized by comprising an electric power supply monitoring section for monitoring a voltage of the electric power supply section.

2. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric power supply section includes an electric power receiving section for receiving an electric driving power transmitted by wireless from a feed power transmitting section.

3. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric power supply monitoring section is designed to allow a monitored result information to be transmitted from the sensor signal transmitting section.

4. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a monitor dependent control section for regulating an electric power to be transmitted from the feed power transmitting section, in dependence on a monitored result information.

5. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feed power transmitting section is provided in a sensor signal receiving unit including the sensor signal receiving section.

6. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric power supply monitoring section monitors the voltage after the electric power received by the electric power receiving section has been converted into a direct current.

7. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor signal transmitting section transmits a predetermined normal indication signal when the voltage monitored by the electric power supply monitoring section is equal to or higher than, or exceeds, a predetermined threshold value, and interrupts the transmission of the normal indication signal when such voltage is lower than, or equal to or lower than, the predetermined threshold value.

8. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor section includes a revolution sensor having an electric power generating function and wherein the electric power supply section utilizes an electric power generated by the revolution sensor.

9. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor section includes at least one of a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a load sensor, a torque sensor, and a preload sensor for detecting a preload of a bearing assembly.

10. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor section is provided in a plural number.

11. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is provided a plurality of wireless sensor units, each of the wireless sensor units including the sensor section, the sensor signal transmitting section and the electric power receiving section.

12. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is provided one wireless sensor unit including a plurality of the sensor sections, the sensor signal transmitting section and the electric power receiving section and wherein the sensor signal transmitting section is operable to transmit respective sensor signals from those plural sensor sections.

13. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor section is arranged in a bearing assembly.

14. The wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of wireless sensor units are arranged in different bearing assemblies in a machine setup.

15. A wireless sensor equipped bearing assembly comprising a bearing assembly;

and the wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 2 which includes the sensor section, the sensor signal transmitting section, and the electric power receiving section for receiving by wireless an electric operating power for the sensor section and the sensor signal transmitting section, all provided in the bearing assembly,

wherein the sensor section includes at least one of a vibration sensor for detecting a vibration of the bearing assembly, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the bearing assembly, a load sensor for detecting a load acting on the bearing assembly, a torque sensor for detecting a torque acting on the bearing assembly, and a preload sensor for detecting a preload of the bearing assembly.

16. A wireless sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to a vehicle body, which assembly comprises an outer member having a plurality of raceways, an inner member having raceways defined in face-to-face relation to the raceways, and a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between the mutually confronting raceways, wherein the wheel support bearing assembly comprises the bearing assembly as defined in claim 15.

17. A wireless sensor equipped bearing assembly, wherein the wireless sensor unit in the wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1 is employed in the bearing assembly.

18. A wireless sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to a vehicle body, which assembly comprises an outer member having a plurality of raceways, an inner member having raceways defined in face-to-face relation to the raceways, and a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between the mutually confronting raceways, wherein the wheel support bearing assembly comprises the wireless sensor unit in the wireless sensor system as claimed in claim 1.

19. The wireless sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensor section in the wireless sensor unit includes a revolution sensor for detecting a relative revolution of the outer member to the inner member.