MODULE FOR DETERMINING AN OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC OF A BEARING

• US 20150168257A1
• Filed: 11/23/2012
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Hamilton, Keith, Murray, Brian, Van Der Ham, Andreas Clemens, Erskine, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,453,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/38 with two or more rows of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/522 related to load on the bearing, e.g. bearings with load sensors or means to protect the bearing against overload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/525 related to temperature and heat, e.g. insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2233/00 Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 23/086 forming a track for rolling elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/58 Raceways; Race rings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/586 outside the space between the races, e.g. end faces or bore of inner ring
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/00 Other accessories, e.g. devices integrated in the bearing not relating to the bearing function as such
• 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: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis

Abstract

A measurement module for monitoring an operating condition of a roller bearing having a first bearing ring and a second bearing ring rotating with respect to each other around a rotation axis comprises an energy harvesting device operable to generate energy from a relative movement between the first and second bearing rings and at least one deformation sensor operable to provide a deformation signal indicative of a deformation of a surface region of one bearing ring of the first and the second bearing rings. The deformation sensor is powered by the energy harvesting device. An evaluation circuit is operable to determine, using the deformation signal, a strain signal indicative of a present load on the bearing. The evaluation circuit is powered by the energy harvesting device and a common housing encloses the energy harvesting device, the deformation sensor and the evaluation circuit.

Claims

1. A measurement module for monitoring an operating condition of a roller bearing having a first bearing ring and a second bearing ring rotating with respect to each other around a rotation axis, the module comprising:

an energy harvesting device operable to generate energy from a relative movement between the first and second bearing rings;

at least one deformation sensor operable to provide a deformation signal indicative of a deformation of a surface region of one bearing ring of the first and the second bearing rings, the deformation sensor being powered by the energy harvesting device;

an evaluation circuit operable to determine, using the deformation signal, a strain signal indicative of a present load on the bearing, the evaluation circuit being powered by the energy harvesting device; and

a common housing enclosing the energy harvesting device, the deformation sensor and the evaluation circuit.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the energy harvesting device is operable to generate energy from a magnetic field of varying flux.

3. The module of claim 1, the deformation sensor further comprising at least one strain gauge.

4. The module of claim 1, further comprising an acoustical transducer the acoustical transducer being enclosed within the common housing and powered by the energy harvesting device.

5. The module of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor being enclosed within the common housing and powered by the energy harvesting device.

6. The module of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter coupled with the evaluation circuit, the wireless transmitter being operable to transmit the load signal or an information on the load signal to a corresponding transceiver, wherein the wireless transmitter is enclosed within the common housing and powered by the energy harvesting device.

7. The module of claim 1, further comprising one or more permanent magnets.

8. The module of claim 1, wherein the deformation sensor is operable to determine a deformation of a surface region which is essentially perpendicular to the rotation axis.

9. The module of claim 1, the common housing further comprising a fixation structure adapted to attach the common housing to a surface of a bearing ring such that deformations of the surface region of the bearing ring are transformed into corresponding deformations of a reference surface of the common housing.

10. The module of claim 9, wherein the deformation sensor is operable to determine the deformation of the reference surface.

11. The module of claim 1, the energy harvesting device further comprising at least one coil.

12. The module of claim 1, wherein the module is specifically designed for one of a particular roller bearing or a particular bearing type such that the deformation sensor is located on a surface region of the bearing where the deformation of the surface depends on a load on the bearing according to a predetermined relationship.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein the dependency is essentially linear.

14. The module of claim 12, wherein at least one of a position and/or size of the surface region on the bearing ring is determined by a finite element analysis of the roller bearing.

15. The module of claim 12, wherein a contour of the common housing has at least partly the form of a circular arc with a radius corresponding to the radius of one of the first or second bearing rings, wherein a distance of a position of the deformation sensor to the circular arc is chosen such that the deformation sensor is located at or above the surface region when the common housing is mounted on the bearing ring such that the circular arc is aligned with the radius of the bearing ring.

16. The module of claim 1, further comprising an electrical coupling between the energy harvesting device and the deformation sensor performed within the common housing.

17. A roller bearing having a measurement module, the roller bearing comprising:

a first bearing ring and a second bearing ring rotating with respect to each other around a rotation axis;

the measurement module comprising;

an energy harvesting device operable to generate energy from a relative movement between the first and second bearing rings,

at least one deformation sensor operable to provide a deformation signal indicative of a deformation of a surface region of one bearing ring of the first and the second bearing rings, the deformation sensor being powered by the energy harvesting device,

an evaluation circuit operable to determine, using the deformation signal, a strain signal indicative of a present load on the bearing, the evaluation circuit being powered by the energy harvesting device; and

a common housing enclosing the energy harvesting device, the deformation sensor and the evaluation circuit,

wherein the measurement module is attached to one bearing ring of the first and the second bearing rings.

18. The roller bearing of claim 17, having one or more permanent magnets attached to the other bearing ring of the first and the second bearing rings.

19. The roller bearing of claim 17, further comprising a second measurement module, wherein the second measure module is attached to the other bearing ring of the first and the second bearing rings.