SEALING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A SEALING ASSEMBLY

• US 20180283557A1
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Published: 10/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF, SKF Economos Deutschland GmbH
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF, SKF Economos Deutschland GmbH
• Inventors: Lang, Defeng, Ahmer, Muhammad, Deigner, Thomas, Holsnijders, Jos, Ziegler, Sebastian, de Wit, Frank, vom Stein, Hans-Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/527 related to vibration and noise
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/7876 with sealing lips
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3296 Arrangements for monitoring the condition or operation of elastic sealings F16J15/326 takes precedence; Arrangements for control of elastic sealings, e.g. of their geometry or stiffness

Abstract

A sealing assembly including an elastic seal lip having a movable part is provided. The seal lip is configured to be attached to a first part of a machine and to be in contact with a second part of the machine. At least one acceleration sensor is fixed to the movable part of the seal lip, and that assembly further includes a data processing device for processing data obtained from the acceleration sensor. The data processing device is configured to determine the orientation of the acceleration sensor in relation to the direction of gravity.

Claims

1. A sealing assembly comprising:

an elastic seal lip having a movable part, the seal lip being configured to be attached to a first part of a machine and to be in contact with a second part of the machine,

at least one acceleration sensor is fixed to the movable part of the seal lip, and

a data processing device for processing data obtained from the acceleration sensor, wherein

the data processing device is configured to determine the orientation of the acceleration sensor in relation to the direction of gravity.

2. The sealing assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the first part of a machine and the second part of the machine are bearing rings.

3. The sealing assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the movable part of the seal lip has an inclined portion extending from a seal body toward a sliding contact surface of the second part of the machine, wherein the acceleration sensor is attached to the inclined portion.

4. The sealing assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the acceleration sensor is formed as a 3-axis gravity sensor semiconductor chip.

5. The sealing assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the data processing device is further configured to calculate a parameter indicating wear of the sealing lip from the orientation of the acceleration sensor.

6. The sealing assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the data processing device is further configured to calculate a parameter indicating a stiction of the sealing lip from the orientation of the acceleration sensor.

7. The sealing assembly according to claim 1, further comprising

a data processing device for processing data obtained from the acceleration sensor, wherein

the data processing device is configured to derive at least one parameter describing a dynamic behavior of the sealing assembly and its lubrication from the data obtained from the acceleration sensor.

8. The sealing assembly according to claim 7, wherein

the data processing device is configured to evaluate an amplitude and/or spectrum of vibrations of the seal lip from the data obtained from the acceleration sensor and to issue a warning signal if the amplitude and/or spectrum of vibrations meets a set of predetermined criteria.

9. A bearing comprising:

a sealing assembly having an elastic seal lip having a movable part, the seal lip being configured to be attached to a first part of a machine and to be in contact with a second part of the machine,

at least one acceleration sensor fixed to the movable part of the seal lip, and

a data processing device for processing data obtained from the acceleration sensor, wherein

the data processing device is configured to determine the orientation of the acceleration sensor in relation to the direction of gravity.

10. (canceled)

11. A method for monitoring a sealing assembly including an elastic seal lip having a movable part, the seal lip being configured to be attached to a first part of a machine and to be in sliding contact with a second part of the machine,

the method comprising:

evaluating the signals of at least one acceleration sensor fixed to the movable part of the seal lip,

determining the orientation of the acceleration sensor in relation to the direction of gravity from the evaluated signals.