Machine component with IC tag attached thereto

• US 7,471,198 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Makoto, Horiuchi, Ken, Shibuya, Yoshihisa, Yamamoto, Naota, Fujimoto, Koushirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US10/570,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20060289620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/26 with a single row of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/52 with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/4623 formed as one-piece cages, i.e. monoblock cages
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/78 with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members F16C33/761 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/12 using record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

To provide a machine component with an IC tag affixed thereto, in which with the IC tag having an increased storage capacity, the IC tag can be mounted with no difficulty and, also, reading or writing of information from or in the IC tag, respectively, can be facilitated. A plurality of IC tags 2 are attached to a machine component, which forms a part of a rolling bearing assembly 1, or to a machine component and an accessory with division made therebetween. Those plural IC tags 2 have different information stored therein. Where the machine component is a retainer incorporated rolling bearing assembly 1, those plural IC tags are attached to a roller retainer 5 at respective locations symmetrical with each other about the axis O of rotation thereof.

Claims

1. An IC tag equipped machine component comprising a plurality of IC tags attached to a unitary object including a machine component wherein

the plurality of IC tags have different information stored therein,

the machine component is a rolling bearing assembly that includes a rotatable component part, the rotatable component part is a roller retainer,

the plurality of IC tags are attached to the rotatable component part and positioned in symmetrical relation with each other about an axis of rotation, and

the attachment provides for balanced rotation of the rotatable component part.

2. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of the plural IC tags attached to the roller retainer is two and those two IC tags are attached spaced 180 degrees from each other about the axis of rotation.

3. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the IC tags has recorded therein handling instructions associated with the machine component.

4. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an accessory with division made between the machine component and the accessory.

5. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the accessory is a package contents display item to be attached to a packaging container of the machine component and wherein one of the IC tags is attached to this package contents display item.

6. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 5, wherein the package contents display item is a rivet having a needle portion and a head portion and wherein the IC tag is embedded in the head portion.

7. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the accessory is a handling manual of the machine component tending to deteriorate with passage of time of use thereof, and wherein the handling manual comprises one of the plurality IC tags having stored therein contents of how to handle the machine component and a deteriorating status display module for presenting the status of deterioration of the machine component.

8. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine component is a rivet comprising a needle portion, and a head portion, and wherein one of the plurality of IC tags is embedded in the head portion.

9. The IC tag equipped machine component as claimed in claim 4, wherein the accessory is a handling manual of the machine component and wherein the handling manual includes one of the plural IC tags, a deteriorating status display module for presenting the status of deterioration of the machine component and has stored therein handing instructions associated with the machine component, the handling manual being adapted to be attached to a machine incorporating the machine component or to the machine component itself.