Equipment comprising at least one rotary member and means for measuring vibrational frequencies of said member to determine its wear condition, corresponding control unit and method

• US 7,735,374 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Etablissements Georges Renault SAS (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Etablissements Georges Renault SAS (Atlas Copco AB)
• Inventors: Gilibert, Arnaud, Pineau, Laurent, Marie, Vincent, Le Du, Nicolas, Allenou, Benoît
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US11/884,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 737/61, 7386222-86223
• US Class Current: 73/761
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/06 Screw or nut setting or loosening machines
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/12 for indicating or measuring vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/00 Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose machines B23P19/06
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37435 Vibration of machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50325 As function of measured vibrations

Abstract

A screwing equipment that comprises at least one rotary member mounted in a tool body and capable of producing at least one vibrational frequency representing a wear condition of said rotary member(s). Such screwing equipment further comprises means for measuring said vibrational frequencies designed to communicate with means for processing, said measurement enabling same to be compared to at least one reference frequency in order to determine said wear condition.

Claims

1. A screwing tool including at least one rotary member selected from the group consisting of a motor, a bell crank member, a gear member, and combinations thereof, said rotary member(s) being mounted in a tool body and being capable of producing at least one vibration frequency representing a condition of wear of said rotary member(s),

characterised in that the screwing tool comprises processing means including means for storing a reference frequency relative to each of said rotary member(s), and means for measuring said vibration frequency or frequencies and configured to communicate with said means for processing said measurement, making it possible to compare said processed measurement with at least one reference frequency so as to determine the condition of wear, wherein said rotary member(s) are intended to produce a tightening torque, with said measurement means including at least means for measuring said torque.

2. The screwing tool according to claim 1, characterised in that said processing means include calculation means making it possible to process a frequency spectrum obtained on the basis of a signal transmitted by said means for measuring said torque.

3. The screwing tool according to claim 1 characterised in that the screwing tool includes means for issuing an alert when at least one of said vibration frequencies measured reaches a predetermined level with respect to a reference frequency.

4. The screwing tool according to claim 1, characterised in that said processing means are integrated in a control unit separate from said tool.

5. The screwing tool according to claim 4, characterised in that said control unit includes at least one display device.

6. The screwing tool according to claim 4, characterised in that said control unit includes communication means capable of being connected to a communication network.