Device for monitoring and controlling a machine

• US 7,853,337 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rampf Formen Gmbh (Rampf Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Rampf Formen Gmbh (Rampf Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Keller, Gottfried, Walk, Heinrich, Worz, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US11/582,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 340/870.1, 340/870, 340/870.11, 340/870.41, 310/319
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/0873 the mould being placed on vibrating or jolting supports, e.g. moulding tables
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0081 Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 3/022 combined with vibrating or jolting

Abstract

A device is provided for monitoring and controlling a machine having at least two sensors for recording measurement variables, particularly motion variables, and with an electronic control loop for evaluating the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controlling machine components of which the measurement variables can be influenced.

Claims

1. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables selected from a group consisting of frequency of vibration, amplitude of vibration, duration of vibration and pressing power with which the top part of the mold device acts on the bottom part of the mold and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein at least one sensor comprises a processor for processing data determined by the at least one sensor itself or data determined by another sensor, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises a data memory for storing at least one of data determined by the at least one sensor itself and data determined by another sensor.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generator operates in accordance with the Faraday principle using a piston freely oscillating a cylinder.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the generator comprises a magnet freely oscillating in a coil.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coil is adapted to be aligned with its longitudinal axis in a main direction of vibration prevailing at the sensor.

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coil is aligned automatically.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source can be inductively charged.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors exchange data with one another.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors exchange internal and external data with one another.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors form at least one radio chain.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the radio chain leads to the electronic control loop and comes from the electronic control loop, respectively.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one sensor adjusts a transmitting power to one or more neighboring sensors which are accessible with a lowest amount transmitting power.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine is a brick shaping machine, wherein at least one sensor is arranged at or in the mold device, respectively, and wherein at least one further sensor is arranged at or in at least one of the mold base and a machine frame, respectively.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sensor is arranged outside the mold device and the sensor is adapted to perform contactless measurements on the mold device.

15. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sensor is arranged outside the mold base and the sensor is adapted to perform contactless measurements on the mold base.

16. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sensor is arranged outside the machine frame and the sensor is adapted to perform contactless measurements on the machine frame.

17. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mold device comprises actuators which change characteristics of the mold device.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the actuators act on wire cables or draw bars by means of which a core is held at the bottom mold part including a mold frame and the core.

19. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the actuators are adapted to be controlled by the electronic control loop.

20. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one sensor is in each case arranged in the mold frame and in each core.

21. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensor is embedded in the core.

22. The device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an adjustable load in which a pressure piece is arranged via a cylinder at a support device, and wherein at least one sensor is in each case arranged at the support device and at the pressure piece.

23. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom mold part has a mold frame and a mold insert at which at least one sensor is arranged in each case.

24. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the sensors is connected to a vibration-loaded component.

26. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the sensors is connected to a component under bending load.

27. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the sensors is connected to a pressure-loaded component.

28. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the sensors is connected to a tension-loaded component.

30. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a rechargeable battery.

31. The device as claimed in claim 5, where the device is automatically aligned under inertial control.

32. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control loop is adapted to initiate a change in one of a vibration frequency and a vibration duration of the vibrating table.

33. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control loop is adapted to initiate a change is a pressing power of the top mold part on a conglomerate material located in mold nests of the mold device.

12. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein at least one sensor comprises a processor for processing data determined by the at least one sensor itself or data determined by another sensor and wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, wherein the processor of the sensor performs a plausibility check of data received from a second sensor on a basis of at least one of internal data and data received from a third sensor, and wherein the sensor reports a result.

25. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein at least one sensor comprises a processor for processing data determined by the at least one sensor itself or data determined by another sensor and wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, wherein one of the sensors is connected to a torsion-loaded component.

29. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein at least one sensor comprises a processor for processing data determined by the at least one sensor itself or data determined by another sensor and wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, wherein a number of sensors are connected to a component which is subjected to different loads to record individual loads.

34. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables selected from a group consisting of frequency of vibration, amplitude of vibration, duration of vibration and pressing power with the top part of the mold acts on the bottom part of the mold and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, and wherein the sensors exchange internal and external data with one another.

35. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, and wherein one of the sensors is connected to a component under bending load.

36. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, and wherein one of the sensors is connected to a tension-loaded component.

37. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, and wherein a number of sensors are connected to a component which is subjected to different loads to record individual loads.

38. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, and wherein the electronic control loop is adapted to initiate a change is a pressing power of the top mold part on a conglomerate material located in mold nests of the mold device.

39. A device that monitors and controls a machine having at least one mold device comprising a top mold part and a bottom mold part disposed on a mold base which is supported on a vibrating table, comprising at least two sensors for recording measurement variables comprising motion variables selected from a group consisting of frequency of vibration, amplitude of vibration, duration of vibration and pressing power with the top part of the mold acts on the bottom part of the mold device and an electronic control loop that evaluates the recorded measurement variables and correspondingly controls machine components which influence the measurement variables, wherein at least one sensor has its own power source which is fed by a generator that converts motion energy into electrical energy, wherein the device is adapted to exchange data wirelessly between the at least two sensors and the electronic control loop via at least one of a transmitting device and a receiving device, wherein the sensors exchange internal and external data with one another, wherein the sensors form at least one radio chain which leads to the electronic control loop and comes from the electronic control loop, respectively, and wherein the electronic control loop is adapted to initiate a change in one of a vibration frequency and a vibration duration of the vibrating table.