Device for monitoring the lifetime of the fan bearings

• US 9,431,880 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing AVC Technology Research Center Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Beijing AVC Technology Research Center Company Limited
• Inventors: Sun, Sung-Hsien, Sun, Sung-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, An
• Application Number:
  US13/869,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20140324385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 702182-184, 310/40.R, 310/66, 310/90, 310/90.5, 416/61, 416/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/008 Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/059 Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/04 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/25 Devices for sensing temperature, or actuated thereby

Abstract

The present invention is a device for monitoring a lifetime of fan bearings, which is applied to a fan, comprising a base, at least one sensing unit, a processing unit, and a control plate. The base has a bearing sleeve receiving bearings. The sensing unit is selectively disposed on the bearing sleeve or on the bearing. The processing unit generates an informing signal based on comparison of a received temperature sensed signal generated by the sensing unit sensing the bearing temperature and an internal predetermined temperature value. By means of the device design of the present invention, the effects of effectively monitoring the bearings and predicting the remaining lifetime can be achieved.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a lifetime of fan bearings, which is applied to a fan, comprising:

a base having a bearing sleeve having a bearing hole for receiving at least one bearing having a shaft hole, the bearing sleeve protruding from the center of the base;

at least one sensing unit selectively disposed on the bearing sleeve or on the at least one bearing for sensing a temperature of the corresponding bearing to generate a temperature sensed signal;

a processing unit electrically connected to the at least one sensing unit and generating an informing signal based on comparison of the received temperature sensed signal and an internal predetermined temperature value; and

a control plate disposed on the base and being adjacent to the bearing sleeve, wherein the processing unit is disposed on one side of the control plate and is electrically connected to the control plate;

wherein a silicon steel plate set is sleeved to the bearing sleeve and is electrically connected to the control plate, wherein the bearing sleeve is pivoted to a fan wheel having a shaft, wherein one end of the shaft is affixed to the fan wheel and the other end thereof is rotatably disposed in the corresponding shaft hole, wherein the fan wheel covers the silicon steel plate set; and

wherein a communication interface is provided on the control plate, wherein the communication interface is connected to an electronic device, wherein the processing unit transmits the informing signal to the electronic device via the communication interface, such that a user can know the information if the bearing is abnormal or about the lifetime prediction of the bearing via the informing signal displayed by the electronic device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is disposed on the bearing in the bearing sleeve to sense a temperature corresponding to the bearing and the generated temperature sensed signal is transmitted to the processing unit.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing unit is disposed on the bearing sleeve, wherein at least one through hole is disposed on an outer side of the bearing sleeve, penetrates through the bearing sleeve until a corresponding inner side thereof, communicates with the bearing hole, and corresponds to the bearing, wherein the through hole is used to accommodate the corresponding sensing unit.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a platform is protruded from an inner side of the bearing sleeve, wherein the platform protrudes from the central portion of the inner side of the bearing sleeve toward the center of the bearing hole and has a first end surface and a second end surface opposite to the first end surface, wherein the first end surface is adjacent to the free end of the bearing sleeve and the second end surface faces toward the base.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one bearing has a first bearing and a second bearing, wherein the first bearing is disposed on the first end surface and the second bearing on the second end surface.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensing unit is disposed on a side of the first bearing opposite to the first end surface and is used to sense a temperature corresponding to the first bearing and the generated temperature sensed signal is transmitted to the processing unit.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensing unit is disposed on the bearing sleeve and at least one through hole is disposed on an outer side of the bearing sleeve, penetrates through the bearing sleeve until a corresponding inner side thereof, corresponds to the second bearing, and communicates with the bearing hole, wherein the through hole is used to accommodate the corresponding sensing unit.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensing unit comprises a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is disposed on one side of the first bearing opposite to the first end surface and is used to sense a temperature corresponding to the first bearing to generate a first temperature sensed signal, wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed in a through hole which is disposed on the bearing sleeve, corresponds to the second bearing and communicates with the bearing hole, wherein the second temperature sensor is used to sense a temperature corresponding to the second bearing to generate a second temperature sensed signal, wherein the processing unit receives the first and the second temperature sensed signals.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is a microprocessor and the sensing unit is a temperature sensor.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the communication interface and the electronic device is selectively wired or wireless.