Bearing test apparatus for testing durability of bearing

• US 9,714,883 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lee, Yong Bok, Choe, Bokseong, Lee, Jeon Kook, Ryu, Sol-Ji, Lee, Byoungkuk
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHONG, XIN Y
• Application Number:
  US14/506,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20160025592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0009 Force sensors associated with a bearing testing of bearings G01M13/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/04 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2696 Wheels, Gears, Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/46 by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis or wavelet analysis spectral signal processing per se G06F17/14

Abstract

A bearing test apparatus has a bearing cap coupled to an outer ring of a bearing to be tested (a “test bearing”), a driving rotary shaft coupled to an inner ring of the test bearing to rotate the inner ring, and a bearing torque meter for measuring a single torque of the test bearing, wherein an extension bar is formed at the bearing cap to protrude thereon, wherein the bearing torque meter includes a measurement rod configured to contact the extension bar and be fixed to support the extension bar in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the driving rotary shaft, and a power sensor for measuring a force applied to the measurement rod, wherein the single torque of the test bearing is calculated based on a distance from the driving rotary shaft to the measurement rod and a force applied to the measurement rod.

Claims

1. A bearing test apparatus comprising:

a bearing cap coupled to an outer ring of a test bearing;

a hollow extension bar configured to transport cryogenic fluid to an inside of the bearing cap;

a driving rotary shaft coupled to an inner ring of the test bearing to rotate the inner ring; and

a bearing torque meter configured to measure a torque of the test bearing, and comprising;

a measurement rod configured to contact the extension bar and be fixed to support the extension bar in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the driving rotary shaft; and

a power sensor configured to measure a force applied to the measurement rod, and

wherein the torque of the test bearing is determined based on a distance from the driving rotary shaft to the measurement rod and a force applied to the measurement rod.

2. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a radial rod configured to extend in a radial direction of the driving rotary shaft to apply a radial load to the bearing cap; and

an axial rod configured to extend in an axial direction of the driving rotary shaft to apply an axial load to the bearing cap.

3. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein a wheel capable of rotating based on an axis parallel to the driving rotary shaft is provided at an end of the radial rod which comes in contact with a side of the bearing cap.

4. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the axial rod and the driving rotary shaft are concentrically arranged, and

wherein an end of the axial rod which comes in contact with an upper surface of the bearing cap.

5. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the bearing test apparatus comprises a chamber partially accommodating the bearing cap, the test bearing, and the driving rotary shaft therein, and

wherein the cryogenic fluid is injected into the chamber.

6. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a rotary shaft housing coupled to the chamber and surrounding the driving rotary shaft which extends out of the chamber,

wherein the driving rotary shaft is rotatably supported to the rotary shaft housing by means of a support bearing, and

wherein a sealing member is formed at a connection unit of the chamber and the rotary shaft housing to isolate the chamber and the rotary shaft housing from each other.

7. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a cryogenic fluid injection tube extending from an outside of the chamber into the chamber; and

a cryogenic fluid discharge tube extending from an inside of the chamber out of the chamber,

wherein the cryogenic fluid injection tube communicates with the bearing cap.

8. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the extension bar is a hollow pipe communicating with an inside of the bearing cap, and

wherein the cryogenic fluid injection tube is connected to and communicates with the extension bar.

9. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein at least a part of the cryogenic fluid injection tube in the chamber is formed with a flexible member.

10. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a driving motor configured to transmit a rotating force to the driving rotary shaft is connected to the driving rotary shaft by means of a connection rotary shaft, and

wherein the driving rotary shaft and the connection rotary shaft are connected by means of a flexible coupling, and the connection rotary shaft and the driving motor are connected by means of a flexible coupling.

11. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a vibration sensor configured to measure a vibration generated from the test apparatus;

or

an acoustic sensor configured to measure a sound generated from the test apparatus;

or

both the vibration sensor and the acoustic sensor,

wherein the bearing test apparatus further comprises a frequency analyzer configured to analyze a frequency of a signal measured by the vibration sensor and the acoustic sensor.

12. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the frequency analyzer is configured to classify a signal frequency generated according to an operation of the test bearing by removing a signal frequency, which appears when operating the driving rotary shaft in a state where the test bearing is not mounted, from a signal frequency which appears when operating the driving rotary shaft in a state where the test bearing is mounted.

13. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 1,

Wherein, in response to a change rate of torque of the test bearing being a predetermined level or above, it is determined that the test bearing is abnormal and a warning alarm is generated.

14. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor configured to measure temperature and pressure, respectively, of an inlet of the cryogenic fluid injection tube and an outlet of the cryogenic fluid discharge tube; and

a flow meter configured to measure a flow rate of the cryogenic fluid injection tube,

wherein a phase change of the cryogenic fluid is checked by using measurement values of the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the flow meter.

15. The bearing test apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein measurement values of the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor, and the flow meter are displayed on a monitor.