Wireless sensor, rolling bearing with sensor, management apparatus and monitoring system

• US 7,394,395 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NSK Limited
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Endo, Shigeru, Yanagisawa, Tomoyuki, Takizawa, Takeshi, Sakatani, Ikunori, Shoda, Yoshio, Morita, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/362,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20060145881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 340/679, 340/682, 340/584, 340/870.16, 340/683, 340/686.3, 340/686.5, 735/93, 384/459, 384/448, 384/91
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/525 related to temperature and heat, e.g. insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/443 mounted in bearings bearings F16C
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/223 Radioseismic systems

Abstract

The wireless sensor adds identification information peculiar to respective sensor modules to detection data of vibration, temperature, and soon, detected by the sensor modules respectively. The wireless sensor transmits the detection data with the identification information as a signal through a communication unit by radio waves. On the other hand, the management apparatus receiving the signal classifies and files the detection data on the basis of the identification information included in the signal. Then, the monitoring system is designed to make the management apparatus manage a plurality of wireless sensors attached to movable shafts of processing machines or the like.

Claims

1. A bearing unit comprising:

a detection sensor unit for detecting a running condition of said bearing unit, and one or more relay unit for receiving and then transmitting the detected data from said detection sensor unit,

wherein

said detection sensor unit has a function for transmitting or transmitting/receiving a data with the external,

the number of said relay unit is less than the number of said detection sensor unit, and

said one or more relay unit transmits a detection signal of said detection sensor unit by wireless transmission.

2. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein said relay unit is provided with a communicating unit for converting the data from said sensor detection unit into a predetermined frequency component signal wave to transmit said data externally by wireless transmission.

3. The bearing unit according to claim 2, wherein

the signal wave is one of a radio wave, a light wave and an ultrasonic wave with a predetermined frequency component.

4. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein

said sensor detection unit is provided with a communicating unit for converting the data into a signal with a predetermined frequency component to transmit said data to said relay unit by wireless transmission.

5. The bearing unit according to claim 4, wherein

said relay unit is provided with a communicating unit for converting the data from said sensor detection unit into a predetermined frequency component signal wave to transmit said data externally by wireless transmission.

6. The bearing unit according to claim 4, wherein

the signal wave is one of a radio wave, a light wave and an ultrasonic wave with a predetermined frequency component.

7. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein

said sensor detection unit accommodates at least one of an vibration sensor, a temperature sensor and a rotation speed sensor in a single sensor holder.

8. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein

said relay unit converts an output signal from said sensor into a signal suitable for amplifying or long-distance transmitting, and transmits said output signal to a control apparatus mounted externally.

9. The bearing unit according to claim 8, wherein

said relay unit is provided with an amplifying circuit for amplifying an output signal from said sensor.

10. The bearing unit according to claim 8, wherein

said relay unit is provided with a circuit for converting an output signal from said sensor into a current output.

11. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein

said detection sensor unit adds an identification number specific to the data and transmits said identification number.

12. The bearing unit according to claim 11, wherein

the number of said relay units is less than the number of a plurality of signals having identification numbers.

13. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein

said bearing unit includes a housing provided with a rolling bearing,

at least one of said detection sensor unit is provided with at least one of a rolling wheel of said rolling bearing, a member in contact with said rolling wheel, a stating wheel and a member in contact with said stating wheel,

said housing is provided with said relay unit, and

the detection data from said detection sensor unit is transmitted to said transmitting unit.

14. The bearing unit according to claim 1, wherein

said detection sensor unit and said relay unit are electrically connected by using electromagnetic induction,

said detection sensor unit is provided with a modulating circuit for modulating the detected data to a predetermined modulated signal,

said relay unit is provided with a demodulating circuit for demodulating the modulated signal.

15. The bearing unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a PHS or a cellular phone for receiving a signal from said relay unit.

16. The bearing unit according to claim 15, wherein

a signal received by a PHS or a cellular phone is managed via a telephone network or an internet.

17. A bearing unit comprising

a detection sensor unit for detecting a running condition of said bearing unit, and

one or more relay unit for receiving and then transmitting the detected data from said detection sensor unit,

wherein

said relay unit is provided with a circuit for reducing an impedance of an output signal from said sensor.

18. The bearing unit according to claim 17, wherein,

said relay unit converts an output signal from said sensor into a signal suitable for amplifying or long-distance transmitting, and transmits to a control apparatus mounted externally.

19. The bearing unit according to claim 18, wherein,

said relay unit is provided with an amplifying circuit for amplifying an output signal from said sensor.

20. The bearing unit according to claim 18, wherein,

said relay unit is provided with a circuit for converting an output signal from said sensor into a current output.

21. The bearing unit according to claim 18, wherein

said relay unit is provided with a circuit for converting an output signal from said sensor into a current output.

22. The bearing unit according to claim 17, wherein

said detection sensor unit adds an identification number specific to the detected data and transmits thereof.

23. The bearing unit according to claim 22, wherein

the number of said relay units is less than the number of a plurality of signals having identification numbers.

24. The bearing unit according to claim 22, wherein

the number of said relay units is less than the number of said detection sensor units.

25. A linear motion unit comprising:

a detection sensor unit for detecting a running condition of a ball screw or a linear guide, and

one or more relay unit for receiving and then transmitting the detected data from said detection sensor unit,

wherein

said detection sensor unit has a function for transmitting or transmitting/receiving a data with the external,

the number of said relay unit is less than the number of said detection sensor unit, and

said one or more relay unit transmits a detection signal of said detection sensor unit by wireless transmission.

26. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said relay unit is provided with a communicating unit for converting the data from said sensor detection unit into a predetermined frequency component signal wave to transmit the data externally by wireless transmission.

27. The linear motion unit according to claim 26, wherein

the signal wave is one of a radio wave, a light wave and an ultrasonic wave with a predetermined frequency component.

28. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said sensor detection unit is provided with a communicating unit for converting the data into a signal with a predetermined frequency component to transmit the data to said relay unit by wireless transmission.

29. The linear motion unit according to claim 28, wherein

said relay unit is provided with a communicating unit for converting the data from said sensor detection unit into a predetermined frequency component signal wave to transmit the data externally by wireless transmission.

30. The linear motion unit according to claim 28, wherein

the signal wave is one of a radio wave, a light wave and ultrasonic wave with a predetermined frequency component.

31. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said sensor detection unit accommodates at least one of an vibration sensor, a temperature sensor and a rotation speed sensor in a single sensor holder.

32. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said relay unit converts an output signal from said sensor into a signal suitable for amplifying or long-distance transmitting, and transmits to a control apparatus mounted externally.

33. The linear motion unit according to claim 32, wherein

said relay unit is provided with an amplifying circuit for amplifying an output signal from said sensor.

34. The linear motion unit according to claim 32, wherein

said relay unit is provided with a circuit for converting an output signal from said sensor into a current output.

35. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said detection sensor unit adds an identification number specific to the data and transmits said identification number.

36. The linear motion unit according to claim 35, wherein

the number of said relay units is less than the number of a plurality of signals having identification numbers.

37. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said linear motion unit includes a housing provided with a rolling bearing,

at least one of said detection sensor unit is provided with at least one of a rolling wheel of said rolling bearing, a member in contact with said rolling wheel, a stating wheel and a member in contact with said stating wheel,

said housing is provided with said relay unit, and

the detection data from said detection sensor unit is transmitted to said transmitting unit.

38. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, wherein

said detection sensor unit and said relay unit are electrically connected by using electromagnetic induction,

said detection sensor unit is provided with a modulating circuit for modulating the detected data to a predetermined modulated signal, and

said relay unit is provided with a demodulating circuit for demodulating the modulated signal.

39. The linear motion unit according to claim 25, further comprising:

a PHS or a cellular phone for receiving a signal from said relay unit.

40. The linear motion unit according to claim 39, wherein

a signal received by a PHS or a cellular phone is managed via a telephone network or an internet.

41. A linear motion unit comprising:

a detection sensor unit for detecting a running condition of a ball screw or a linear guide, and

one or more relay unit for receiving and then transmitting the detected data from said detection sensor unit,

wherein

said one or more relay unit is provided with a circuit for reducing an impedance of an output signal from said sensor.

42. The bearing unit according to claim 41, wherein

said relay unit converts an output signal from said sensor into a signal suitable for amplifying or long-distance transmitting, and transmits to a control apparatus mounted externally.

43. The bearing unit according to claim 42, wherein

said relay unit is provided with an amplifying circuit for amplifying an output signal from said sensor.

44. The bearing unit according to claim 41, wherein

said detection sensor unit adds an identification number specific to the detected data and transmits thereof.

45. The bearing unit according to claim 44, wherein

the number of said relay units is less than the number of a plurality of signals having identification numbers.

46. The bearing unit according to claim 44, wherein the number of relay units is less than the number of said detection sensor units.