Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – Condition responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1995-11-06
2001-12-18
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2735)
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
Condition responsive
C340S870170, C340S682000, C384S446000, C455S067150, C455S517000, C455S507000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331823
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for monitoring status information regarding the operation of bearings, speed reducers or the like.
The various types of machinery generally found in an industrial setting will often utilize many bearings, speed reducers or other such mechanical components. For example, a single conveyor will frequently be equipped with multiple pillow block or flange bearings to support its various rotatable shafts. Speed reducers or other gear boxes may be utilized to transmit mechanical power to the machinery from a suitable prime mover.
The status of these mechanical components is often monitored during operation to determine when some form of corrective action should be taken. For example, the temperature of a bearing can be monitored to lessen the occurrence of overheating. It is also frequently desirable to monitor the rotational speed of the shaft to which the bearing is attached, as well as the extent to which the bearing housing is experiencing undesirable vibration. To facilitate such monitoring, each mechanical component may be equipped with a plurality of sensors.
The signal information provided by the various sensors of many mechanical components may be processed at a central monitoring controller. In the past, however, dedicated transmission lines have typically been provided for each of these sensors. As a result, several transmission lines would generally extend between each of the mechanical components and the central monitoring facility.
Due to the number of mechanical components in a typical industrial facility, the number of transmission lines carrying signal information to the central monitoring controller can become quite large. Thus, it will be appreciated that this type of arrangement will often be complex and cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing disadvantages, and others, of prior art constructions and methods. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for monitoring a plurality of mechanical components.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a mechanical component monitoring system which substantially reduces the wiring required in prior art arrangements.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a mechanical component monitoring system which facilitates easy connection or disconnection of individual mechanical components from a central monitoring location.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved bearing apparatus for facilitating rotation of a shaft having a plurality of sensor devices associated therewith.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of monitoring a plurality of mechanical components.
Some of these objects are achieved by a mechanical component monitoring system constructed according to the invention. The system preferably comprises a plurality of mechanical components to be monitored, which may include various bearings, speed reducers and other such mechanical components.
Each of the mechanical components includes at least one sensor device in electrical communication with a respective local transmitter. A central monitoring processor is provided to selectively communicate with each of the local transmitters such that status information regarding the associated mechanical component will be supplied thereto at predetermined times.
Each of the local transmitters may have a unique electronic identifier associated therewith to facilitate communication with the central monitoring processor. In an exemplary construction, the central monitoring processor functions to sequentially interrogate the local transmitters via the respective electronic identifiers.
In presently preferred embodiments, a bus line interconnects the plurality of local transmitters and the central monitoring processor to provide electrical communication therebetween. Preferably, the bus line may include a main trunk and a plurality of branch lines, wherein the respective local transmitters are connected to the branch lines.
Other objects of the invention are achieved by bearing apparatus for facilitating rotation of a shaft. The bearing apparatus comprises a bearing housing having a bearing assembly contained therein. The bearing assembly includes respective annular members capable of relative rotation, with one of the annular members operatively rotating with the shaft.
The bearing apparatus further includes one or more sensor devices mounted proximate to the housing for detecting sensor information regarding the operation thereof. The sensor devices may include a shaft speed sensor, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor and other desirable sensors for monitoring bearing operation.
A local transmitter is also provided in electrical communication with the sensor devices. The local transmitter functions to provide status information, based on the sensor information, in a predetermined format at the output port thereof. Preferably, the local transmitter may supply the status information via a serial digital format.
In presently preferred embodiments, the local transmitter includes a printed circuit card having various components mounted thereon. The printed circuit card may be fixedly connected to the bearing housing, such as by being potted in a cover attached thereto. In this case, the accelerometer may be of the type incorporated into a microchip and directly mounted onto the printed circuit card.
Other objects of the invention are achieved by a method of monitoring a plurality of mechanical components. One step of the method involves providing a plurality of mechanical components, each of which includes at least one sensor device for detecting selected sensor information thereof. As an additional step, each of the mechanical components is provided with a respective local transmitter in electrical communication with the associated sensor devices.
A further step of the method involves sampling, with the local transmitter, the sensor information as detected by the sensor devices. Next, the local transmitter functions to produce selected status information from the sensor information. Each of the local transmitters is then electronically interrogated in a predetermined sequence to request the selected status information, which is then responsively supplied from the local transmitter.
In some embodiments, the local transmitter functions to convert the sensor information to a predetermined format, which may be supplied from the local transmitter as the status information. In other embodiments, the local transmitter may perform at least an initial analysis of the sensor information, whereby the status information represents a processing of the sensor information.
Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are provided by various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed elements, which are discussed in greater detail below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4237454 (1980-12-01), Meyer
patent: 5433525 (1995-07-01), El-Ibiary
patent: 5439296 (1995-08-01), El-Ibiary
patent: 5493722 (1996-02-01), Gunn
patent: 5509310 (1996-04-01), El-Ibiary
patent: 6007250 (1999-12-01), Brauer et al.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 14, No. 94 (P-1010), Feb. 21, 1990 (discussing JP 13 001131, published Dec. 5, 1989).
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 14, No. 267 (P-1058), Jun. 8, 1990 (discussing JP 20 073499, published Mar. 13, 1990).
U.S. application No. 08/412,521, El-Ibiary et al, filed Mar. 29, 1995.
D. Herrman, “Gleitlageruberwachung-durch einfache Messung von Thermospannungen,”Technisches Messen, vol. 57, No. 1, pp. 18-22, Jan. 1990 (translated).
Gerasimow Alexander M.
Horabik Michael
Reliance Electric Technologies LLC
Walbrun William R.
Wong Albert K.
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