JP7012541B2 - Sensor system for machine elements - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sensor system for a mechanical element in which a moving member is relatively movablely attached to a track member via a rolling element.

A motion guide device is known as a mechanical element in which a moving member is relatively movablely attached to a track member via a rolling element. The motion guide device is used to guide a linear motion of, for example, a table of a machine tool. Since the motion guide device has a rolling element interposed between the track member and the moving member, it has a feature that it can guide a table or the like with high accuracy and high rigidity.

In recent years, in order to predict the life and failure of a motion guide device, an attempt has been made to attach a sensor to the motion guide device and detect physical quantities such as displacement, strain, vibration, and temperature of the motion guide device. For example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of displacement sensors are attached to a moving member of a motion guidance device, and five displacement components of the moving member (that is, displacements in the vertical direction, the left-right direction, the pitching direction, the rolling direction, and the yawing direction) are calculated. Attempts have been made. By calculating the five displacement components of the moving member, the load applied to the moving member is calculated, and finally the life and failure of the motion guidance device are predicted.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-013469

However, if a plurality of sensors are attached to the moving member of the motion guidance device, there is a problem that the number of signal lines for transmitting data to the host system increases by the number of sensors. If the number of signal lines of the moving member that moves relative to the track member increases, it takes time and effort to process the signal lines, and in some cases, the sensor cannot be arranged.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sensor system for a machine element that can reduce the number of signal lines even if a plurality of sensors are attached to the machine element.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a sensor system for a mechanical element in which a moving member is relatively movablely assembled to a track member via a rolling element, and is arranged on the moving member. The 1 sensor, the second sensor arranged on the moving member, the data arranged on the moving member and output by the first sensor and the data output by the second sensor are received, and the received data is output. It is a sensor system for mechanical elements equipped with a master device.

According to the present invention, since the moving member is provided with a master device that receives the data output by the first sensor and the data output by the second sensor and outputs the received data, even if a plurality of sensors are attached to the mechanical element, the moving member is provided with a master device. The number of signal lines for transmitting data to the host system can be reduced. Further, since the cable for communicating between the master device and at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is arranged between the track member and the moving member, it is possible to prevent the outer shape of the machine element from becoming large.

It is a figure which shows the motion guidance apparatus to which the sensor system of 1st Embodiment of this invention is applied (FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view, FIG. 1 (b) is a side view, and FIG. 1 (c) is a front view. Is). It is sectional drawing along the circulation path of the moving member of this embodiment. It is a perspective view of the moving member of this embodiment. It is a perspective view (perspective view using the perspective method) which shows the inside of the 1st case of this embodiment. It is a bottom view of the moving member of this embodiment. It is a front view of the motion guidance device of this embodiment. It is a block block diagram of the sensor system of this embodiment. It is a perspective view of the moving member to which the sensor system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is a perspective view of the moving member to which the sensor system of 3rd Embodiment of this invention is applied.

Hereinafter, the sensor system for the mechanical element of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the sensor system for mechanical elements of the present invention can be embodied in various forms, and is not limited to the embodiments described in the specification. The present embodiment is provided with the intention of allowing those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention by adequately disclosing the specification.
(First Embodiment)

FIG. 1 shows a motion guidance device 3 as a mechanical element to which the sensor system of the present embodiment is applied. 1 (a) is a plan view, FIG. 1 (b) is a side view, and FIG. 1 (c) is a front view. 1 is a track member and 2 is a moving member. The moving member 2 is assembled to the track member 1 so as to be relatively movable in the longitudinal direction thereof. The track member 1 is attached to a base of, for example, a machine tool. The moving member 2 is attached to a table such as a machine tool.

In the following, for convenience of explanation, the track member 1 is arranged on a horizontal plane, and the direction when viewed from the length direction of the track member 1, that is, the left-right direction and the vertical direction of FIG. 1 (c), and the front-back direction of FIG. 1 (b). The configuration of the motion guidance device 3 will be described using directions. Of course, the arrangement of the motion guide device 3 is not limited to this, and for example, the motion guide device 3 may be arranged on a vertical surface, or may be arranged upside down.

The track member 1 extends in the front-rear direction. A plurality of through holes 1b for attaching the track member 1 to the base are formed on the upper surface of the track member 1. A rolling element rolling portion 1a extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the side surface of the track member 1. In this embodiment, two rolling element rolling portions 1a are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the track member 1.

The moving member 2 has a substantially inverted U shape when viewed from the front, and has a central portion 2-1 facing the upper surface of the track member 1 and a pair of sleeve portions 2-2 facing the left and right side surfaces of the track member 1. Have.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the moving member 2 along the circulation path. The moving member 2 is assembled to the track member 1 so as to be relatively movable via the rolling element 4. The moving member 2 includes a block 5 and a pair of lid members 6a and 6b attached to both ends of the block 5 in the moving direction. The block 5 is formed with a rolling element rolling portion 5a facing the rolling element rolling portion 1a of the track member 1. A plurality of rolling elements 4 are interposed in the load rolling path 8 between the rolling element rolling portion 1a and the rolling element rolling portion 5a so that the rolling elements 4 can roll and move. A return path 7 is formed in the block 5 in parallel with the rolling element rolling portion 5a. A U-shaped turning path 9a, 9b is formed in each of the pair of lid members 6a, 6b. A circulation path is composed of a load turning path 8, a return path 7, and a pair of U-shaped turning paths 9a and 9b. As the moving member 2 moves relative to the orbital member 1, the rolling element 4 circulates in the circulation path. Since the configuration of the motion guidance device 3 itself is known, further detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the moving member 2. The first case 11 is attached to one end of the moving member 2 in the relative moving direction by a fastening member such as a screw. The first case 11 includes a box-shaped main body 11a and a lid 11b that can open and close the main body 11a. Further, the first case 11 has a substantially inverted U shape in front view like the moving member 2, and has a central portion 11-1 facing the upper surface of the track member 1 and a pair facing the left and right side surfaces of the track member 1. It has a sleeve portion 11-2 and a sleeve portion 11-2 (see FIG. 4).

The second case 12 is attached to the other end of the moving member 2 in the relative moving direction by a fastening member such as a screw. Since the configuration of the second case 12 is substantially the same as that of the first case 11, the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof will be omitted.

At least one first sensor 14a to 14d is housed in the first case 11. The first sensors 14a to 14d are sensors for detecting physical quantities such as displacement, distortion, vibration, and temperature of the moving member 2. The first sensors 14a to 14d convert analog signals such as voltage signals according to physical quantities into digital data, and output digital data. In this embodiment, the first sensors 14a to 14d are displacement sensors that detect the displacement of the moving member 2. For example, four first sensors 14a to 14d are housed in the first case 11. The four first sensors 14a to 14d detect the displacement of the moving member 2 in the left-right direction and the up-down direction with respect to the track member 1.

FIG. 4 shows the main body 11a of the first case 11 from which the lid body 11b has been removed. Four first sensors 14a to 14d are arranged in the first case 11, but only one first sensor 14a is shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity. The substrate 15 is housed in the first case 11. The sensor cable 16 of the first sensor 14a is connected to the substrate 15 via the connector 17. A master device 18 such as a microcomputer is mounted on the substrate 15. The first sensor 14a and the master device 18 communicate with each other via the bus of the substrate 15. The master device 18 also communicates with an external host system. Reference numeral 19 is a cable for the master device 18 to communicate with the host system, and reference numeral 20 is a connector.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second case 12 accommodates at least one second sensor 22a to 22d. The second sensors 22a to 22d are also sensors for detecting physical quantities such as displacement, distortion, vibration, and temperature of the moving member 2. The second sensors 22a to 22d also convert analog signals such as voltage signals according to physical quantities into digital data and output digital data. In this embodiment, the second sensors 22a to 22d are displacement sensors that detect the displacement of the moving member 2. For example, four second sensors 22a to 22d are housed in the second case 12. The four second sensors 22a to 22d detect the displacement of the moving member 2 in the left-right direction and the up-down direction with respect to the track member 1.

The substrate 21 is housed in the second case 12. The sensor cables (not shown) of the second sensors 22a to 22d are connected to the substrate 21 via a connector (not shown). However, unlike the substrate 15 of the first case 11, the master device 18 is not mounted on the substrate 21 of the second case 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate 15 housed in the first case 11 and the board 21 housed in the second case 12 are connected by a cable 24 such as a flat cable or a flexible cable. As shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the cable 24 are detachably connected to the boards 15 and 21 via the connector 25. The second sensors 22a to 22d and the master device 18 communicate with each other via the cable 24.

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the moving member 2. The cable 24 extends from the first case 11 to the second case 12. A square opening 26 (see also FIG. 4) for passing the cable 24 is formed in the first case 11 and the second case 12. The opening 26 is closed with a sealing material 27 in order to prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the first case 11 and the second case 12 from the opening 26. As the sealing material 27, for example, a material containing a resin as a main component can be used.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the motion guidance device 3. The cable 24 is arranged between the track member 1 and the moving member 2. Specifically, the cable 24 is arranged between the upper surface of the track member 1 and the central portion 2-1 of the moving member 2. A support member 28 is attached to the lower surface of the central portion 2-1 of the moving member 2. The cable 24 is supported by the support member 28. In this embodiment, a seal member for preventing foreign matter from entering the moving member 2 is attached to the lower surface of the central portion 2-1 of the moving member 2, and this sealing member is used as the support member 28.

FIG. 7 shows a block configuration diagram of the sensor system of the present embodiment. 30 is a sensor system, 31 is an upper system, 18 is a master device which is a master, 14a to 14d are first sensors which are slaves, and 22a to 22d are second sensors which are slaves. Communication is performed between the master device 18 and one first sensor 14a to 14d or one second sensor 22a to 22d. The master device 18 can communicate with only one first sensor 14a to 14d or one second sensor 22a to 22d at the same time. The first sensors 14c and 14d and the second sensors 22c and 22d are omitted.

The master device 18 and the first sensors 14a to 14d or the second sensors 22a to 22d are four types of signal lines: chip select (CS), serial clock (SCLK), data output (MOSI), and data input (MISO). Connected with.

The chip select (CS) signal line is a signal line for the master device 18 to select the first sensor 14a to 14d or the second sensor 22a to 22d of the communication partner. One first sensor 14a to 14d or one second sensor 22a to 22d in which the chip select signal becomes active (L level) communicates with the master device 18. The signal line of the serial clock (SCLK) is a signal line for transferring data. The data is transferred synchronously with the rising and falling edges of the serial clock signal. The data output (MOSI) signal line is a signal line that transmits data to be transferred from the master device 18 to the first sensors 14a to 14d and the second sensors 22a to 22d. The data input (MISO) signal line is a signal line that transmits data to be transferred from the first sensors 14a to 14d and the second sensors 22a to 22d to the master device 18.

Chip select (CS) signal lines are provided separately for each of the first sensors 14a to 14d and for each of the second sensors 22a to 22d. On the other hand, the signal line of the serial clock (SCLK) is shared by the four first sensors 14a to 14d and shared by the four second sensors 22a to 22d. That is, the signal line of the serial clock (SCLK) of the master device 18 is commonly connected to the four first sensors 14a to 14d and commonly connected to the four second sensors 22a to 22d. Similarly, the data output (MOSI) signal line and the data input (MISO) signal line are also shared by the four first sensors 14a to 14d and are shared by the four second sensors 22a to 22d. The data output (MOSI) signal line and the data input (MISO) signal line are commonly connected to the four first sensors 14a to 14d and commonly connected to the four second sensors 22a to 22d.

When the master device 18 reads out the data output by the first sensor 14a, first, the chip select signal for the first sensor 14a is activated (L level), and the other chip select signals are set to H level. As a result, the first sensor 14a is in the selected state, and the remaining first sensors 14b to 14d and the second sensors 22a to 22d are in the non-selected state. Next, the master device 18 outputs a read command to the first sensor 14a using the data output signal. Next, the master device 18 receives data from the first sensor 14a using the serial clock signal and the data input signal. Upon receiving the read command, the first sensor 14a transmits data to the master device 18 in synchronization with the clock signal from the master device 18.

After that, when the master device 18 reads the data of the first sensors 14b to 14d and the second sensors 22a to 22d, the same operation as described above is performed.

The master device 18 and the host system 31 are connected by RS422 or the like. The master device 18 transmits data received from the first sensors 14b to 14d and the second sensors 22a to 22d to the host system 31. The master device 18 and the host system 31 may be connected by wire or wirelessly.

The host system 31 is, for example, a computer in which a life calculation program is installed. The host system 31 calculates the displacement 5 components of the moving member 2 (that is, the displacements in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, the pitching direction, the rolling direction, and the yawing direction) based on the data received from the master device 18, and the moving member 2 The load applied to the moving member 2 is calculated from the displacement 5 component, and finally the life and failure of the motion guidance device 3 are predicted.

As the host system 31, a storage device such as a hard disk can be used to store the data transmitted from the master device 18. Further, when a sensor for detecting distortion, vibration, temperature, etc. of the moving member 2 is used as the sensor, a computer in which a program for analyzing these detection data is installed can be used as the host system 31.

The sensor system of the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. According to the sensor system 30 of the present embodiment, the following effects are obtained.

Since the moving member 2 of the motion guidance device 3 is provided with a master device 18 that receives the data output by the first sensors 14a to 14d and the data output by the second sensors 22a to 22d and outputs the received data, the motion guidance device 3 is provided. Even if a plurality of sensors 14a to 14d and 22a to 22d are attached to 3, the number of signal lines for transmitting data to the host system 31 can be reduced.

The data of the first sensors 14a to 14d and the second sensors 22a to 22d arranged at both ends of the moving member 2 in the relative moving direction can be collectively output by one master device 18.

Since the cable 24 for communicating between the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d is arranged between the track member 1 and the moving member 2, it is possible to prevent the outer shape of the motion guidance device 3 from becoming large.

Since the cable 24 for communicating between the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d is arranged between the upper surface of the track member 1 and the central portion 2-1 of the moving member 2, the cable 24 comes into contact with the rolling element 4. Can be prevented.

Since the cable 24 for communicating between the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d is supported by the support member 28 attached to the moving member 2, it is possible to prevent the cable 24 from bending and coming into contact with the track member 1.

Since the cable 24 for communicating between the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d is detachably connected to the boards 15 and 21, even if the dimensions of the moving member 2 change depending on the model number, the dimensions of the moving member 2 Can flexibly respond to changes. For example, if a cable 24 suitable for the moving member 2 having the maximum model number is prepared, the moving member 2 having all the model numbers can be supported. Even if the cable 24 is longer than the moving member 2, the cable 24 may be folded and supported by the support member 28.

Since the master device 18 is housed in the first case 11 attached to the moving member 2, the master device 18 can be easily arranged on the moving member 2.
(Second embodiment)

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the moving member 2 to which the sensor system of the second embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the first embodiment, the cable 24 for communicating between the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d is arranged between the moving member 2 and the track member 1, whereas in the second embodiment, the cable 24 is arranged. The cable 24 is housed in a conduit 41 provided on the side surface of the moving member 2. Other configurations are the same as the sensor system of the first embodiment. Since the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof will be omitted.
(Third embodiment)

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the moving member 2 to which the sensor system of the third embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the first embodiment, the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d are connected by a wired cable 24, whereas in the third embodiment, the master device 18 and the second sensors 22a to 22d are connected to the transceiver 43. Use to connect wirelessly. Further, the master device 18 and the host system 31 are wirelessly connected to each other by using the transceiver 42. Since the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof will be omitted.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be embodied in other embodiments without changing the gist of the present invention.

For example, as the sensor, a sensor that detects distortion, vibration, temperature, etc. of the moving member can be used, or the sensor can be arranged on the block and / or the lid member of the moving member.

The sensor system of the present invention can be applied not only to the motion guidance device of the above embodiment but also to a ball screw and a ball spline.

The ball screw includes a screw shaft, a nut, and a ball as a rolling element interposed between the groove of the screw shaft and the groove of the nut. The nut is provided with a circulation path so that the ball can circulate. When the screw shaft is rotated, the nut moves relatively linearly.

The ball spline comprises a spline shaft, a spline outer cylinder, and a ball as a rolling element interposed between the spline shaft and the spline outer cylinder. A circulation path is provided in the spline outer cylinder so that the ball can circulate. When the spline outer cylinder is moved relative to the spline axis in the axial direction, the ball circulates in the circulation path.

1 ... Track member, 2 ... Moving member, 2-1 ... Central part, 2-2 ... Sleeve part, 3 ... Motion guidance device (mechanical element), 4 ... Rolling element, 11 ... First case, 12 ... Second case , 14a-14d ... 1st sensor, 15, 21 ... Board, 18 ... Master device, 22a-22d ... 2nd sensor, 24 ... Cable, 25 ... Connector, 28 ... Support member, 30 ... Sensor system, 31 ... Upper system

Claims (6)

A sensor system for mechanical elements in which a moving member is assembled to a track member via a rolling element so that the moving member can move relative to each other.
The first sensor arranged on the moving member and
The second sensor arranged on the moving member and
A master device, which is arranged on the moving member and receives data output by the first sensor and data output by the second sensor, and outputs the received data, is provided .
A sensor system for a mechanical element in which a cable for communicating between the master device and at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is arranged between the track member and the moving member . The first sensor is arranged at one end of the moving member in the relative moving direction.
The sensor system for a mechanical element according to claim 1, wherein the second sensor is arranged at the other end of the moving member in the relative moving direction. The moving member has a central portion facing the upper surface of the track member and a pair of left and right sleeve portions facing the pair of left and right side surfaces of the track member.
The sensor system for a mechanical element according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the cable is arranged between the upper surface of the track member and the central portion of the moving member. The sensor system for a mechanical element according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the cable is supported by a support member attached to the moving member. The sensor system for a mechanical element according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the master device is housed in a first case attached to the moving member. The first sensor is housed in the first case.
The second sensor is housed in a second case attached to the moving member.
5. The fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a cable for communicating between the master device and the second sensor is detachably connected to a connector of a substrate housed in each of the first case and the second case. Sensor system for the described mechanical elements.

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