JP7625812B2 - Status monitoring device, status monitoring method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a status monitoring device, a status monitoring method, and a program.

It has been known that devices generate heat during operation, which can affect the operation of the device and its components. For example, if abnormal heat is generated in a vehicle, various types of damage can occur depending on the location of the heat generation and on the parts that make up the vehicle. For this reason, temperature rises in devices are monitored and controls are implemented in response to temperature changes.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a temperature sensor for monitoring abnormalities in a rolling device. Patent Document 2 discloses a wheel condition monitoring device that detects the temperature of tires to determine the condition of the wheels.

JP 2004-156957 A Patent No. 5444266

In the prior art documents mentioned above, in order to take into account the accuracy of temperature detection, it is necessary to install a temperature detection sensor in a position close to the object to be monitored. This places restrictions on the installation position of the sensor, resulting in low design freedom. In addition, installing a sensor close to the object to be monitored also poses the problem that the sensor itself is affected by heat and vibrations generated by the object's movements. Furthermore, a sensor must be installed for each object to be monitored, which also poses the problem of an increase in the number of sensors required as the number of objects to be monitored increases.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to improve the degree of freedom in the configuration for status monitoring while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the device due to heat generation.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a status monitoring device for a device configured with one or more components,
a measuring means for measuring gases produced by the one or more components as the temperature changes;
a diagnostic means for diagnosing an abnormal state of the device in response to the gas measured by the measuring means;
has.

Another aspect of the present invention has the following configuration: A method for monitoring the state of a device that is configured of one or more components, comprising:
a measuring step of measuring gas generated from the one or more components with a gas sensor as a function of temperature change;
a diagnostic step of diagnosing an abnormal state of the device according to the gas measured in the measurement step;
has.

Another aspect of the present invention has the following configuration:
On the computer,
a measuring step of measuring gas generated from one or more components constituting the device in response to a change in temperature using a gas sensor;
a diagnostic step of diagnosing an abnormal state of the device according to the gas measured in the measurement step;
Execute the command.

The present invention makes it possible to improve the degree of freedom in the configuration for status monitoring while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the device due to heat generation.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an apparatus configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a state monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11A and 11B are diagrams showing examples of locations of abnormal heat generation and damage when the monitored object is a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an installation position of a gas sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1C are diagrams for explaining the configuration and operation of a gas sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart of an abnormality diagnosis process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a graph showing an example of a test result according to an embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a flowchart of an abnormality diagnosis process according to a second embodiment. 13 is a flowchart of an abnormality diagnosis process according to a third embodiment.

The following describes the embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is one embodiment for explaining the present invention, and is not intended to be interpreted as limiting the present invention, and not all of the configurations described in each embodiment are necessarily essential configurations for solving the problems of the present invention. In addition, in each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numbers to indicate their correspondence.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[Device configuration]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a system according to this embodiment. The system according to this embodiment is configured to include a device 100 including a monitoring target, and a state monitoring device 200. In this embodiment, a vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as vehicle 100) is taken as an example of the device 100 including a monitoring target. The state monitoring device 200 may be, for example, an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer), and the configuration is not particularly limited. When the monitoring target is a vehicle, the state monitoring device 200 may be configured to include an on-board ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

The condition monitoring device 200 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a storage device 202, a sensor IF 203, an input device 204, an output device 205, and a communication device 206. Each part is connected to be able to communicate via an internal bus 207. The CPU 10 is a part that controls the entire condition monitoring device 200, and may realize various functions by, for example, reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 202. The storage device 202 is composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), which are non-volatile storage areas, and a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a volatile storage area. The sensor IF 203 is an interface for acquiring the results detected by the gas sensor 103. The sensor IF 203 may be configured to supply power to the gas sensor 103 from a power source (not shown). The input device 204 is a part that accepts input from the outside and is composed of, for example, a mouse and a keyboard. The output device 205 is a part that outputs various information and is, for example, a liquid crystal display. Note that a touch panel display in which the input device 204 and the output device 205 are integrated may also be used. The communication device 206 is a part that communicates with an external device (not shown) via a network (not shown). The communication here may be wired or wireless, and there are no particular limitations on the communication standard.

The vehicle 100 is composed of multiple parts, and here, as an example, three parts 101a to 101c are described as the objects to be monitored. Note that when the parts to be monitored are described collectively, they are described as parts 101, and when they need to be described individually, they are described with subscripts. These parts 101 may be any parts, such as a bearing device, tires, brakes, an engine, a transmission, a motor, or a battery, and are parts in which gas 102 is generated with a change in temperature. In addition, when the device 100 is other than a vehicle, the configuration and type of the parts 101 to be monitored may differ depending on the type of the device. In addition, in FIG. 1, the device 100 and the state monitoring device 200 are shown as being separate, but this is not limited to this configuration, and the state monitoring device 200 may be provided within the device 100.

The vehicle 100 is equipped with a gas sensor 103, which is configured to detect gas 102 generated from a part 101 in response to a change in temperature. Although only one gas sensor 103 is shown in FIG. 1, multiple gas sensors 103 may be provided depending on the size and structure of the device 100, the region in which the gas 102 is generated, and the like. The gas sensor 103 provides information related to the detected gas 102 to the status monitoring device 200 via the sensor IF 203.

The composition and amount of gas 102 generated from each part due to temperature change varies depending on the material, operating conditions, operating load, and structure used in the part 101. For example, as described above, the parts 101 equipped on the vehicle 100 include a bearing device, tires, brakes, engine, transmission, motor, and battery, which use lubricants, rubber, resin, and the like. Therefore, gas containing carbonyl compounds may be generated due to temperature change and heat generation. Furthermore, when abnormal heat generation occurs in multiple parts, gas with different types of components may be generated in each part. Therefore, gas 102 may contain one or multiple types of substances.

[Functional configuration]
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the state monitoring device 200 according to the present embodiment. The functions of the components shown in Fig. 2 may be realized by the CPU 201 shown in Fig. 1 reading out a program stored in the storage device 202, or may be realized by controlling each device that is hardware.

The condition monitoring device 200 includes a signal acquisition unit 211, a signal analysis unit 212, an abnormality diagnosis unit 213, an information storage unit 214, a notification processing unit 215, and a communication processing unit 216. The signal acquisition unit 211 acquires a detection signal from the gas sensor 103 via the sensor IF 203. The signal acquisition unit 211 may also transmit various control signals to the gas sensor 103 to control its operation. The signal analysis unit 212 uses the detection signal acquired by the signal acquisition unit 211 to analyze the gas 102 generated by the device 100 (here, a vehicle) and identifies the type (contents), amount, source, etc. of the gas 102. The abnormality diagnosis unit 213 performs abnormality diagnosis, such as the presence or absence of abnormal heat generation and identification of abnormal parts, based on the analysis results of the signal analysis unit 212.

The information storage unit 214 stores and manages various information and diagnosis results obtained from outside in the storage device 202. The notification processing unit 215 performs control to notify the user of the diagnosis results. The notification processing unit 215 may also perform control such as stopping the operation of the part 101 in which an abnormality has occurred by notifying the control unit (not shown) of the device 100 of the result of the abnormality diagnosis. The communication processing unit 216 controls the transmission and reception of various information to an external device (not shown) via the communication device 206.

[Examples of locations where abnormal heat occurs and damage]
3 is a diagram showing examples of heat generating locations in components (parts 101) and damage caused by abnormal heat generation when the device 100 is a vehicle. Examples of vehicle components include rolling bearings, tires, brakes, engines, gears, motors, and batteries. Note that the components shown in FIG. 3 are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. Furthermore, the units (granularity) of the components are not intended to be limiting.

Examples of places where heat is generated in rolling bearings include the lubricant supplied to seals and sliding parts. Furthermore, if heat is generated in a rolling bearing, abnormal friction or seizure may occur inside the rolling bearing. Examples of places where heat is generated in tires include the surface of the tire where the tire comes into contact with the ground. Furthermore, if heat is generated in a tire, it may burst or explode. Examples of places where heat is generated in brakes include the pads and linings. Furthermore, if heat is generated in the brakes, vapor lock or fade may occur.

The engine's heat generating points include the engine oil held inside. When the engine generates heat, internal seizure may occur. The gear's heat generating points include the lubricant supplied to the sliding parts. When the gear generates heat, abnormal wear and seizure may occur. The motor's heat generating points include the seals, lubricants, and resin on the coil surface. When the motor generates heat, internal seizure may occur. The battery's heat generating points include the electrolyte, separator, and electrodes. When the battery generates heat, the battery may expand or white smoke may be emitted.

At the heat generating locations as described above, gas 102 is generated as a result of heat generation. In this embodiment, the gas sensor 103 detects the type and amount (concentration) of the generated gas 102 to detect any abnormalities.

[Installation example]
4 is a diagram for explaining an example of installation of the gas sensor 103 according to this embodiment. Here, an example of a portion around a tire provided on a vehicle 100 will be explained as an example of a portion 101a that is one of the monitoring targets. More specifically, an example in which the gas sensor 103 is installed on a hub bearing is shown. The portion 101a is configured to include a rolling bearing, and includes an inner ring 410 and an outer ring 411. Here, the outer ring 411 is the fixed side, and a tire (not shown) attached to the inner ring 410 side rotates as the vehicle 100 travels.

Figure 4 (a) shows an example in which the gas sensor 103 is provided on the tire side of the outer wheel 411. In this case, taking into consideration the relationship with the installation position of the tire, the gas sensor 103 and the condition monitoring device 200 may be connected to be able to communicate wirelessly. In addition, the condition monitoring device 200 may be configured to include a power source (not shown) for supplying power to the gas sensor 103 and to supply power to the gas sensor 103 wirelessly. Such a wireless configuration is suitable, for example, when monitoring parts located outside the vehicle (rolling bearings, tires, brakes, etc.).

Figure 4 (b) shows an example in which the gas sensor 103 is provided on the vehicle body side of the outer wheel 411. In this case, the state monitoring device 200 is provided on the vehicle 100. Based on the freedom of wiring, the gas sensor 103 and the state monitoring device 200 may be connected to each other via a wire so that they can communicate with each other. The state monitoring device 200 may also be configured to include a power source (not shown) for supplying power to the gas sensor 103 and to supply power to the gas sensor 103 wirelessly. Such a wired configuration is suitable for monitoring parts located inside the vehicle (rolling bearings, engine, gears, motor, battery, etc.), for example.

[Example of operation]
5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of the gas sensor 103 according to this embodiment. The gas sensor 103 according to this embodiment measures gas while switching between a cleaning operation and a gas measurement operation. FIG. 5A is a diagram showing the state of the gas sensor 103 during a cleaning operation. FIG. 5B is a diagram showing the state of the gas sensor 103 during a gas measurement operation. Note that the state of the gas sensor 103 may be switched based on an instruction from the state monitoring device 200, or may be switched based on a predetermined condition on the gas sensor 103 side. In addition, a bearing device will be taken as an example of the portion 101b to be measured.

The gas sensor 103 is equipped with a tube 306 that is configured to be able to switch between a path for sucking in outside air and a path for sucking in gas present around the part to be measured (here, the bearing device 101b). Filters 301 and 303 are installed at the intake port on the side of the part to be measured and the intake port for outside air, respectively. The filters 301 and 303 may have the same configuration or different configurations. For example, the filter 301 may be configured according to the type of gas to be measured and the type and position of the part to be measured. The valve 302 is used to switch the path when sucking in gas. In addition, a pump 305 is arranged on the exhaust port side of the gas sensor 103 and is used to suck in gas passing through the tube 306. The gas sucked in by the pump 305 is exhausted from the exhaust port.

A sensor unit 304 is provided on the path of the tube 306 between the valve 302 and the pump 305. The sensor unit 304 reacts to the components of the gas and outputs a corresponding signal. In this embodiment, an example in which a semiconductor gas sensor is used as the sensor unit 304 is described, but this is not limited to this. Depending on the gas to be measured, for example, a catalytic combustion type, an electrochemical type, a thermal conductivity type, a photoionization type, or an NDIR (Non-Dispersive Infrared) type gas sensor may be used. In addition, multiple sensor units 304 may be provided on the path of the tube 306 between the valve 302 and the pump 305 depending on the type of gas to be detected.

[Processing flow]
6 is a flowchart of the state monitoring process according to this embodiment. This process is executed by the state monitoring device 200, and may be realized, for example, by the CPU 201 included in the state monitoring device 200 reading out a program for implementing this process from the storage device 202 and executing it. This process may be started based on a user's instruction, or may be started at a predetermined timing.

In S601, the state monitoring device 200 performs path control for cleaning the gas sensor 103. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the valve 302 is controlled to switch to a path that draws in outside air.

At S602, the status monitoring device 200 starts measuring the cleaning time. For example, it starts timing using a timer (not shown).

In S603, the status monitoring device 200 operates the pump 305 to draw in outside air. This gradually fills the tube 306 with outside air, and the inside of the tube 306 is cleaned by the outside air.

In S604, the status monitoring device 200 refers to the measured time and determines whether the cleaning time has exceeded a predetermined time. The predetermined time is predefined and stored in the storage device 202. If the predetermined time has exceeded (YES in S604), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S605. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not exceeded (NO in S604), the processing returns to S603, and the status monitoring device 200 repeats the processing.

In S605, the condition monitoring device 200 causes the sensor unit 304 to detect gas in the tube 306 and acquires the detection result. The condition monitoring device 200 then stores the detection result in the storage device 202 as the detection result in the post-cleaning state.

In S606, the condition monitoring device 200 performs path control for gas measurement in the gas sensor 103. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the valve 302 is controlled to switch to a path that sucks in gas around the part 101b to be monitored (here, the bearing device).

At S607, the status monitoring device 200 starts measuring the measurement time. For example, it starts timing using a timer (not shown).

In S608, the condition monitoring device 200 operates the pump 305 to suck in the gas around the monitored part 101b. This causes the tube 306 to gradually fill with the gas around the monitored part 102.

In S609, the status monitoring device 200 refers to the time being measured and determines whether the measurement time has passed a predetermined time. The predetermined time here is predefined and stored in the storage device 202. Note that the predetermined time used in this process and the predetermined time in S604 may be the same or different. If the predetermined time has passed (YES in S609), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S610. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not passed (NO in S609), the processing returns to S608, and the status monitoring device 200 repeats the processing.

At S610, the status monitoring device 200 causes the sensor unit 304 to detect the gas in the tube 306 and acquires the detection result. The status monitoring device 200 then stores the detection result in the storage device 202 as the detection result for the gas around the monitored part 101b.

In S611, the status monitoring device 200 determines whether the measurement operation has been completed. For example, if the cleaning operation of S601 to S605 and the measurement operation of S606 to S610 are repeated multiple times and an abnormality diagnosis is made from the measurement results, the status monitoring device 200 determines whether the number of measurements has been completed. If it is determined that the measurement operation has been completed (YES in S611), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S612. On the other hand, if it is determined that the measurement operation has not been completed (NO in S611), the processing returns to S601 and the status monitoring device 200 repeats the processing.

In S612, the status monitoring device 200 performs an abnormality diagnosis based on the measurement results. For example, the degree of generation of a specific gas may be derived based on the difference between the measurement results after cleaning measured in S602 and the measurement results of the monitored object measured in S610. An abnormality diagnosis may then be performed by estimating the abnormal state of the monitored object from the degree of generation. For example, an abnormal state may be diagnosed when the concentration of the detected gas exceeds a threshold. In addition, multiple thresholds corresponding to the urgency may be set, and the urgency (degree) of the abnormality may be estimated by comparing with each threshold.

In S613, the status monitoring device 200 notifies the result of the abnormality diagnosis in S612. The location where the abnormal heat is occurring and its condition may be notified. The method of notification here is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a visual notification on a screen or an auditory notification by voice. Then, this processing flow ends.

In the example of the flowchart in FIG. 6, the cleaning operation and the gas measurement operation are performed alternately, but this is not limiting. For example, the cleaning operation may be performed once, and then the measurement operation may be repeated multiple times at regular intervals. An abnormality diagnosis may be performed based on the change in gas concentration derived by this configuration.

In the abnormality diagnosis of S612, the condition monitoring device 200 may be configured to identify the type of gas being generated and the location where that gas may be generated based on the measurement results. In this case, the condition monitoring device 200 may be configured to derive the location of generation and the level of abnormality using a table (not shown) that associates the monitored area with the gas generated. Furthermore, the condition monitoring device 200 may be configured to control the device 100 so that damage caused by the abnormality does not occur, using a table (not shown) that indicates the control content associated with the level of abnormality.

[Test Example]
The test results using the above-mentioned condition monitoring method will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The test conditions are as follows. The test was performed using a bearing device including a rolling bearing as the object to be monitored.

(Bearing device specifications)
Inner diameter: 25 mm
Outer diameter: 62 mm
Width: 17 mm
Rotation configuration: Inner ring rotation Lubrication method: Grease lubrication

(Grease specification)
Thickener: Urea Consistency number: No. 2
Base oil: poly-α-olefin Dynamic viscosity: 74 [mm ² /s, 40° C.]

(Operating conditions)
Rotation speed: 10000 [min ^-1 ]
Bearing outer ring temperature: 160°C
Radial load: 98N
Axial load: 1470N

(Gas sensor configuration)
Sensor type: Semiconductor type Tube outer diameter: 6 mm
Tube inner diameter: 4 mm
Filter type: Ceramic filter

In this test, a sampling hole with a diameter of 6.5 mm is provided in the axial direction of the housing of the bearing device, and a tube 306 provided with the gas sensor 103 is inserted to collect gas inside the bearing device (around the rolling bearing). A ceramic filter is used as the filter 301 to remove oil mist generated by the rolling bearing. A semiconductor sensor is used as the sensor unit 304. The semiconductor sensor detects the concentration of the reducing gas according to the value of the current generated by the reduction in resistance of the sensor unit caused by a reducing gas (the gas to be detected) removing oxygen from the metal oxide surface of the sensor unit.

In this test, the state of the sensor unit 304 is returned to its initial state by a cleaning operation. In order to improve the detection accuracy, it is necessary to perform measurements after replacing all the air in the path (tube 306) with outside air. Therefore, it is desirable to set the cleaning time so as to satisfy the following conditions.
(cleaning time)≧(path volume)/(pump flow rate per unit time)

The pump flow rate and the path volume can be determined from the configuration of the pump 305 and the tube 306. Furthermore, since abnormalities caused by deterioration of the lubricant used in the bearing device occur relatively soon after the deterioration occurs, it is desirable to set the measurement interval based on this assumption. For example, it is conceivable to set the measurement interval to within 24 hours.

During measurement, it is necessary to fill the path (tube 306) with as much air as possible from around the bearing device. At this time, it is desirable to set the measurement time so as to satisfy the following conditions, taking into consideration the volume (hereinafter, gas retention volume) of the area in which the gas inside the bearing device is retained (for example, inside the housing of the bearing device).
(Measurement time) ≧ (path volume or gas retention volume, whichever is smaller) / (pump flow rate)

The pump flow rate, path volume, and gas retention volume can be determined from the configuration of the pump 305, tube 306, and the part to be measured. Note that during measurement, the upper limit of the measurement time and the suction operation of the pump 305 may be controlled so as not to discharge more gas than necessary inside the bearing device. In this test, the predetermined time (i.e., cleaning time) used in the process of S604 in FIG. 6 was 19 minutes, and the predetermined time (i.e., measurement time) used in the process of S609 was 1 minute.

In addition, in this test, the influence of the surrounding environment of the monitored object is eliminated by using a difference value obtained by subtracting the data at the time of cleaning from the data at the time of measurement. Furthermore, since it is expected that the measurement results of the gas sensor 103 will be affected by periodic environmental changes over a day, such as temperature and humidity, the difference value of the data is derived by matching the measurement time. Furthermore, if the difference value is less than 0, it is treated as 0.

Figure 7 shows the test results of this test. In Figure 7, the horizontal axis indicates the test time [hr], the right scale of the vertical axis indicates the outer ring temperature [°C], and the left scale of the vertical axis indicates the gas sensor output value [V]. In this test, as a comparative example, the temperature (outer ring temperature) of the outer ring (fixed side) of the components that make up the rolling bearing was measured in addition to the measurement by the gas sensor 103.

As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7, the output of the gas sensor 103 increases after about 290 hours have passed since the start of the measurement. After that, when about 320 hours have passed since the start of the measurement, an abnormality was determined and the operation of the rolling bearing was stopped. When the actual state of the rolling bearing after the stop was checked, the lubricant inside the rolling bearing had deteriorated, making it difficult to rotate. If the operation of the rolling bearing is continued in this state, damage such as seizure may occur. On the other hand, referring to the detection result of the temperature change of the outer ring of the rolling bearing (solid line in FIG. 7), the temperature change immediately before the operation of the rolling bearing was stopped was small, only a few degrees Celsius. In other words, the deterioration of the lubricant inside the rolling bearing cannot be captured by only monitoring the temperature of the part where the temperature sensor can be installed. From this, it was demonstrated that the monitoring by the method according to this embodiment can capture the signs of seizure more appropriately than the temperature monitoring of the part.

As described above, this embodiment allows the state of the monitored object to be grasped more accurately than temperature monitoring, and can prevent damage to the monitored object from occurring. In addition, there are fewer restrictions on the installation location of the gas sensor than for the temperature sensor, making it possible to improve the freedom of configuration for status monitoring.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that, for the parts that overlap with the first embodiment, the differences will be focused on, and the description of the overlapping parts will be omitted. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the device 100 to be monitored is a vehicle, and status monitoring is performed based on the operating status of the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the state monitoring device 200 monitors the driving state of the vehicle 100. The driving state may include information such as driving speed, braking operation, and access operation, and various information may be acquired from the vehicle 100 main body. The driving speed may be acquired via an existing speed sensor (not shown) equipped in the vehicle 100, or may be calculated from the measurement results by measuring the rotation speed of tires, etc. using a sensor (not shown) separately provided in the state monitoring device 200. Note that, although information regarding the driving state is given here as an example of the operation information of the device 100, this is not limiting. For example, the operation information may include other information depending on the functions equipped in the device 100.

[Processing flow]
8 is a flowchart of the state monitoring process according to this embodiment. This process is executed by the state monitoring device 200, and may be realized, for example, by the CPU 201 included in the state monitoring device 200 reading out a program for implementing this process from the storage device 202 and executing it. This process may be started based on a user's instruction, or may be started at a predetermined timing.

In S801, the state monitoring device 200 acquires the traveling speed of the vehicle 100. As described above, the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 may be acquired from the vehicle 100 body side, or may be derived from the detection result of another sensor (not shown) equipped in the state monitoring device 200. In addition, a change in the traveling speed may be identified from the operating state of the brakes.

In S802, the status monitoring device 200 determines whether the traveling speed acquired in S801 has fallen below a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is predefined and stored in the storage device 202. The predetermined threshold may be defined based on the relationship between the time required for the vehicle 100 to stop and the time required for the preparatory operation. If the traveling speed has fallen below the predetermined threshold (YES in S802), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S803. On the other hand, if the traveling speed has not fallen below the predetermined threshold (NO in S802), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 returns to S801 and the processing is repeated.

In S803, the state monitoring device 200 performs a preparatory operation in preparation for the measurement operation. The preparatory operation here may be the cleaning operation described in the first embodiment, or may include other operations.

In S804, the state monitoring device 200 determines whether the vehicle 100 has stopped. The stopped state here may be determined, for example, by acquiring the traveling speed, or may be determined based on the state of the brakes, etc. If the vehicle 100 has stopped (YES in S804), the processing of the state monitoring device 200 proceeds to S807. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 has not stopped (NO in S804), the processing of the state monitoring device 200 proceeds to S805.

In S805, the state monitoring device 200 determines whether the driving speed has increased. Here, the driving speed may be acquired again and the determination may be made based on the state of the accelerator, etc.

In S806, the status monitoring device 200 stops the preparation operation started in S803. After that, the processing of the status monitoring device 200 returns to S801 and repeats the processing.

In S807, the status monitoring device 200 performs suction of gas around the object to be monitored. For example, the suction operation is performed by performing the path control and pump control described in the first embodiment.

In S808, the status monitoring device 200 measures the aspirated gas using the sensor unit 304. At this time, the measurement may be performed after a certain amount of aspirated gas or time has been ascertained in S807. The status monitoring device 200 then stores the measurement result in the storage device 202 as the detection result for the gas around the monitoring target.

In S809, the status monitoring device 200 determines whether the measurement operation has been completed. For example, when performing an abnormality diagnosis based on the results of multiple measurements, it may determine whether a predetermined number of measurements have been performed. If it is determined that the measurement operation has been completed (YES in S809), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S810. On the other hand, if it is determined that the measurement operation has not been completed (NO in S809), the processing returns to S801, and the status monitoring device 200 repeats the processing.

At S810, the condition monitoring device 200 performs an abnormality diagnosis based on the measurement results. The method of abnormality diagnosis here may be the same as that in the first embodiment, or may be a different method.

In S811, the status monitoring device 200 notifies the result of the abnormality diagnosis in S810. The notification method here is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a visual notification on a screen or an audible notification by voice. For example, the driver may be notified of the generation of gas due to abnormal heat generation, and be prompted to stop driving or slow down. Then, this processing flow ends.

As described above, in this embodiment, the timing of gas measurement is controlled depending on whether the vehicle is in a stopped state. The stopped state may be a temporary stop or a parked state.

As described above, this embodiment allows monitoring and measurement using a gas sensor according to the driving state of the vehicle 100, including the monitored object, and allows for diagnosis of abnormalities. In addition, since gas measurements are performed when the vehicle is stopped, rather than while it is driving, gas detection is possible without being affected by driving. The processing according to this embodiment is more suitable for a configuration in which a part outside the vehicle is the monitored object, as shown in FIG. 4(a) in the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that, as for the parts that overlap with the first embodiment, the differences will be focused on, and the description of the overlapping parts will be omitted. In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, an example will be described in which the device 100 to be monitored is a vehicle, and status monitoring is performed based on the operating status of the vehicle.

In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the state monitoring device 200 monitors the driving state of the vehicle 100. The driving state may include information such as driving speed, braking operation, and access operation, and various information may be acquired from the vehicle 100 main body. The driving speed may be acquired via a speed sensor (not shown) provided in the vehicle 100, or may be calculated from the measurement results by measuring the rotation speed of tires or the like using a separately provided sensor (not shown). Note that, although information regarding the driving state is given here as an example of the operation information of the device 100, this is not limiting. For example, the operation information may include other information depending on the functions provided by the device 100.

[Processing flow]
9 is a flowchart of the state monitoring process according to this embodiment. This process is executed by the state monitoring device 200, and may be realized, for example, by the CPU 201 included in the state monitoring device 200 reading out a program for implementing this process from the storage device 202 and executing it. This process may be started based on a user's instruction, or may be started at a predetermined timing.

At S901, the state monitoring device 200 acquires the traveling speed of the vehicle 100. As described above, the traveling speed of the vehicle 100 may be acquired from the vehicle 100 body side, or may be derived from the detection result of another sensor (not shown) equipped in the state monitoring device 200. In addition, a change in the traveling state may be identified from the operating state of the brakes.

In S902, the state monitoring device 200 determines whether the vehicle 100 has stopped based on the traveling speed acquired in S801. If the vehicle 100 has stopped (YES in S902), the processing of the state monitoring device 200 proceeds to S903. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 has not stopped (NO in S902), the processing of the state monitoring device 200 proceeds to S906.

At S903, the state monitoring device 200 sucks in the gas around the monitoring target. That is, the gas around the monitoring target is sucked in when the vehicle 100 is stopped. For example, the suction operation is performed by performing the pump control described in the first embodiment.

In S904, the state monitoring device 200 measures the aspirated gas using the sensor unit 304. At this time, the measurement may be performed after a certain amount of aspirated gas or time has been aspirated in S903.

In S905, the status monitoring device 200 stores the measurement result of S904 as a reference value in the storage device 202. After that, the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S909.

At S906, the state monitoring device 200 sucks in the gas around the monitoring target. That is, the gas around the monitoring target is sucked in while the vehicle 100 is running. For example, the suction operation is performed by performing the pump control described in the first embodiment.

In S907, the state monitoring device 200 measures the aspirated gas using the sensor unit 304. At this time, the measurement may be performed after a certain amount of aspirated gas or time has been aspirated in S906.

In S908, the status monitoring device 200 stores the measurement result of S907 as a measurement value in the storage device 202. After that, the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S909.

In S909, the status monitoring device 200 determines whether or not it has acquired and stored the measurement results of both the reference value and the measured value. In other words, it determines whether or not both the measurement processes of S903 to S905 and the measurement processes of S906 to S908 have been performed. If both measurements have been performed (YES in S909), the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S910. On the other hand, if at least one measurement has not been performed (NO in S909), the status monitoring device 200 returns to S901 and repeats the process.

In S910, the status monitoring device 200 determines whether the measurement operation has been completed. For example, when performing an abnormality diagnosis based on the results of multiple measurements, it may determine whether a predetermined number of measurements have been performed. If it is determined that the measurement operation has been completed (YES in S910), the processing of the status monitoring device 200 proceeds to S911. On the other hand, if it is determined that the measurement operation has not been completed (NO in S910), the processing returns to S901, and the status monitoring device 200 repeats the processing.

At S911, the condition monitoring device 200 performs an abnormality diagnosis based on the reference value and the measured value. The method of abnormality diagnosis here may be based on the difference between the reference value and the measured value, or may be based on the change in the reference value or the measured value.

At S912, the status monitoring device 200 notifies the result of the abnormality diagnosis at S911. The notification method here is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a visual notification on a screen or an audible notification by voice. For example, the driver may be notified of the generation of gas due to abnormal heat generation, and be prompted to stop driving or slow down. Then, this processing flow ends.

As described above, in this embodiment, the gas sensor performs monitoring and measurement when the vehicle 100 including the monitored object is traveling and when it is stopped, and abnormalities are diagnosed. This configuration makes it possible to diagnose abnormalities based on gases that are generated in response to changes in the traveling state of the vehicle. The processing according to this embodiment is more suitable for a configuration in which parts inside the vehicle are monitored, such as that shown in FIG. 4(b) in the first embodiment.

<Other embodiments>
In addition, the present invention can also be realized by supplying a program or application for realizing the functions of one or more of the above-mentioned embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, etc., and having one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program.

It may also be realized by a circuit that realizes one or more functions (for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)).

As such, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is intended that the various components of the embodiment may be combined with each other, and that those skilled in the art may modify and apply the invention based on the description in the specification and well-known technology, and this is within the scope of the protection sought.

As described above, the present specification discloses the following:
(1) A status monitoring device for a device that is composed of one or more components,
a measuring means for measuring gases produced by the one or more components as the temperature changes;
a diagnostic means for diagnosing an abnormal state of the device in response to the gas measured by the measuring means;
A condition monitoring device comprising:
According to this configuration, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the configuration for status monitoring while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the device due to heat generation.

(2) The condition monitoring device according to (1), wherein the diagnosis means identifies a component generating gas from among the one or more components based on a measurement result from the measurement means.
According to this configuration, it is possible to identify the part where abnormal heat is occurring from one or more parts depending on the gas measurement result.

(3) further comprising an acquisition unit for acquiring operation information of the device;
The condition monitoring device according to (1) or (2), wherein the measurement means controls measurement timing in response to operation information of the device.
According to this configuration, the timing of gas measurement can be changed depending on the operating condition of the device.

(4) The measuring means is configured to be able to switch a gas flow path,
The condition monitoring device according to (3) above, characterized in that the gas flow path is switched in response to operational information of the device.
According to this configuration, it is possible to switch the gas flow path depending on the operating condition of the device and perform appropriate gas measurement.

(5) The device is a vehicle,
The state monitoring device according to (3) or (4), wherein the operation information is information on a running state of the vehicle.
According to this configuration, it is possible to switch the gas measurement operation depending on the running state of the vehicle.

(6) The condition monitoring device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the measuring means is configured to be able to switch between a cleaning operation and a measuring operation.
According to this configuration, by switching between the cleaning operation and the measurement operation, it is possible to perform the measurement with higher accuracy.

(7) The condition monitoring device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the one or more components include at least one of a rolling bearing, a tire, a brake, an engine, a transmission, a motor, and a battery.
According to this configuration, each part constituting the vehicle can be applied as a monitoring target.

(8) The condition monitoring device according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the measuring means includes a semiconductor gas sensor.
According to this configuration, gas can be detected using a semiconductor gas sensor.

(9) A condition monitoring device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the measuring means is installed in a hub bearing included in the device.
According to this configuration, the hub bearing is provided with a measuring means, making it possible to detect gas.

(10) A method for monitoring the status of a device composed of one or more components, comprising:
a measuring step of measuring gas generated from the one or more components with a gas sensor as a function of temperature change;
a diagnostic step of diagnosing an abnormal state of the device according to the gas measured in the measurement step;
A condition monitoring method comprising the steps of:
According to this configuration, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the configuration for status monitoring while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the device due to heat generation.

(11) A computer is provided with:
a measuring step of measuring gas generated from one or more components constituting the device in response to a change in temperature using a gas sensor;
a diagnostic step of diagnosing an abnormal state of the device according to the gas measured in the measurement step;
A program for executing.
According to this configuration, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the configuration for status monitoring while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the device due to heat generation.

100...Device (vehicle)
101: part 102: gas 103: gas sensor 200: status monitoring device 201: CPU (Central Processing Unit)
202: Storage device 203: Sensor IF (interface)
204: Input device 205: Output device 206: Communication device 211: Signal acquisition unit 212: Signal analysis unit 213: Abnormality diagnosis unit 214: Information storage unit 215: Notification processing unit 216: Communication processing unit

Claims (9)

A status monitoring device for a device that is composed of one or more components,
a measuring means for measuring gases produced by the one or more components as the temperature changes;
a diagnosis means for diagnosing a location from which gas is being generated and a degree of abnormality in the one or more components based on a result of the gas measurement by the measurement means;
a control means for controlling the device using a control content that is predefined for the degree of abnormality diagnosed by the diagnosis means;
having
the measuring means is configured to be switchable between a cleaning operation and a measuring operation,
In the cleaning operation, after the outside air is sucked in, the outside air is measured by the measuring means;
In the measurement operation, after sucking in gas generated from the one or more components, the gas is measured by the measuring means;
The diagnostic means derives the degree of gas generation based on the difference between the measurement results in the cleaning operation and the measurement results in the measurement operation, and diagnoses the location from which gas is being generated and the degree of abnormality among the one or more components . The device further includes an acquisition means for acquiring operation information of the device,
2. The condition monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein said measuring means controls measurement timing in response to operation information of said device. The measuring means is configured to be capable of switching a gas flow path,
3. The condition monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the gas flow path is switched in response to operation information of the device. the device is a vehicle;
4. The state monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the operation information is information about a running state of the vehicle. The condition monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the one or more components include at least one of a rolling bearing, a tire, a brake, an engine, a transmission, a motor, and a battery. 6. The condition monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means includes a semiconductor gas sensor. 7. The condition monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring means is provided in a hub bearing included in the device. A method for monitoring the status of a device that is composed of one or more components, comprising:
a measuring step of measuring gas generated from the one or more components with a gas sensor as a function of temperature change;
a diagnosis step of diagnosing a location from which gas is being generated and a degree of abnormality in the one or more components based on a result of the gas measurement in the measurement step;
a control step of controlling the device using a control content that is predefined for the degree of the abnormality diagnosed in the diagnosis step;
having
The measuring step is configured to be switchable between a cleaning operation and a measuring operation,
In the cleaning operation, after the outside air is sucked in, the outside air is measured,
In the measuring operation, the gas generated from the one or more components is sucked in, and then the gas is measured;
The condition monitoring method is characterized in that in the diagnosis process, the degree of gas generation is derived based on the difference between the measurement results in the cleaning operation and the measurement results in the measurement operation, and the location from which gas is being generated and the degree of abnormality are diagnosed among the one or more components . On the computer,
a measuring step of measuring gas generated from one or more components constituting the device in response to a change in temperature using a gas sensor;
a diagnosis step of diagnosing a location from which gas is being generated and a degree of abnormality in the one or more components based on a result of the gas measurement in the measurement step;
a control step of controlling the device using a control content that is predefined for the degree of the abnormality diagnosed in the diagnosis step;
A program for executing
The measuring step is configured to be switchable between a cleaning operation and a measuring operation,
In the cleaning operation, after the outside air is sucked in, the outside air is measured,
In the measuring operation, the gas generated from the one or more components is sucked in, and then the gas is measured;
The program is characterized in that in the diagnosis process, the degree of gas generation is derived based on the difference between the measurement results in the cleaning operation and the measurement results in the measurement operation, and the location from which gas is being generated and the degree of abnormality are diagnosed among the one or more components .

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