Patent Publication Number: US-2006010976-A1

Title: Dynamic balance testing machine

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a dynamic balance testing machine, and more particularly to a dynamic balance testing machine for measuring an unbalance of an asymmetrical crank shaft.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Crank shafts constituting a main part of an internal combustion engine include so-called asymmetrical crank shafts. Typical asymmetrical crank shafts are, e.g., 3-cylinder or 6-cylinder of V-type engines. The weight distribution of such an asymmetrical crank shaft is not symmetrical relative to its rotational axial center and an asymmetrical crank shaft as a single body has a moment (which is called a free moment) due to its predetermined dynamic unbalance. In case of measuring a rotational unbalance of such an asymmetrical crank shaft, it is necessary to resourcefully treat the abovementioned free moment, because a large vibration is occurred due to the free moment.  
      It is unsatisfactory to correct a rotational unbalance of an asymmetrical crank shaft as a single body, but it is necessary to correct a rotational unbalance of an asymmetrical crank shaft fitted with a piston and a connecting rod. Therefore, the following method for correcting a rotational unbalance of an asymmetrical crank shaft has been proposed.  
      Before measuring a rotational unbalance of an asymmetrical crank shaft, a free moment is compensated by attaching a dummy weight to each crank pin of the crank shaft, the dummy weight having the same weight as the weight of a connecting rod and a piston to be fitted to the crank pin.  
      However, according to this method, attaching and removing the dummy weight is often manually carried out, and automation thereof is difficult. In addition, if an automatic dummy weight attaching and removing device is to produce, such a device has a disadvantage in its complicated structure and will be very expensive as a whole. Further, attachment and removal of the dummy weight takes some time, and therefore this method has another disadvantage that the measurement time of a rotational unbalance of one crank shaft, so-called a cycle time, becomes excessive.  
      In this respect, a device has been proposed in which a crank shaft as a test piece and a dummy shaft having a dummy weight are rotatably fitted to a vibration cradle and are mechanically connected to a rotational driving device, and by synchronously rotating the crank shaft and the dummy shaft, a free moment of the crank shaft is canceled out by a free moment of the dummy shaft (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-306112 (1995), paragraph [0005]). With such arrangements, since the free moment of the crank shaft is canceled out by the rotation of the dummy shaft, the rotational unbalance of the crank shaft can be suitably measured without being hindered by the free moment of the crank shaft.  
      However, this prior art has a problem that, since the dummy shaft is mechanically connected to the rotational driving device of the crank shaft, much time is required for adjusting pulleys, gears and the like in the mechanical connecting portion and variations in precision, accuracy, weight distribution and the like of the parts in the connecting portion tend to affect the measurement accuracy. In addition, this device has another problem that it is difficult to change the set-up of the device when an unbalance of each of plural crank shafts with many kinds are measured.  
      In a further example of prior art, it has been proposed that a crank shaft as a test piece is rotated, and a synthesized vibration due to a free moment of the crank shaft and a vibration due to an unbalance of the crank shaft to be corrected is measured, and the vibration due to the free moment is electrically treated and removed (For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-255227).  
      However, this art has a problem that, since the free moment of the crank shaft is several ten times to several hundred times as large as the unbalance of the crank shaft to be measured, and removing the vibration due to such a large free moment by electrical compensation results in lowering in the measurement accuracy. Further, there is another problem that calibration (revision) has to often be carried out in order to use such a device for a long time.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A main object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the abovementioned prior art and provide a dynamic balance testing machine capable of easily changing the set-up of the machine corresponding to variations of kinds and shapes of the crank shaft of which unbalance is measured.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a dynamic balance testing machine provided with mechanical arrangements for canceling out a free moment of an asymmetrical crank shaft, capable of accurately measuring a rotational unbalance of the asymmetrical crank shaft.  
      The invention herein is a dynamic balance testing machine comprising: a vibration cradle provided in such a manner that the cradle can be vibrated corresponding to the unbalance when an unbalance of a test piece is measured, a test piece driving device provided in the vibration cradle and having a rotation shaft for rotating the test piece of which unbalance is measured, a compensation rotational shaft provided in the vibration cradle, having a rotational shaft positioning on the same line or on a line parallel to the rotational axial center of the test piece, and having a compensation weight provided for the rotational shaft, wherein the rotation of the rotational shaft causes the compensation weight to generate a vibration for canceling out the vibration generated in the cradle at rotation of the test piece, due to a predetermined unbalance of the test piece, and a compensation rotational shaft driving means provided for the vibration cradle for rotating the compensation rotational shaft which is mechanically separated from the rotational shaft of the test piece driving device in such a manner that the test piece and the compensation rotational shaft are synchronously rotated.  
      The test piece driving device is constructed and arranged to rotate plural test pieces of different kinds or shapes for measuring the unbalance thereof. The compensation rotational shaft has plural compensation rotational shafts corresponding to the kinds or shapes of the test pieces of which unbalance is measured, and the compensation rotational shaft driving means is constructed and arranged to selectively rotate one of the plural compensation rotational shafts, corresponding to a test piece of which unbalance is measured.  
      The compensation rotational shaft driving means has each driving means separately provided for every compensation rotational shaft.  
      The invention also includes an arrangement for outputting a reference signal every time a predetermined portion of the test piece goes through one-rotation carried out by the test piece driving device, wherein the compensation rotational shaft driving device rotates the compensation rotational shaft synchronously with the reference signal.  
      The test piece may be a crank shaft, and the reference signal outputting arrangement may include an optical sensor for outputting a sensor light intersecting the rotational locus of a crank pin of the crank shaft to output a reference signal based on the interruption of the sensor light caused by the rotating crank pin.  
      The reference signal outputting arrangement may output, as the reference signal, the midst interruption of a duration in which the sensor light is interrupted by the crank pin.  
      Since the compensation rotational shaft and the compensation rotational shaft driving device are mechanically separated from the test piece driving device, the compensation rotational shaft can be disposed in such a position that the set-up of the machine can be easily changed. Thereby, even in a case where the only one compensation rotational shaft is provided, the machine can treat plural test pieces of different kinds or shapes by changing a compensation weight to be mounted on the compensation rotational shaft.  
      Plural compensation rotational shafts are provided corresponding to the kinds or shapes of test pieces of which unbalance is measured. Therefore, by selectively rotating one of the plural compensation rotational shafts corresponding to a test piece, the free moment of the test piece can be canceled out by the rotation of the compensation rotational shaft. And in a case where the kind of a test piece changes, it is only necessary to select a compensation rotational shaft corresponding to the kind and rotate the same. Therefore, the dynamic balance testing machine is such that the set-up of the machine can easily be changed corresponding to the kind of each test piece.  
      Plural types of compensation rotational shafts are provided corresponding to the kinds or the shapes of test pieces. However, for driving these compensation rotational shafts, only a single driving means may be provided or corresponding number of driving means may be provided for each of the compensation rotational shafts. In a case where only a single driving means is provided and the driving means includes a motor, the motor shaft may project both forward and rearward and compensation rotational shafts may be provided at forward and backward of the motor via clutches, respectively. In this case, by changing over the clutch, two kinds of compensation rotational shafts can be selectively rotated.  
      Further, such arrangements may be adopted that the driving force of the compensation rotational shaft driving means is selectively transmitted through the clutches, pulleys or the like to the plural compensation rotational shafts.  
      Furthermore, the compensation rotational shaft driving means may be provided for each compensation rotational shaft.  
      The rotation of a test piece rotated by the test piece driving device can be accurately detected and the compensation rotational shaft can be synchronously rotated with the rotation of the test piece.  
      Especially, in a case where the test piece is a crank shaft, it is preferable, in view of reliability of the machine, that the rotational position of a crank pin contained in the crank shaft is detected by an optical sensor and the compensation rotational shaft is synchronously rotated with the rotation of the crank shaft based on an output of the optical sensor.  
      Where the midst of a duration in which the sensor light is interrupted by the crank pin is utilized as a reference signal, the unbalance of the test piece can be measured without being influenced by variations in size of the crank pin or the difference in size toward half-diameter from the rotational axial center of the crank pin, so that the reliability of the machine is increased.  
      According to the present invention having the abovementioned arrangements, an unbalance of especially an asymmetrical crank shaft can be accurately measured. In addition, such a dynamic balance testing machine can be provided that the set-up of the machine can easily be changed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in the following with reference to the appended drawings wherein  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a dynamic balance testing machine, according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view illustrating a function of the dynamic balance testing machine of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the control circuit of the motor of the dynamic balance testing machine of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relationship between the arrangement of the optical sensor and the crank pin;  
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of the pulse signal output from the light receiving element; and  
       FIG. 6  is a connecttual view of another dynamic balance testing machine, according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , in a dynamic balance testing machine according to this embodiment, a vibration cradle  1  is held by, for example, four supporting springs  2  vertically set up on a base  20  so as to be vibrated. That is, the vibration cradle  1  is provided in such a manner that it can be vibrated depending on the unbalance amount of a test piece when it is measured. On the vibration cradle  1 , a pair of supports  3 ,  3 ′ are vertically set up. The supports  3 ,  3 ′ rotatably support a pair of bearing rollers  4 ,  4 ′, respectively. With two pairs of bearing supports  4 ,  4 ′, an asymmetrical crank shaft  5  as a test piece is supported at the both ends thereof.  
      A drive motor  8  is provided, for example, on the lower surface of the vibration cradle  1 . The rotational force of the drive motor  8  is transmitted to one bearing roller pair  4 ′ by a pulley  15 , a driving belt  7  and a pulley  16 . In other words, the bearing roller pair  4 ′ is rotated by the drive motor  8 . With the rotation of the bearing roller pair  4 ′, the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  mounted thereon is rotated. Since the other end of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  is received by the other bearing roller pair  4 , the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  rotates on the two sets of bearing roller pairs  4 ,  4 ′ with the rotation of the bearing roller pair  4 ′.  
      In a case where the rotating asymmetrical crank shaft  5  has an unbalance, the vibration cradle  1  is vibrated in a predetermined amount corresponding to the amount and angle of the unbalance. Detection of the vibration of the vibration cradle  1  is realized by that vibration detectors  6 ,  6 ′ provided on the base  20  detect the vibration of detecting rods  17 ,  17 ′ which are fixed to, for example, the lower surface of the vibration cradle  1  and extending downwardly therefrom.  
      Further, in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , a pair of bearings  12  are attached to, e.g., the lower surface of the vibration cradle  1 , and a compensation rotational shaft  10  is rotatably held by the pair of bearings  12 . The compensation rotational shaft  10  is disposed in such a manner that its rotational axial center is parallel to the rotational axial center of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  received by the bearing roller pairs  4 ,  4 ′. Attached to this compensation rotational shaft  10  are compensation weights  11 , which can generate a moment canceling out the free moment of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5 .  
      Further, a motor  9  is provided to the lower surface of the vibration cradle  1  and the rotational shaft of the motor  9  is connected to the compensation rotational shaft  10  so that the compensation rotational shaft  10  is rotated by the motor  9 .  
      Furthermore, an optical sensor  18  is provided which has a light emitting element  13  and a light receiving element  14  for outputting a reference signal every one-time rotation of a predetermined crank pin  51  of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  received by the two sets of bearing roller pairs  4 ,  4 ′.  
      As mentioned below, the rotational speed and the rotational phase of the motor  9  are controlled based on a reference signal outputted from the optical sensor  18 .  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a function of the dynamic balance testing machine having the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , the relation among the free moment generated by the rotation of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5 , the unbalance amount and the compensation moment generated by the rotation of the compensation rotational shaft  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  showing the vibration cradle  1  in plan.  
      The asymmetrical crank shaft  5  as a single body has a large moment, namely, a free moment as mentioned above. This free moment depends upon the basic shape of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5 , and in a case where the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  is incorporated into an internal combustion engine and a connecting rod and a piston are fitted to a crank pin of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5 , the free moment is canceled by the weights of the connecting rod and the piston. The asymmetrical crank shaft  5  has, in addition to the free moment, an unbalance to be measured by unbalance measurement and to be removed by unbalance correction. In many cases, such an unbalance to be corrected is much smaller than the free moment.  
      When the compensation rotational shaft  10  is rotated by the motor  9 , a compensation moment is generated due to the function of the compensation weights  11  attached to the compensation rotational shaft  10 . When the motor  9  is so controlled that the rotational speed of the compensation rotational shaft  10  becomes equal to that of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  and the rotational phase of the compensation rotational shaft  10  coincides with that of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5 , the compensation moment becomes a moment as large as the free moment and having the reverse direction to the direction of the free moment. Therefore, the vibration based on the free moment and the vibration based on the compensation moment are offset to each other, and any vibration of the vibration cradle  1  is not generated based on the free moment. As a result, the vibration cradle  1  has vibration only due to an unbalance of the asymmetrical crank shaft which is to be corrected.  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the control circuit configuration of the motor  9  in the dynamic balance testing machine shown in  FIG. 1 . As abovementioned, the rotational state of the predetermined crank pin  51  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ) of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  is detected by the optical sensor  18 , and a reference signal for synchronous rotation from the optical sensor  18  is given to a synchronous control circuit  21  every one-time rotation of the crank pin  51 , namely, of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5 . On the other hand, the compensation rotational shaft  10  is, for example, directly connected to the motor  9 , so that the compensation rotational shaft  10  is rotated once with one-time rotation of the motor  9 . The motor  9  is provided with an encoder  23 , by which the rotational state of the motor  9  is detected and given to the rotational control circuit  21 .  
      In the rotational control circuit  21 , the signal indicating the rotational state of the motor  9  from the encoder  23  is compared with the reference signal from the optical sensor  18 , and a control signal having the rotational speed and the rotational phase of the motor  9  coincident with those of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  is generated, and is given to a servo driver  22 . Then, the rotation of the motor  9  is controlled by the servo driver  22 .  
      Thereby, the motor  9  and the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  are rotated at the same rotational speed and in the same rotational phase to each other, and the compensation rotational shaft  10  directly connected to the motor  9  and the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  are also rotated at the same rotational speed and in the same rotational phase to each other.  
      As a result, a compensation moment for canceling out the free moment of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  is generated by the rotation of the compensation rotational shaft  10 .  
       FIG. 4  illustrates the relation between the arrangement of the optical sensor  18  (the light emitting element  13  and the light receiving element  14 ) and a crank pin  51 . In the optical sensor  18  having the light emitting element  13  and the light receiving element  14 , sensor light (sensor beam) goes straight ahead from the light emitting element  13  to the light receiving element  14 . The sensor light is so emitted as to intersect the rotational locus of the crank pin  51 . That is, the positions of the light emitting element  13  and the light receiving element  14  are arranged in such a manner that the sensor light going straight ahead from the light emitting element  13  to the light receiving element  14  can intersect the rotational locus of the crank pin  51 .  
      In  FIG. 4 , the sensor light projected from the light emitting element  13  to the light receiving element  14  is positioned aside the rotational center of the crank shaft  5  in such a manner that it can intersect the rotational locus of the center of the crank pin  51 . Thereby, the sensor light is interrupted once during one-time rotation of the crank pin  51 . In more detail, in the situation shown in  FIG. 4 , the sensor light is not interrupted while the crank pin  51  is in the range from 0° to 180° but is interrupted while it is in the range from 180° to 360° (0°). Therefore, the output from the light receiving element  14  is a pulse signal shown with designation A in  FIG. 5 .  
      However, the abovementioned angle is only an example, and the value of the angle changes with the diameter of the crank pin  51 , the arrangement of the optical sensor  18  and the like.  
      In the situations shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , since one pulse is outputted every one-time rotation of the crank pin  51 , the rise (reference signal  1 ), the decay (reference signal  2 ) or the center (reference signal  3 ) of the pulse can be obtained as a reference signal.  
      In the abovementioned situations, in order to obtain the center of the pulse (reference signal  3 ) as a reference signal, it is only necessary to measure the time from the rise to the decay of the pulse by a clock and recognize the midst of that time as the center of the pulse. The recognized center of the pulse is successively used as a reference signal for control. If a reference signal is obtained based on the center of the pulse, in other words, based on the time at when the center of the crank pin  51  interrupts the sensor light, it has an advantage that minute errors in the diameter of the crank pin  51  can be absorbed, that minute differences in the arm length of the crank pin  51  (the length from the rotational center of the crank shaft to the center of the crank pin  51 ), if any, can be absorbed and so on.  
      In the abovementioned embodiment, the optical sensor  18  comprises the light emitting element  13  and the light receiving element  14 , but a reflection-type optical sensor may be used, instead. Further, instead of the optical sensor, another arrangement may be adopted in which a reference signal is outputted by a proximity switch or the like.  
      It is only necessary to adopt such an arrangement that the sensor light is interrupted once during one-time rotation of the crank pin, or such a disposition and an arrangement of the sensor that one signal is outputted with one-time rotation of the crank pin.  
      In the abovementioned embodiment, it has been described that, since the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  is provided on the upper side relative to the vibration cradle  1  with the compensation rotational shaft  10  being provided on the lower side relative thereto, the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  and the compensation rotational shaft  10  are controlled so as to be rotated in the same rotational phase. However, in a situation where the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  and the compensation rotational shaft  10  are both provided on the upper surface of the vibration cradle  1 , it is only necessary to control the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  and the compensation rotational shaft  10  to have the reverse rotational phase to each other, or they are rotated in the reverse directions to each other. In other words, it is only necessary to control the rotational speed and the rotational phase of the compensation rotational shaft  10  in such a manner that the free moment generated by the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  can be offset with the compensation moment generated by the compensation rotational shaft  10 .  
       FIG. 6  is a conceptual view showing the configuration of a dynamic balance testing machine according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the vibration cradle  1  is illustrated in plan. Similarly in the abovementioned embodiment, the vibration cradle  1  is provided with a bearing roller pair  4 ′ driven by a drive motor  8  and another bearing roller pair  4  to be a set together with the bearing roller pair  4 ′. An asymmetrical crank shaft  5  as a test piece is received and rotated by the two bearing roller pairs  4 ,  4 ′.  
      The vibration cradle  1  is further provided with a compensation rotational shaft  10  rotated by a synchronous motor  9 , similarly to the abovementioned embodiment. Compensation weights  11  are attached to this compensation rotational shaft  10 .  
      Further, in the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , a synchronous motor  91  and a compensation rotational shaft  101  to be rotated by the synchronous motor  91  are provided. Compensation weights  111  are attached to this compensation rotational shaft  101 . Further, a synchronous motor  92  is provided. The synchronous motor  92  is a so-called double projection motor in which a motor shaft projects both forward and backward. Connected to these two projections of the synchronous motor  92  are compensation rotational shafts  102 ,  103  via clutches  95 ,  95 , respectively. A compensation weight  112  is attached to the compensation rotational shaft  102 , while a compensation weight  113  is attached to the compensation rotational shaft  103 .  
      In these arrangements, each of the compensation rotational shafts  10 ,  101 ,  102 ,  103  is disposed so as to extend on an axial line in parallel to the rotational axis of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  received and rotated by the bearing roller pairs  4 ,  4 ′.  
      Further, each lengths of the compensation rotational shafts  10 ,  101 ,  102 ,  103  and the numbers and the weights of the compensation weights  11 ,  111 ,  112 ,  113  are set to such a value as capable of offsetting a free moment of a predetermined type asymmetrical crank shaft of which unbalance is measured.  
      With such arrangements, the compensation rotational shafts  10 ,  101 ,  102 ,  103  are not rotated and no compensation moment is generated as long as the synchronous motors  9 ,  91 ,  92  are not driven. Therefore, by selecting one of the compensation rotational shafts to be operated on the based of kind or shape of the asymmetrical crank shaft  5  as a test piece, the dynamic balance testing machine can easily change its arrangement in order to measure the unbalance of plural asymmetrical crank shafts of different kinds. For example, for measurement of the unbalance of the first kind of asymmetrical crank shaft  5 , the compensation rotational shaft  10  is rotated by the synchronous motor  9 . Further, for measurement of the unbalance of the second kind of asymmetrical crank shaft, the compensation rotational shaft  101  is rotated by the synchronous motor  91 . Further, for measurement of the unbalance of the third kind of asymmetrical crank shaft, the compensation rotational shaft  102  is rotated by the synchronous motor  92  via a clutch  95 . Furthermore, for measurement of the unbalance of the fourth kind of asymmetrical crank shaft, the synchronous motor  92  is rotated and only the clutch  96  is connected to rotate the compensation rotational shaft  103 .  
      As abovementioned, by selecting one of the compensation rotational shafts to be rotated with a synchronous motor, the dynamic balance testing machine can easily be ready for the unbalance measurement of different kinds of asymmetrical crank shafts.  
      In the arrangements of the abovementioned embodiments, the compensation rotational shaft  10  is rotatably held by the supporting bearings  12  fitted to the vibration cradle  1 . However, the compensation rotational shaft may not be held by the supporting bearings  12 , but may be rotatably received on bearing rollers and rotated via bearing rollers, similarly to the asymmetrical crank shaft as a test piece. With such arrangements, in a case where the kind of an asymmetrical crank shaft of which unbalance is measured changes, it is only necessary to exchange the compensation rotational shaft mounted on the bearing rollers with another one according to the change. Thus, the set-up can easily be altered.  
      In the abovementioned embodiments, the test piece is an asymmetrical crank shaft. However, the test piece is not limited to an asymmetrical crank shaft, but it may be other test pieces having a moment (so-called a free moment) due to its predetermined dynamic unbalance.  
      The present invention is not limited to the abovementioned embodiments but may be variously changed within the range of the appended claims.