Patent Description:
More specifically, the present invention relates to a sensorized support assembly for use in the food industry, as specified below, but is generally applicable.

In the food industry, known support assemblies are formed by a casing provided with a fastening flange for fastening to a frame of a machine; a bearing unit positioned inside the casing to support a moveable shaft and provided with a ball-and-socket coupling with the casing itself to make good any static mounting misalignments between the moveable shaft and the static frame; and a cover, which is normally cup-shaped, force-fitted onto the casing. The moveable shaft may be a through-shaft, in which case the support assembly, or the cover thereof, is referred to as being open-bottom. In the case of non-through-shafts, the support assembly, or the cover thereof, is referred to as being closed-bottom.

In food industry applications, a first technical problem relates to the hygiene-related requirement to wash machinery and the components thereof frequently, often using somewhat aggressive and corrosive washing fluids. Consequently, the aforementioned known bearing units are also provided with sealing devices, which are arranged on opposite sides of the bearing unit to prevent the ingress of any external contaminants into the bearing unit.

Notwithstanding the presence of sealing devices, it is beneficial to provide the cover to seal the support assembly and to prevent highpressure washing jets coming into direct contact with the bearing unit. These jets can reach pressures in the order of <NUM> bar and can cause failure of the sealing devices, and consequently failure of the bearing. The function of the cover is therefore to further protect the bearing unit.

However, in the unlikely event that washing liquids manage to filter into and/or penetrate the cover and pool inside the cover, with consequent problems of contamination, the operator can perform a visual check to determine whether any water has entered the installation by removing the cover after washing has been completed. Such manual inspections take a significant amount of time. Furthermore, such manual inspections introduce a new risk of water ingress, relating to incorrect mounting of the cover: like any manual operation, such inspections cannot be guaranteed error-free.

A second technical problem affecting known support assemblies for food industry applications relates to the maximum permissible temperature, which is relatively low at approximately <NUM>. The temperature level cannot be monitored using a measurement system installed outside the unit, for example using a thermocouple, since this would not be compatible with the hygiene standards applicable to food industry applications.

<CIT> shows a support assembly according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

The present invention is intended to provide a support assembly for food industry applications that does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.

The present invention provides a sensorized support assembly having the features set out in the attached claims.

The invention is described below with reference to the attached drawings, which show some non-limiting example embodiments of the invention, in which:.

In <FIG> and <FIG>, reference sign <NUM> denotes a support assembly as a whole, said support assembly being designed to be interposed between a first mechanical element <NUM> and a second mechanical element <NUM>, preferably but not exclusively comprising a static frame <NUM> and a rotary shaft <NUM> of a food-industry machine (both of which are known and therefore shown only schematically in the figures).

According to this first, preferred embodiment, the support assembly <NUM> has a central axis X and comprises:.

The flanged casing <NUM> in turn comprises a main tubular body <NUM> axially open at the opposing ends thereof and defining an exposed axially outer portion of the support assembly <NUM>, i.e. a portion oriented away from the static frame <NUM> and directly exposed to the washing fluids, and a flange <NUM> that is transverse to the axis X, integral with the body <NUM>, and provided with an internal cylindrical seat <NUM> arranged axially beside the mounting seat <NUM> and in communication with the mounting seat <NUM>. Conversely, the flange <NUM> defines an axially inner portion of the support assembly <NUM>, i.e. a portion oriented towards the static frame <NUM>.

Evidently, the embodiment of the casing <NUM> shown in <FIG> is just one possible embodiment. For example, the base or flange <NUM>, which is square in the illustrated example, can have a different symmetrical or asymmetrical shape.

The cover <NUM> for the casing <NUM> is generally cup-shaped and comprises a bottom wall <NUM>, an annular side wall <NUM> that extends transversely to the bottom wall <NUM>, and a coupling portion <NUM> for coupling with the casing <NUM>. The cup-shape of the cover <NUM> defines an internal volume V therein.

Throughout the present description and in the claims, terms and expressions indicating positions and orientations, such as "radial" and "axial", are to be understood with reference to the central axis of rotation X of the bearing unit <NUM>.

In some applications, the rotary shaft <NUM> is a through-shaft. For these applications, and with reference to <FIG>, the support assembly <NUM>, in a second, preferred embodiment, is provided with a cover <NUM> in which the bottom wall <NUM> comprises a central aperture <NUM>' for the rotary shaft <NUM>, and a gasket <NUM>" that is provided with one or more contacting lips and mounted in the central aperture <NUM>' to create a seal on the shaft <NUM>.

The solution according to the present invention may be applied to both preferred embodiments of the support assembly.

According to the invention, the cover <NUM> is provided with a sensor <NUM> for monitoring the relative humidity inside the cover <NUM>.

The sensor <NUM> is assembled in a support portion <NUM> for the sensor <NUM> positioned inside the annular side wall <NUM> of the cover <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the support portion <NUM> is obtained by levelling a section of the annular wall <NUM>, and therefore has a flat surface <NUM>' inside which a seat <NUM> can be formed for the sensor <NUM>, depending on the procedure selected for production of the sensorized cover.

Once the cover <NUM> has been mounted on the casing <NUM>, the support portion <NUM> for the sensor <NUM> is positioned in a lower portion <NUM>' of the cover <NUM>, where any fluid that has penetrated the cover <NUM> will accumulate under the effect of gravity. The lower portion <NUM>' of the cover <NUM> is the cover portion that, once mounted, comprises the lowest point of the cover with respect to a bearing plane for the machine as a whole. This means that the support portion <NUM> is where the liquid accumulates, and therefore that relative humidity can be measured more reliably given the guaranteed presence of fluid, if any fluid has penetrated the cover <NUM>.

In greater detail, the cover <NUM> is anchored to the casing <NUM> by means of a bayonet coupling, and the coupling portion <NUM> of the cover <NUM> has a plurality of teeth <NUM> that engage in a slot <NUM> in the tubular body <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. In this anchoring method, since the angular coupling position of the teeth <NUM> in the slot <NUM> and the angle through which the teeth <NUM> are rotated to effect the bayonet coupling are known, the support portion <NUM> of the sensor need simply be brought into phase with one of the teeth <NUM> to ensure that the support portion <NUM>, once mounted, is in the position corresponding to the lower portion <NUM>' of the cover <NUM> (error-proof or "poka-yoke" mounting).

According to a first embodiment, the sensor <NUM> can be co-moulded with the cover <NUM>. In this case, the support portion <NUM> for the sensor <NUM> is a structure formed about the sensor, integral with the sensor, and closely connected to the outer surface of the sensor.

The co-moulding of the sensor <NUM> is performed such that the sensor <NUM> has a free surface <NUM>, which is preferably coplanar with the flat surface <NUM>' of the support portion <NUM>, or at most slightly recessed from said flat surface <NUM>'. The free surface <NUM>, potentially hit by droplets of fluid, is able to provide a reliable reading of relative humidity.

In a second embodiment, the sensor <NUM> is mounted with interference in the seat <NUM> formed in the support portion <NUM>. Also in this case, the sensor <NUM> has a free surface <NUM>, which is preferably coplanar with the flat surface <NUM>' of the support portion <NUM>, or at most slightly recessed therefrom.

The sensor <NUM> can preferably be a multi-parameter sensor, in which case the sensor can also monitor the temperature inside the support assembly <NUM>, in particular inside the volume V defined by the cover <NUM>.

This solution resolves the aforementioned technical problems of water penetrating the support assembly and monitoring internal temperature, as follows:.

The aforementioned testing campaign also revealed that the most precise and reliable results were obtained by positioning the sensor <NUM> in the lower portion <NUM>' of the cover <NUM>, since water tends to accumulate there under the effect of gravity.

Advantageously, to further encourage the flow of water towards the sensor <NUM>, the cover <NUM> is provided with a first plurality of circumferential grooves <NUM> along an inner surface <NUM>' of the annular side wall <NUM> that act as slides or gutters for the water droplets. The circumferential grooves <NUM> extend along respective directrix curves of the inner surface <NUM>' and the ends <NUM>' converge on the flat surface <NUM>' of the support portion <NUM> for the sensor <NUM>.

A second plurality of substantially axial grooves <NUM>, arranged transversely to this first plurality of circumferential grooves <NUM> and also along the inner surface <NUM>' of the annular side wall <NUM>, is provided to connect the coupling portion <NUM> of the cover <NUM> to the first plurality of circumferential grooves <NUM>. In other words, the objective is thus to use the second plurality of substantially axial grooves <NUM> and the first plurality of circumferential grooves <NUM> to connect the points of potential water ingress between the coupling portion <NUM> of the cover <NUM> and the tubular body <NUM> of the casing <NUM> to the water accumulation point surrounded by the support portion <NUM> of the sensor <NUM>.

Advantageously, the solution according to the present invention requires some additional technical features relating to both the first plurality of circumferential grooves <NUM> and the second plurality of substantially axial grooves <NUM>:.

The dimensions of the sensor <NUM> can preferably be 19x19x2. <NUM>, which are the dimensions of the sensor used in the testing campaign. The thickness of the sensor <NUM> (<NUM>) coincides substantially with the thickness of the seat <NUM>, which may be between <NUM> and <NUM>. Naturally, the dimensions of the sensor may vary depending on the application.

In the case of a sensor <NUM> mounted with interference in the seat <NUM>, the sensor can be removed and replaced if necessary. It is beneficial to form a small slot beside the seat <NUM> to enable a screwdriver (for example) to be used to facilitate removal.

The colour of the sensor may be personalized, and multi-parameter sensors can also be used to take additional measurements, such as vibration measurements. It may be particularly useful to monitor any intense vibrations caused by malfunction of the casing (for example if the case is cracked) and transmitted almost in full to the cover by means of the substantially rigid coupling between the casing and the cover.

In summary, the present invention provides the following advantages:.

Claim 1:
Support assembly (<NUM>) having a central axis (X) and comprising:
- a flanged casing (<NUM>) comprising a through-seat (<NUM>) and a mounting seat (<NUM>) axially inside the through-seat (<NUM>),
- a cover provided with a coupling portion (<NUM>) for closing the through-seat (<NUM>) of the casing (<NUM>) in a fluid-tight manner, and an annular wall (<NUM>), and
- a bearing unit (<NUM>) seated inside the mounting seat (<NUM>),
the support assembly (<NUM>) being characterized in that
- the cover (<NUM>) is provided with a sensor (<NUM>) for monitoring the relative humidity inside the support assembly (<NUM>),
and in that
- the sensor (<NUM>) is assembled in a support portion (<NUM>) of the cover (<NUM>) positioned inside the annular side wall (<NUM>), which corresponds to a lower portion (<NUM>') of the cover (<NUM>) once the cover (<NUM>) has been mounted on the casing (<NUM>), where any fluid that has penetrated the cover (<NUM>) will accumulate under the effect of gravity.