Rotation transmission device and wind power generation device equipped with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9995349-B2
Application number	US-201414909684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Aug 12, 2013
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A rotation transmission device includes a one-way clutch which is provided between an output shaft of a speed increaser and an input shaft of a generator, which makes a connection between the output shaft and the input shaft to be rotatable integrally in a state in which a rotation speed of the output shaft is higher than that of the input shaft, and which cuts off the connection between the output shaft and the input shaft in a state in which the rotation speed of the output shaft is lower than that of the input shaft. The rotation transmission device further includes: a measurement section which measures a state of the one-way clutch which changes depending on a load exerted to the one-way clutch; and an acquisition section which acquires the load exerted to the one-way clutch on a basis of a measurement result of the measurement section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotation transmission device, comprising:
a one-way clutch that is provided between an output shaft of a speed increaser, which increases rotation of a main spindle in a wind power generation device, and an input shaft of a generator, to which rotation of the output shaft is input so as to generate electric power, the one-way clutch making a connection between the output shaft and the input shaft so as to be rotatable integrally in a state in which a rotation speed of the output shaft is higher than a rotation speed of the input shaft, and which cuts off the connection between the output shaft and the input shaft in a state in which the rotation speed of the output shaft is lower than the rotation speed of the input shaft;
a measurement section that measures a state of the one-way clutch, which changes depending on a load exerted to the one-way clutch; and
an acquisition section that acquires the load exerted to the one-way clutch on a basis of a measurement result of the measurement section,
wherein:
the one-way clutch comprises:
an inner ring and an outer ring; and
a plurality of engagement elements disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring,

the engagement elements are engaged with the inner ring and the outer ring to make the connection between the output shaft and the input shaft so as to be rotatable integrally, and are released from engagement to cut off the connection, and
the measurement section comprises a strain sensor that measures a distortion generated in the inner ring or the outer ring by the engagement of the engagement elements.

2. A rotation transmission device comprising:
a one-way clutch that is provided between an output shaft of a speed increaser, which increases rotation of a main spindle in a wind power generation device, and an input shaft of a generator, to which rotation of the output shaft is input so as to generate electric power, the one-way clutch making a connection between the output shaft and the input shaft so as to be rotatable integrally in a state in which a rotation speed of the output shaft is higher than a rotation speed of the input shaft, and which cuts off the connection between the output shaft and the input shaft in a state in which the rotation speed of the output shaft is lower than the rotation speed of the input shaft;
a measurement section that measures a state of the one-way clutch which changes depending on a load exerted to the one-way clutch; and
an acquisition section that acquires the load exerted to the one-way clutch on a basis of a measurement result of the measurement section,
wherein:
the one-way clutch comprises:
an inner ring and an outer ring; and
a plurality of engagement elements disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring,

the engagement elements are engaged with the inner ring and the outer ring to make the connection between the output shaft and the input shaft so as to be rotatable integrally, and are released from engagement to cut off the connection, and
wherein the measurement section comprises a gap sensor that measures a movement amount of the engagement element in a circumferential direction when the engagement element is engaged with the inner ring and the outer ring.

3. The rotation transmission device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the one-way clutch comprises cam faces on an inner peripheral face of the outer ring or an outer peripheral face of the inner ring to form wedge-shaped spaces between the inner ring and the outer ring.

4. The rotation transmission device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the one-way clutch comprises sprags serving as the engagement elements.

5. A wind power generation device comprising:
a speed increaser that increases rotation of a main spindle rotated by wind power, and that outputs the rotation from an output shaft;
a generator to which the rotation of the output shaft is input through an input shaft thereof to generate electric power;
the rotation transmission device according to claim 1 ; and
an adjustment section that adjusts an electric load of the generator depending on the load acquired by the acquisition section of the rotation transmission device.

6. The wind power generation device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a transmission section that transmits information indicating the state of the one-way clutch or information indicating the load exerted to the one-way clutch to an outside of the wind power generation device.

7. A rotation transmission device comprising:
a one-way clutch that is provided between an output shaft of a speed increaser, which increases rotation of a main spindle rotated by wind power and which outputs the rotation from the output shaft, and an input shaft of a generator, to which the rotation of the output shaft is input so as to generate electric power,
wherein:
the one-way clutch comprises:
an inner ring provided on one of the output shaft and the input shaft;
an outer ring provided on the other of the output shaft and the input shaft; and
rollers disposed in wedge-shaped spaces between the inner ring and the outer ring,

the one-way clutch makes a connection between the output shaft and the input shaft so as to be rotatable integrally by engaging the rollers with the inner ring and the outer ring in a case in which a rotation speed of the output shaft is higher than a rotation speed of the input shaft, and cuts off the connection by releasing engagement in a case in which the rotation speed of the output shaft is lower than the rotation speed of the input shaft,
the rotation transmission device further comprises a detection mechanism that detects a torsion angle between the inner ring and the outer ring caused by a change in a load torque of the generator, and
the detection mechanism comprises a detection section that directly detects a change in an angle due to a relative rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring.

8. The rotation transmission device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a determination section that determines an abrasion state of the inner ring and the outer ring of the one-way clutch on a basis of the torsion angle depending on a change amount of the load torque.

9. The rotation transmission device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the detection mechanism comprises:
a first detection section that detects an absolute angle of the inner ring;
a second detection section that detects an absolute angle of the outer ring; and
a calculation section that obtains a difference between detection values of the first and second detection sections.

10. The rotation transmission device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a transmission section that transmits a determination result of the determination section to an outside of the wind power generation device.

11. A wind power generation device comprising:
a speed increaser that increases rotation of a main spindle rotated by wind power, and that outputs the rotation from the output shaft thereof;
a generator to which the rotation of the output shaft is input through an input shaft thereof to generate electric power; and
the rotation transmission device according to claim 7 .

12. The rotation transmission device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the one-way clutch comprises cam faces on an inner peripheral face of the outer ring or an outer peripheral face of the inner ring to form wedge-shaped spaces between the inner ring and the outer ring.

13. The rotation transmission device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the detection mechanism comprises:
a first detection section that detects an absolute angle of the inner ring;

Assignees

• Jtekt Corp

Inventors

• Fujiwara Hideki

Classifications

• F16D2041/0665

  characterised by there being no cage other than the inner and outer race for distributing the intermediate members · CPC title

• F16D2500/3028

  Voltage · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• G01M13/022

  Power-transmitting couplings or clutches · CPC title

• F16D2500/5023

  Determination of the clutch wear · CPC title