The present invention concerns a roller for a belt transporter according to the introduction to claim 1 . Furthermore, it concerns a system for monitoring the condition of such a roller for a belt transporter according to the introduction to claim 1 1 , a method to monitor the condition of a roller for a belt transporter according to the introduction to claim 18 and the use of such a roller.

Belt transporters are commonly used in several areas of application. They are used to transport material and goods between various locations in, for example, a factory building. They often comprise a framework, in which several rollers are mounted in bearings. A drive roller is arranged at at least one of the rollers, usually at the beginning of the transporter. The drive roller is intended to drive an endless belt that passes around the line of rollers. The distance between the rollers may vary, and it is often adapted to the object that is to be transported, in order to provide as large a load-carrying capacity as possible.

The surroundings are often dusty and dirty, and this leads to wear of the rollers, bearings and belt taking place continuously, and the degree of wear is often different for the different fittings. The wear will sooner or later lead to failure of the transporter, which means that it must be stopped and repaired. The cause of the failure of the transporter must first be determined before repair. A fault that often occurs is failure of the bearings of one or several rollers. The roller or rollers must subsequently be exchanged. In addition, it is sometimes necessary to remove the belt such that the repair engineer can gain access to the roller that is to be exchanged. This method is time-consuming, and at today's rate of production it causes large losses and disturbances in production.

The purpose of the present invention is to avoid such disturbances by offering an

arrangement, a system and a method to detect wear in rollers and bearings, and to predict maintenance and service. These purposes are achieved with a roller, a system, a method and a use that demonstrate the distinctive features and characteristics that are defined in the attached claims.

One preferred embodiment will be described below with reference to the attached drawings, of which:

Figure 1 shows a view of a roller according to invention,

Figure 2 shows a number of rollers mounted in a framework, E2011/051261

2

Figure 3 shows a second view of a roller, and

Figure 4 shows a cross-section along the line X-X in Figure 3.

The roller 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a circularly cylindrical body 2 that is mounted in bearings on an axis of rotation such that it can rotate. The body 2 may be solid, i.e. the complete body of the roller is unitary. In a second embodiment, the body is built up from a tube with an outer periphery or jacket 4 and end pieces 5 mounted in bearings on the axis of rotation such that it can rotate. The body 2 has a length that is adapted to a frame 6, the roller frame, shown in Figure 2, in order to allow the mounting of several rollers with their axes of rotation parallel to each other. An endless transporter belt 7 is arranged to pass around the rollers, resting on these as shown in Figure 2. At least one of the rollers is connected to a drive motor 8 in order to drive the belt.

The roller 1 is provided with an electronic arrangement 9 located inside the body 2 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. If the body is solid, the solid body is provided with a cavity or a compartment 0 in order to provide space for the electronic arrangement. It is an advantage that the space is located in connection with one end 1 1 , 12 of the body in order to facilitate mounting and repair/maintenance. The electronic arrangement may be also cast in the body 2. If the roller is built up from a tube with end pieces, the electronic arrangement is located within the jacket 4 of the roller.

The electronic arrangement 9 comprises several sensors for the measurement of the condition of the roller. The term "condition" is here used to denote parameters in the form of:

- the temperature of bearings

- registering the rotation of the roller

- the rate of revolution of the roller

- vibration, and

- load. It should be realised that the condition is not limited to these parameters: it can comprise further parameters that are important for reliable operation. Examples of these are:

- the identity of the roller

- information about the location of the roller

- the date of production of the roller

- the date of installation of the roller

- registering the total number of revolutions of the roller - the relative humidity inside the roller.

The sensors comprise technology such as, for example, temperature sensors, vibration meters, wire extension sensors, humidity meters, optical measurement technology, revolution counters and identification modules. These types of sensor and meter are known within other fields, and for this reason they will not be described in more detail.

The measured values are transmitted from communication components 1 3 in the form of a transmitter and a receiver located in the body to a receiver located at a distance from the roller. The receiver may be a relay, known as a "hub" , connected to a computer network, it may be a receiver in another roller, or the measured values may be sent directly to a principal unit. It should be realised that the transmitter and the receiver of the roller may be separate parts or an integrated unit. The communication takes place in a wireless manner in a wireless network of known technology, such as through the use of radio communication for industrial use or other wireless technology. It should be realised, however, that the communication may take place also with the aid of wired technology.

The receiver in a further embodiment comprises a hand-held unit. A user can hold the handheld unit and move along the transporter. When the hand-held unit is located within a distance that corresponds to the range of the signals, the signals are transmitted from the rollers and are stored or read in the hand-held unit. The user can subsequently transfer the signals received and their values to the principal unit as required.

The principal unit may be a computer that stores and processes the signals received. A user or an operator who monitors the parameters and status of the system receives the processed signals presented graphically or numerically, or graphically and numerically, on a screen. Since the signals received have been stored, it is possible to study the status of the system historically, such that it is possible to request service and maintenance at an early stage. The electronic arrangement comprises further a generator 1 5, which is shown schematically in Figure 4, for the production of the energy that is required to power the sensors and communication components 1 3. The generator is built up from a rotor 1 6 with the associated coils arranged inside the roller, and a stator 1 7 located at the axis of rotation. The rotor 16 may be used also for the measurement of the rate of rotation of the roller and the number of rotations, as has been described above. An energy-storage medium 1 8, for example a rechargeable battery or condenser, is arranged in connection with the generator 15. The electronic arrangement comprises further a memory module 19. The memory module is intended to receive the measured values from the sensors, and to store these before they are transmitted. The purpose of this in that it is to be possible for communication to take place when the opportunity arises, if disruption of the network should arise. The

communication can be organised also such that the measured values are stored in the memory module 19, such that they can be sent at certain timed intervals, i.e. that transmitter and the receiver are activated on pre-determined occasions. The purpose of this is not only to save power, but also to avoid the communication in the system of rollers interfering with other signal communication that may take place in the region around the transporter.

The values that have been read and measured can be processed and refined by a microprocessor 20 arranged in connection with the memory module. The advantage of this is that a user who reads the values of the rollers directly can see the result when he or she is at the side of the transporter.

Finally, the electronic unit can comprise an aerial 21 for the transmission and reception of signals. The aerial is located in such a manner that the signals can be transported from the inner electronic arrangement of the roller to the surroundings. The body in one embodiment is manufactured from a material that allows signals to pass through the roller, from the inside to the outside and from the outside to the inside. It should hereby be realised that the roller may be manufactured from a material that requires that the aerial is located externally, at, for example, the end pieces of the roller, such that the signals can be led into and out from the body. The rollers of the transporter are comprised within a system for monitoring the condition of the rollers. The sensors of the electronic arrangement in each roller continuously measure the parameters or the values stated above. When the parameters have been measured, signals that contain the parameters are transmitted to a receiver that has been determined in advance. The receiver may be a neighbouring roller or a hub. Each roller has the possibility of communication with a second, neighbouring roller, as shown by the signals A and B that are illustrated in Figure 2. A certain number of rollers, which number has been determined in advance, have, furthermore, the possibility of communication with one or several hubs, as shown by the signal C. The signal C thus comprises information about the roller that has transmitted the signal, and, in addition, information from neighbouring rollers. The hub transmits the signals that have been received onwards to a principal unit as the signal D. This system means that information about the condition of all rollers can be obtained by the operator, who monitors the network of rollers and hubs. If a roller acquires an elevated value of bearing temperature, vibration, load, or any other measured parameter, an error signal is passed to the operator. Trends can be analysed by monitoring throughout an extended period, and service and maintenance of the transporter can be planned.

If the communication is arranged such that it takes place a certain intervals of time, it should be realised that the communication can take place also in the opposite manner. What is meant with this is that the operator can transmit a signal from the principal unit or from the hand-held unit, with an enquiry concerning one or several parameters of a particular roller, or of all rollers.

The present invention is not limited to what has been described above and shown in the drawings: it can be changed and modified in several different ways within the scope of the innovative concept defined by the attached patent claims.