Comb-shaped Single-Electrode Triboelectric Roller Chain with Speed Sensing and Fault Diagnosis Capabilities

The reliable operation of the roller chain is of great significance to the efficiency and safety of equipment. In this study, a comb-shaped single-electrode triboelectric roller chain (CSTC) is constructed, providing a valid method for speed sensing and fault diagnosis of the roller chain. A series of copper sheets arranged in sprocket teeth grooves are connected using wires to form a comb-shaped electrode array. As the sprocket rotates, the electrode array and roller undergo alternating contact-separation-contact movements. Under triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction, an alternating current is formed to realize the CSTC function. The CSTC outputs are compared under various operating states, structures, and materials. Meanwhile, the charging of load capacitors and the driving of micro-power devices are realized. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed CSTC for speed sensing is verified at variable speeds. A metric residual network is adopted to diagnose the sprocket faults based on the CSTC voltage signal. The results show that the voltage signal can be utilized for roller chain fault diagnosis with more than 96% accuracy and can achieve an accuracy comparable to that of the vibration signal. The proposed CSTC exhibits good application prospects for roller chain speed sensing and fault diagnosis.