Methods and apparatus for securing a sensor to a monitored device

• US 10,163,325 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Inventors: Klein, Brice, Serafino, Alessia, Madhavan, Yashaswini, Shim, Jerry, Lee, Norman, Haider, Murtaza, Hai, Lindsay, Pietrowicz, Mary, Chen, Xiaoyue
• Primary Examiner(s): Small, Naomi
• Application Number:
  US15/208,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20170018165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 340679
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 1/00 Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or machine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/187 Machine fault alarms

Abstract

A sensor housing system is used to monitor the lifetime of a motor or other device. A protected housing shields a microprocessor and several sensors. The device communicates to a user information about the health of the motor or other device using thermal, vibrational, or other measurements. The information is compared to a baseline which provides a warning threshold. Once the threshold is passed, the microprocessor can alert the user that the motor or other device is about to fail.

Claims

1. A sensor mounting device comprising:

a protective body containing a microcontroller fixed to the body including a memory and a transceiver;

at least one sensor operably coupled to the microcontroller wherein the microcontroller monitors operating data from the at least one sensor regarding a motor; and

a multipart attachment mount for mounting at least part of the sensor mounting device onto the motor, the multipart attachment mount comprising;

a center link with an attachment for affixing the sensor to the attachment mount;

a plurality of end links with an attachment for affixing the attachment mount to the motor; and

at least one interstitial link positioned between and rotably connected to each of the center link and the end links;

wherein the microcontroller is capable of;

storing a set of current operating data in the memory;

comparing the set of current operating data to a set of previously collected operating data from this device or a baseline set of operating data stored in the memory provided; and

executing a preset command when the comparison has been reached anomalous or threshold levels.

2. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the preset command is the microcontroller notifying a user when the operating data of the motor passes a predefined threshold.

3. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the preset command is the microcontroller signaling for the motor to be turned off.

4. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the attachment means further comprises a strap.

5. The sensor mounting device of claim 4, wherein the body, the at least one sensor, and the microcontroller are woven into the strap.

6. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is substantially contained within the protective body.

7. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the protective body is watertight.

8. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a thermal, vibrational, sonic, voltage, or current sensor.

9. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is modular and interchangeable.

10. The sensor mounting device of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a magnet.