Wireless axial load cell and sensor assembly

• US 10,302,510 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TECAT Performance Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: TECAT Performance Systems LLC
• Inventors: Baker, Douglas M., Huang, Wen-Lung, Glandorf, Joseph D., Rath, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max H
• Application Number:
  US15/883,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20180217015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 73773
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/0203 Acceleration of the piston
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/02 the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level F04B47/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/02 Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2206 Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2218 the supports being of the column type, e.g. cylindric, adapted for measuring a force along a single direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0004 Force transducers adapted for mounting in a bore of the force receiving structure G01L5/0009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0033 applying a pulling force
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0038 applying a pushing force
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0061 Force sensors associated with industrial machines or actuators for the specific machine or actuator involved see relevant class, e.g. F01, F04, F16, B66, E21
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/102 using sensors located at a non-interrupted part of the flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1428 for small modular apparatus with terminal block

Abstract

An integrated wireless data system including a wireless load cell assembly and method for measuring operational data of one or more components for safety, health monitoring, and control is provided. The wireless load cell assembly can include an energy storage device and may be configured to allow for bi-directional communication with a base unit to store operational parameters in a database for use in development of predictive maintenance techniques. The axial load cell can rotate freely for simple installation without regard to rotational orientation. A power management strategy and energy harvesting system are provided to ensure long term use of the wireless load cell assembly without the need to replace the energy storage device.

Claims

1. An integrated wireless data system for measuring operational data of at least one component of a monitored system for at least one of safety and health monitoring and control, comprising:

a wireless load cell assembly including a housing disposed about and containing a load cell and a plurality of strain gages and at least one additional sensor for measuring the operational data of the at least one component of the monitored system with an associated plurality of measurement parameters;

said wireless load cell assembly having an electronics system including a cell analog to digital converter and a cell transceiver for wireless communication;

said wireless load cell assembly including at least one cell antenna electrically coupled to said cell transceiver;

said electronics system including a cell microprocessor electrically coupled to said cell analog to digital converter and said cell transceiver and said plurality of strain gages and said at least one additional sensor and configured to process and output the operational data and a control signal for controlling the monitored system using said cell transceiver and said at least one cell antenna; and

a base unit disposed remotely from and in communication with said wireless load cell assembly for receiving and analyzing the operational data and sending a response signal back to the wireless load cell assembly to change the associated plurality of measurement parameters of the wireless load cell assembly based on the operational data received.

2. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operational data is output from said wireless load cell assembly at a first frequency and said base unit is configured to detect an anomaly in the operational data and the cell microprocessor is further configured to switch to collect the operational data at a second frequency being higher than the first frequency in response to the detection of the anomaly.

3. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base unit includes a base analog to digital converter and a base transceiver and at least one base antenna electrically coupled to said base transceiver and a memory and a base microprocessor electrically coupled to said base analog to digital converter and said base transceiver and said memory and configured to process and store the operational data in said memory.

4. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electronics system is a printed circuit board of a hard substrate mounted to said housing with a plurality of standoffs.

5. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electronics system is a printed circuit board of a flexible thin dielectric film adhered to said load cell.

6. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one cell antenna is wrapped around said housing enabling transmission 360 degrees around said load cell.

7. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one cell antenna includes two antennae mounted 180 degrees apart from each other enabling transmission 360 degrees around said load cell.

8. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wireless load cell assembly includes an energy harvesting system.

9. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wireless load cell assembly including a rechargeable energy storage device for providing power to said wireless load cell assembly.

10. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one additional sensor includes at least one of a velocimeter and an accelerometer and a gyroscope and a temperature sensor.

11. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cell microprocessor is further configured to include power management enabling a current draw of less than 1.5 milliamps at 60 Hz.

12. The integrated wireless data system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing of said wireless load cell assembly defines a clamshell opening to allow access to said electronics system and said load cell and said plurality of strain gages and said at least one additional sensor.

13. A method of operating an integrated wireless data system for measuring operational data of at least one component of a monitored system for safety, health monitoring, and control comprising the steps of:

measuring operational data of the at least one component of the monitored system with an associated plurality of measurement parameters using a wireless load cell assembly of the integrated wireless data system;

converting the operational data to a digital signal using the wireless load cell assembly;

transmitting the digital signal representing the operational data to a base unit using the wireless load cell assembly;

storing the operational data using the base unit;

comparing the operational data to historical data for analysis using the base unit; and

sending a response signal back to the wireless load cell assembly using the base unit to change an associated plurality of measurement parameters of the wireless load cell assembly.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting the digital signal representing the operational data to a base unit using the wireless load cell assembly includes the steps of:

continuously transmitting the digital signal representing the operational data at a first frequency to the base unit using the wireless load cell assembly;

detecting an anomaly in the operational data with at least one of the wireless load cell assembly and the base unit; and

switching to collect the operational data at a second frequency being higher than the first frequency in response to the detection of the anomaly to aid in diagnostics and improve the life of a rechargeable energy storage device.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including the step of changing control parameters of a control system in communication with the base unit using a control signal sent from the base unit to the control system using the base unit.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the monitored system is a pumpjack system and the step of changing control parameters of a control system in communication with the base unit using a control signal sent from the base unit to the control system using the base unit includes the step of shutting down a motor of the pumpjack system using a motor controller of the pumpjack system.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, further including the steps of:

recording and storing all transmissions between the wireless load cell assembly and the motor controller; and

recording and storing adjustments made based on the operating data of the components being measured for further review and analysis.

18. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the monitored system is a pumpjack system and the method further includes the steps of:

installing the wireless load cell assembly on a polished rod; and

controlling a motor of the pumpjack system using a motor controller of the pumpjack system to move the polished rod up and down at an operational speed.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further including the steps of:

subtracting a first offset and a second offset from an acceleration of the operational data to determine an offset acceleration signature;

filtering the offset acceleration signature using a first low pass filter to determine a calculated signature;

numerically integrating the calculated signature to determine a velocity signature of the polished rod; and

numerically integrating the velocity signature of the polished rod to determine a displacement signature of the polished rod.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19, further including the steps of:

filtering the displacement signature using a second low pass filter to determine a DC component of the displacement signature;

subtracting the calculated signature from the displacement signature to determine an AC component of the displacement signature; and

offsetting the AC component of the displacement signature to show zero lift at the bottom of a rod stroke to provide an estimate of a position of the polished rod throughout a pumping cycle.