Fracture ring sensor

• US 10,648,871 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bradbury, Jonathan D., Fry, Jonathan R., Kane, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tran M.
• Application Number:
  US15/725,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20190107445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/06 by measuring the permanent deformation of gauges, e.g. of compressed bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/007 by applying a load, e.g. for resistance or wear testing G01M99/001 takes precedence; testing the elasticity of structures G01M5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a fracture ring sensor and a method of using the same to detect out of tolerance forces. Aspects of the invention include a product having a defined an out of tolerance force, a fracture ring sensor, and a mounting assembly coupling the fracture ring sensor to the product. The fracture ring sensor is patterned with a conductive trace and is manufactured to break when subjected to a predetermined amount of force. The predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to a percentage of the out of tolerance force of the product.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a product subjected to an out of tolerance force;

a fracture ring sensor comprising a conductive trace and a manufactured defect, the manufactured defect comprising a predetermined number of scoring lines on an outermost surface of the fracture ring sensor, the number of scoring lines selected to achieve a predetermined break strength; and

a mounting assembly coupling the fracture ring sensor to the product;

wherein the fracture ring sensor is manufactured to break when subjected to a predetermined amount of force by distributing the scoring lines during manufacturing in the fracture ring to lower a break strength of the facture ring to the predetermined break strength;

wherein the predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to a percentage of the out of tolerance force of the product.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive trace is patterned onto a surface of the fracture ring sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive trace is embedded within the fracture ring sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a printed circuit board stand-off.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a surface of the fracture ring sensor is in direct contact with a surface of the product.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a gap exists between the fracture ring sensor and the product.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gap comprises a distance of about 1 mm to about 5 mm.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to 100 percent of the out of tolerance force of the product.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to about 50 to about 90 percent of the out of tolerance force of the product.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical contact coupled to the conductive trace.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a power interlock unit electrically coupled to the electrical contact.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the power interlock unit prevents power to the product based on a determination that electrical continuity along the conductive trace is broken.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a cable connector socket, and wherein the fracture ring sensor is formed along sidewalls of the cable connector socket.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fracture ring sensor comprises a Weibull distribution of break strengths.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a cable connector socket; and

a fracture ring sensor formed along sidewalls of the cable connector socket, the fracture ring sensor comprising a conductive trace and a manufactured defect, the manufactured defect comprising a predetermined number of scoring lines on an outermost surface of the fracture ring sensor, the number of scoring lines selected to achieve a predetermined break strength;

wherein the fracture ring sensor is manufactured to break when subjected to a predetermined amount of force by distributing the scoring lines during manufacturing in the fracture ring to lower a break strength of the fracture ring to the predetermined break strength;

wherein the predetermined amount of force is substantially equal to a percentage of an out of tolerance force of the cable connector socket.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cable connector socket comprises a plurality of connector pins.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a power interlock unit electrically coupled to the conductive trace.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the power interlock unit prevents power to the cable connector socket based on a determination that electrical continuity along the conductive trace is broken.