Acoustic sensing device, system and method for monitoring emissions from machinery
First Claim
1. An acoustic sensing device for use in transmitting to a measuring instrument detection signals indicative of sound wave levels detected from machinery, said acoustic sensing device comprising:
- (a) a housing assembly constructed for removable attachment between a surface mounting region of the machinery and the measuring instrument to define a coupled state; and
(b) an acoustic emissions sensor disposed in an interior of said housing assembly and operative when said housing assembly is in the coupled state to detect sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region of the machinery and produce said detection signals for processing by said measuring instrument.
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Abstract
Acoustic sensing devices, systems and methods are provided for monitoring emissions from machinery. Representative is an acoustic sensing device for transmitting to a measuring instrumentation detection signals indicative of sound wave levels from the machinery. A housing assembly is constructed for removable attachment between a surface mounting region of the machinery and the measuring instrument to define a coupled state. An acoustic emissions (AE) sensor is located in the housing assembly'"'"'s interior and detects sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region to produce detection signals for processing. A mounting adapter may be employed to interface the housing assembly to the machinery'"'"'s surface mounting region.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. An acoustic sensing device for use in transmitting to a measuring instrument detection signals indicative of sound wave levels detected from machinery, said acoustic sensing device comprising:
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(a) a housing assembly constructed for removable attachment between a surface mounting region of the machinery and the measuring instrument to define a coupled state; and
(b) an acoustic emissions sensor disposed in an interior of said housing assembly and operative when said housing assembly is in the coupled state to detect sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region of the machinery and produce said detection signals for processing by said measuring instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An acoustic sensing device, comprising:
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(a) a housing assembly having a housing interior, said housing assembly including;
i. a housing body having first and second end portions;
ii. a mount disposed on said first end portion for permitting removable attachment of said housing body relative to a surface mounting region of the machinery; and
iii. a coupler disposed on said second end portion for permitting said housing body to be selectively coupled to measuring instrumentation via a communications interface; and
(b) an acoustic emissions sensor supported within said housing interior in electrical communication with said coupler, said acoustic emissions sensor operative, when the housing body is attached relative the surface mounting region and the measuring instrumentation is coupled to said housing body, to detect sound waves propagating through the surface mounting region of the machinery and produce said detection signals along said communications interface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An acoustic sensing device for use in transmitting to a measuring instrument detection signals indicative of sound wave levels detected from machinery, said acoustic sensing device comprising:
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(a) a housing body including;
i. mounting means for removably attaching said housing body relative to a surface of the machinery; and
ii. coupling means for removably attaching said housing body to the measuring instrument along an appropriate communications interface, thereby to define a coupled state for said housing body; and
(b) an acoustic emissions sensor supported within said housing body proximate to said mounting means and in electrical communication with said coupling means, said acoustic emissions sensor operative when the measuring instrument is coupled to the housing body to detect sound waves propagating through the surface of the machinery and produce said detection signals along said communications interface.
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30. A system for monitoring acoustic emissions from machinery, comprising:
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(a) at least a first acoustic sensing device for detecting sound wave levels emanating from the machinery, said acoustic sensing device comprising;
i. a housing assembly removably attached relative to a first surface mounting region of the machinery; and
ii. an acoustic emissions sensor disposed within said housing assembly and operative upon activation to detect a presence of sound waves propagating through the first surface mounting region of the machinery and to produce corresponding detection signals;
(b) measuring instrumentation coupled to said acoustic emissions sensor via a first communications interface, said measuring instrumentation operative upon receipt of said detection signals from the acoustic emissions sensor to display perceptible output indicative of the detected sound wave levels. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for monitoring acoustic emissions from machinery, comprising:
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(a) mounting an acoustic sensing device relative to a surface of the machinery thereby to expose said acoustic sensing device for a selected exposure period to sound waves propagating through said surface;
(b) coupling said acoustic sensing device with a measuring instrument along a communications interface;
(c) transmitting an initial set of detection signals from said acoustic sensing device to the measuring instrument along said communications interface, said initial set of detection signals corresponding to sound wave levels propagating through said surface which are detected by said acoustic sensing device during an initial reading interval; and
(d) displaying on said measuring instrument perceptible output correlated to the initial set of detection signals received from the acoustic sensing device during the initial reading interval. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for monitoring emissions from machinery, comprising:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensing devices each to a respective surface mounting region of the machinery, wherein at least one of said sensing devices is an acoustic sensing device operative in response to sound waves propagating through its respective surface mounting region to produce corresponding acoustic detection signals;
(b) selectively interfacing each of said sensing devices with measuring instrumentation;
(c) selectively receiving from each of said sensing devices, during a plurality of associated reading intervals, corresponding sets of readings, whereby the sets of readings from said acoustic sensing device corresponds to sound wave levels propagating through its respective surface mounting region during its associated reading intervals; and
(d) displaying perceptible output on said measuring instrumentation corresponding to the associated sets of readings received by the measuring instrumentation from each of said sensing devices.
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Specification