STRUCTURAL MATERIAL WITH PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIAL PARTICLES
First Claim
1. A structure comprising:
- a load-bearing structural member that includes a continuous structural material, and a plurality of piezoelectric material particles distributed within the continuous structural material; and
at least one conductive pickup attached to the structural member and operatively coupled to the piezoelectric material particles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load-bearing structural member has a continuous structural material with piezoelectric material particles mixed in throughout. The structural material may be any of a variety of suitable materials, such as polymer materials, composite materials, ceramic materials, or concrete. The piezoelectric material particles may be used for evaluating the soundness of the structural member, such as in quality control or structural health monitoring processes. The structural member may include one or more conductive pickups used for receiving signals from the structural member. The signals may be induced by introducing ultrasonic signals or vibrational resonance signals into the structural member. The response from such induced signals may be used for quality control purposes or structural health monitoring. Piezomagnetic, electro-strictive, or magneto-strictive material particles may also be spread throughout the structural material, to amplify and otherwise enhance the signals from the piezoelectric material particles.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A structure comprising:
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a load-bearing structural member that includes a continuous structural material, and a plurality of piezoelectric material particles distributed within the continuous structural material; and at least one conductive pickup attached to the structural member and operatively coupled to the piezoelectric material particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of evaluating structural soundness of a structural member, the method comprising:
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placing at least one conductive pickup on the structural member, wherein the structural member includes a continuous structural material and a plurality of piezoelectric material particles in the continuous structural material; exciting at least some of the piezoelectric material particles; receiving electrical signals from the at least one conductive pickup, wherein the signals are at least in part caused by excitation of the piezoelectric material particles; and interpreting the signals to determine the structural soundness of the structural member. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of detecting acceleration in a vehicle, the method comprising:
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placing at least one conductive pickup on a structural member of the vehicle, wherein the structural member includes a continuous structural material, and a plurality of piezoelectric, piezomagnetic, magneto-strictive, and/or electro-strictive material particles in the continuous structural material; and receiving electrical signals from the at least one conductive pickup, wherein the signals are indicative of electrical fields in the structural member caused by stresses induced in the structural member by acceleration of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification