Vibration Sensor Array

• US 20090044628A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vonroll Infratec AG
• Original Assignee: Vonroll Infratec AG
• Inventors: Lotscher, Hugo
• Granted Patent: US 8,590,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/654
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/12 of longitudinal or not specified vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices

Abstract

It relates to a vibration sensor arrangement (1). It comprises a vibrating mass (5) which is in permanent mechanical contact with a first side (3) of a piezoelectric element (2), with said vibrating mass (5) comprising a water-proof capsule (6) in which the piezoelectric element (2) is fixed; a dead weight (7) which is in permanent mechanical contact with a second side (4) of the piezoelectric element (2) and which is arranged in said water-proof capsule (6); a spring (8) which is arranged between the dead weight (7) and the vibrating mass (5) and which ensures the permanent mechanical contact of the two masses (5, 7) with the two sides (3, 4) of the piezoelectric element (2), such that it presses the two masses (5, 7) constantly against the two sides (3, 4) of the piezoelectric element (2); electric contacts (9, 10) for picking up electric signals which are generated by said piezoelectric element (2) and for forwarding said signals to a recording device (11) which is or can be connected with the electric contacts (9, 10) and which is arranged for recording the electric signals generated by the piezoelectric element (2). The vibration sensor arrangement (1) in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the vibration sensor arrangement (1) is arranged in a portable way and the water-proof capsule (6) and the dead weight (7) are arranged as a power supply for said recording device (11), such that said dead weight (7) comprises at least one battery (12) for the operation of said recording device (11), with the said at least one battery (12) being connected or connectable via electric conductors (13, 14) with said recording device (11).

Claims

1. Vibration sensor arrangement (1), comprising:

(a) a vibrating mass (5) which is in permanent mechanical contact with a first side (3) of a piezoelectric element (2), with said vibrating mass (5) comprising a water-proof capsule (6) in which the piezoelectric element (2) is fixed;

(b) a dead weight (7) which is in permanent mechanical contact with a second side (4) of the piezoelectric element (2) and which is arranged in said water-proof capsule (6);

(c) a spring (8) which is arranged between the dead weight (7) and the vibrating mass (5) and which ensures the permanent mechanical contact of the two masses (5, 7) with the two sides (3, 4) of the piezoelectric element (2), such that it presses the two masses (5, 7) constantly against the two sides (3, 4) of the piezoelectric element (2);

(d) electric contacts (9, 10) for picking up electric signals which are generated by said piezoelectric element (2) and for forwarding said signals to a recording device (11) which is or can be connected with the electric contacts (9, 10) and which is arranged for recording the electric signals generated by the piezoelectric element (2), characterized in that the vibration sensor arrangement (1) is embodied in a portable way and the water-proof capsule (6) and the dead weight (7) are arranged as a power supply for said recording device (11), such that said dead weight (7) comprises at least one battery (12) for the operation of said recording device (11), with the said at least one battery (12) being connected or connectable via electric conductors (13, 14) with said recording device (11).

2. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the piezoelectric element is a rod-shaped piezoelectric element or a piezoelectric stack with a first side (3) arranged as an end cap and a second side (4) arranged as an end cap, with said piezoelectric element (2) generating electric signals according to the pressure fluctuations caused in the same by the vibrating mass (5).

3. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the electric contact (9) is arranged at a first side (17) of a printed circuit board (18) and the electric conductor (13) is arranged on a second side (19) of the printed circuit board (18), with said printed circuit board (18) being arranged between the piezoelectric element (2) and the at least one battery (12) in such a way that the second end cap or side (4) of the piezoelectric element (2) makes contact with the electric contact (9) and a first pole of the battery (12) makes contact with the electric conductor (13).

4. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the piezoelectric element is a piezoelectric membrane or a piezoelectric membrane stack, having a first side (3) arranged as a periphery (31) and a second side (30) subjected to the actions of a rod (30), with said piezoelectric element (2) generating electric signals according to the deflection fluctuations caused by the vibrating mass (5) in the same.

5. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the electric contact (9) is arranged on a first side (17) of a printed circuit board (18) and the electric conductor (13) is arranged on a second side (19) of the printed circuit board (18), with said printed circuit board (18) being arranged in such a way between the rod (30) and the at least one battery (12) that the second side (4) of the piezoelectric element (2) makes contact with the electric contact (9) and a first pole of the battery (12) makes contact with the electric conductor (13).

6. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration sensor arrangement (1) is partly installed in the recording device (11) in such a way that the vibrating mass (5) co-includes said recording device (11), with the water-proof capsule (6) comprising a sensor end (15) which is arranged outside of the recording device (11) which is also preferably arranged in a water-proof way.

7. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration sensor arrangement (1) is arranged outside of the recording device, which is preferably also arranged in a water-proof way, and is arranged movably relative to the same and is connected to the same via merely the contacts (9, 10) and the electric conductors (13, 14), with the water-proof capsule (6) comprising a sensor end (15).

8. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the sensor end (15) is arranged as a screw cap for the water-proof capsule (6) which receives the batteries, with said screw cap preferably having a conical tip (16) for the purposeful scanning or detection of vibrations.

9. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the water-proof capsule (6) comprises suitable materials for transmitting vibrations and for conducting electric current or electric signals.

10. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the waterproof capsule (6) is made of an electrically conductive plastic material or a metal, preferably a brass alloy, and comprises at least one O-ring for connecting in a sealing manner the screwed parts of the same.

11. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the printed circuit board (18) is mounted mechanically pre-stressed, so that it exerts a constant pressure on the second side (4) of the piezoelectric element (2).

12. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the rod-shaped piezoelectric element (2) is partly cast into an insulation material, preferably nylon, which stabilizes the same.

13. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) claim 3, characterized in that the wall of the water-proof capsule (6) is arranged in an electrically conductive way and forms the electric contact (10) to the piezoelectric element (2) and the electric conductor (14) to the other pole of the battery (12).

14. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that this recording device (11) is also arranged as an evaluating and display device for evaluating and displaying results arising from electric signals generated by the piezoelectric element (2).

15. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that this recording, evaluating and display device is arranged as a multifunctional measuring device (20) whose area of application comprises at least two of the following fields of application:

the detection of vibrations, the detection of combustible gases, the measurement of pressure, temperature, flow-rate and humidity values, with said multifunctional measuring device (20) comprising at least one plug-in connection (21) and a digital 1Wire®

bus for connecting 1Wire®

probes corresponding to the fields of application.

16. A method of using the vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 15 for detecting oscillation or vibrations, and for measuring pressure and/or temperature and/or flow-rate and/or humidity values.

17. Vibration sensor arrangement (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the rod-shaped piezoelectric element (2) is partly cast into an insulation material, preferably nylon, which stabilizes the same.