Tension Monitoring Arrangement and Method

• US 20100275700A1
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Mercer, John E., Zeller, Rudolf, Chau, Albert W., Tsang, Charles Yu Yat
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/826
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/16 Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/905 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/54 Safety gear
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/26 Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/10 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/103 using sensors fixed at one end of the flexible member

Abstract

Tension monitoring is described using a sensor which may exhibit an offset for which compensation may be provided to produce a zero voltage amplified output or to increase dynamic range. An arrangement determines whether a power reset is responsive to a battery bounce such that an initially-measured system start-up parameter can be retained. The start-up parameter is automatically saved at start-up if the power reset is responsive to a start-up from a shut-down condition. The start-up parameter may be a zero tension amplified output responsive to the sensor offset at zero tension. Protection of a tension data set is provided such that no opportunity for altering the data set is presented prior to transfer of the data set. A housing configuration forms part of an electrical power circuit for providing electrical power to an electronics package from a battery.

Claims

1. In a system for installing an underground utility by retraction that is applied to a leading end of the utility to draw the utility through the ground such that the utility is subjected to a tension force during installation, a tension monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a sensor for sensing the tension force to produce a tension signal;

an electronic section for using the tension signal;

a battery for supplying electrical power to said electronic section; and

a housing for supporting the sensor in a way that exposes the sensor to said tension force and for defining an elongated chamber between a pair of opposing, first and second ends, said housing being electrically conductive and a first one of said ends configured for receiving said tension force such that the tension force is transferred through the housing to the second one of said ends for then transferring the tension force to said utility, and said electronic section being positionable in said chamber with said battery such that said housing serves as at least a portion of an electrical circuit for supplying said electrical power to the electronic section from the battery.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronic section is further configured for at least one of recording the tension force, based on said tension signal, and transmitting the tension force to an aboveground location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an elongated housing member forming a through passage for defining said chamber between opposing, first and second end openings which lead into said through passage, said elongated housing member being electrically conductive and an end fitting arrangement including a first end fitting and a second end fitting, each of which is electrically conductive, (i) for installation in said first and second end openings, respectively, (ii) for receiving said tension force with the first end fitting so as to transfer the tension force to the elongated housing member and then to the second end fitting which is connected to said utility, and (iii) for cooperating with said elongated housing member, said electronic section and said battery in a way which causes at least the elongated housing member to serve as said portion of the electrical circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said elongated housing member is at least generally cylindrical in shape having a chamber diameter defined by an interior chamber surface and wherein said battery includes at least one battery cell that is cylindrical in shape so as to define an outer cylindrical battery surface and said battery cell is received in said chamber diameter such that the outer cylindrical battery surface of the battery cell is directly supported against the interior chamber surface of the elongated chamber member.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each battery cell includes a pair of opposing battery ends that are of opposite electrical polarity and wherein the first end fitting is configured for electrically contacting one battery end of a nearest battery cell and for electrically contacting said elongated chamber member to electrically couple the contacted battery end of the nearest battery cell with the elongated chamber member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first end fitting includes a first plug portion that is receivable in said first end opening of the elongated chamber member and said first plug portion supports a first resilient electrically conductive member so that the first resilient member is resiliently captured between the first plug portion and the contacted battery end of the nearest battery cell, when the first plug portion is so received in the through opening, to electrically couple the first end fitting thereto and the first plug portion further supports a second electrically conductive resilient member such that the second resilient member is captured between the first plug portion and the elongated chamber member, when the first plug portion is so received in the through opening, to electrically couple the first end fitting to the elongated chamber member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said elongated housing member is at least generally cylindrical in shape having a chamber diameter defined by an interior chamber surface and wherein said second end fitting includes a second plug portion that is receivable in said through passage at the second end of the elongated chamber member such that a sidewall of the second plug portion directly confronts the interior chamber surface of the elongated chamber member and said second plug portion defines a recess for receiving a spring member in a way that resiliently captures the spring member between the second plug portion and the interior chamber surface, when the second plug portion is received in the through passage of the elongated chamber member, such that the second end fitting is electrically coupled to the elongated chamber member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongated chamber is at least generally cylindrical in shape having a chamber diameter that is defined by an interior chamber surface and wherein said battery includes at least one battery cell that is cylindrical in shape so as to define an outer cylindrical surface and said battery cell is received in said elongated chamber such that the outer cylindrical surface of the battery cell is supported directly against the interior chamber surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said battery cell is resiliently captured between one end of said elongated chamber and said electronic section.

10. In a system for installing an underground utility by retraction that is applied to a leading end of the utility to draw the utility through the ground such that the utility is subjected to a tension force during installation, a method comprising:

providing a sensor at least for sensing the tension force to produce a tension signal;

interfacing the sensor to an electronic section for using the tension signal;

providing a battery for supplying electrical power to said electronic section;

arranging a housing for supporting the sensor in a way which exposes the sensor to said tension force and for defining an elongated chamber between a pair of opposing, first and second ends, said housing being electrically conductive, and configuring a first one of said ends for receiving said tension force such that the tension force is transferred through the housing to the second one of said ends for then transferring the tension force to said utility; and

positioning said electronic section in said chamber with said battery such that said housing serves as at least a portion of an electrical circuit for supplying said electrical power to the electronic section from the battery.

11. The method of claim 10 including configuring said electronic section for at least one of recording the tension force, based on said tension signal, and transmitting the tension force to an aboveground location.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein forming said housing includes providing an elongated housing member which forms a through passage for defining said chamber between opposing, first and second end openings which lead into said through passage, said elongated housing member being electrically conductive and forming an end fitting arrangement including a first end fitting and a second end fitting, each of which is electrically conductive, (i) for installation in said first and second end openings, respectively, (ii) for receiving said tension force with the first end fitting so as to transfer the tension force to the elongated housing member and then to the second end fitting which is connected to said utility, and (iii) for cooperating with said elongated housing member, said electronic section and said battery in a way which causes at least the elongated housing member to serve as said portion of the electrical circuit.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said elongated housing member is provided having an at least generally cylindrical shape with a chamber diameter defined by an interior chamber surface and wherein providing said battery includes using at least one battery cell, for the battery, that is cylindrical in shape so as to define an outer cylindrical battery surface and positioning includes causing said battery cell to be received in said chamber diameter such that the outer cylindrical battery surface is directly supported against the interior chamber surface of the elongated chamber member.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein each battery cell includes a pair of opposing battery ends that are of opposite electrical polarity and said method includes configuring the first end fitting for electrically contacting one battery end of a nearest battery cell and for electrically contacting said elongated chamber member to electrically couple the contacted battery end of the nearest battery cell with the elongated chamber member.

15. The method of claim 14 including configuring said first end fitting to include a first plug portion that is receivable in said first end opening of the elongated chamber member and supporting a first electrically conductive resilient member using said first plug portion so that the first resilient member is resiliently captured between the first plug portion and the contacted battery end of the nearest battery cell, when the first plug portion is so received in the through opening, to electrically couple the first end fitting thereto and supporting a second electrically conductive resilient member, using the first plug portion, such that the second resilient member is captured between the first plug portion and the elongated chamber member, when the first plug portion is so received in the through opening, to electrically couple the first end fitting to the elongated chamber member.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said elongated chamber member includes an interior chamber surface which defines said through passage and including forming said second end fitting to include a second plug portion that is receivable in said second end opening of the elongated chamber member such that a sidewall of the second plug portion directly confronts the interior chamber surface of the elongated chamber member and defining a recess in said second plug portion for receiving a spring member in a way that resiliently captures the spring member between the second plug portion and the interior chamber surface when the second plug portion is received in the through passage of the elongated chamber member such that the second end fitting is electrically coupled to the elongated chamber member.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said elongated chamber is formed having an at least generally cylindrical shape with a chamber diameter that is defined by a interior chamber surface and wherein said battery includes at least one battery cell that is cylindrical in shape so as to define an outer cylindrical surface and said positioning causes the outer cylindrical surface of the battery cell to be supported directly against the interior chamber surface.

18. The method of claim 17 including resiliently capturing said battery cell between one end of said elongated chamber and said electronic section.