Fiber Optic Sensor System for Detecting Surface Wear
First Claim
1. A sensor system that detects reduction wear in a surface, comprising:
- a first optical fiber comprising first and second ends;
the second end of the first optical fiber disposed at a first depth in a substrate beneath a wear surface;
a primary emitter that injects a first photonic energy into the first end of the optical fiber;
a re-emitter on the second end of the optical fiber that emits a second photonic energy into the second end of the first optical fiber in response to the first photonic energy being incident on the re-emitter via the optical fiber;
a detector that detects the second photonic energy emergent from the first end of the first optical fiber; and
a processor connected to the detector that calculates a wear depth in the wear surface according to a characteristic of the second photonic energy.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
One or more optical fibers (20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D), each with a second end (21) with a phosphor (26) disposed in a substrate (32) at a given depth (Dn) below a wear surface (34). A first photonic energy (52) is injected into a first end (19) of the optical fibers. The phosphor (26) emits a second photonic energy (54) into the fiber in response to the first photonic energy (52) incident on the phosphor from the fiber. When wear removes the phosphor (26) from one or more fibers, a detector (48, 49) detects a proportional reduction of the second photonic energy, indicating that wear has reached the given depth. A band-pass optical filter (46) may block wavelengths of the first photonic energy (52) from reflecting into the detector. The substrate temperature may be determined using a temperature-dependent emission of the phosphor.
82 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensor system that detects reduction wear in a surface, comprising:
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a first optical fiber comprising first and second ends; the second end of the first optical fiber disposed at a first depth in a substrate beneath a wear surface; a primary emitter that injects a first photonic energy into the first end of the optical fiber; a re-emitter on the second end of the optical fiber that emits a second photonic energy into the second end of the first optical fiber in response to the first photonic energy being incident on the re-emitter via the optical fiber; a detector that detects the second photonic energy emergent from the first end of the first optical fiber; and a processor connected to the detector that calculates a wear depth in the wear surface according to a characteristic of the second photonic energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A sensor system that detects reduction wear in a surface, comprising:
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a plurality of optical fibers, each comprising first and second ends, the second ends of the optical fibers proximate each other at a respective plurality of depths in a substrate beneath a wear surface; a source of a first photonic energy directed into the first ends of the optical fibers; a re-emitter proximate the second ends of the optical fibers that emits a second photonic energy into said second ends in response to the first photonic energy incident on the re-emitter via the optical fibers; a detector that detects the second photonic energy emergent from the first ends of the first optical fibers; and a processor connected to the detector that calculates a wear depth in the wear surface according to a characteristic of the second photonic energy. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A sensor system that detects reduction wear in a surface, comprising:
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a plurality of optical fibers, each comprising first and second ends, the second ends of the optical fibers adjacent to each other at a respective plurality of depths in a substrate beneath a wear surface; a source of a first photonic energy directed into the first ends of the optical fibers; a re-emission material on the second end of each of the optical fibers that emits a second photonic energy into said second ends in response to the first photonic energy incident on the re-emission material via the optical fibers; a detector that detects the second photonic energy emergent from the first ends of the first optical fibers; and a processor connected to the detector that calculates a wear depth in the wear surface according to a characteristic of the second photonic energy. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification