Vibration Sensor In A Portable Vibration Meter

• US 20140260639A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Richer, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/649
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 17/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the preceding groups see provisionally also G01H1/00

Abstract

A vibration detector suitable for field use and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative apparatus includes a vibration sensor in contact with the vibrating structure. The vibration sensor can be in contact with the vibration isolators to eliminate the frequencies of the operator'"'"'s hand. In some embodiments, a contact force between the vibration sensor and the vibrating structure can be measured using, for example, contact resistors. Since the sensitivity of the vibration sensor can be a function of the contact force, the vibration amplitude measurements can be adjusted for a known contact force to improve the precision of the vibration amplitude measurement.

Claims

1. A hand held vibration meter, comprising:

a housing;

a vibration sensor configured to convert vibrations to electrical signals, wherein the vibration sensor is contained at least partially within the housing; and

a vibration isolator in contact with the vibration sensor, wherein the vibration isolator is configured to filter one or more frequencies of vibration.

2. The vibration meter of claim 1, further comprising a force sensor responsive to a contact force applied to the vibration sensor.

3. The vibration meter of claim 2 wherein the force sensor comprises a pressure sensitive electrical resistor.

4. The vibration meter of claim 2 wherein the force sensor has a first side generally facing the vibration sensor and a second side facing away from the first side, the vibration meter further comprising:

a plunger at a second side of the force sensor, wherein the plunger is configured to transfer the contact force to the force sensor; and

a pad at a first side of the force sensor.

5. The vibration meter of claim 1 wherein the vibration isolator is a first vibration isolator at a front side of the vibration sensor, the apparatus further comprising:

a second vibration isolator at a back side of the vibration sensor.

6. The vibration meter of claim 1 wherein the vibration isolator comprises rubber.

7. The vibration meter of claim 2, further comprising means for determining an adjusted vibration sensor response from a combination of a vibration sensor response and force sensor response.

8. The vibration meter of claim 7 wherein means for determining the adjusted vibration sensor response comprise a look up table, a processor, and a combination thereof.

9. The vibration meter of claim 7 wherein at least one of the vibration sensor response and the adjusted vibration sensor response is linearized.

10. A hand held vibration meter, comprising:

a housing;

a vibration sensor configured to convert vibrations to electrical signals, wherein the vibration sensor is contained at least partially within the housing;

a vibration isolator in contact with the vibration sensor, wherein the vibration isolator is configured to filter one or more frequencies of vibration; and

a force sensor responsive to a contact force applied to the vibration sensor.

11. The vibration meter of claim 10 wherein the vibration isolator is a first vibration isolator at a front side of the vibration sensor, the apparatus further comprising:

a second vibration isolator at a back side of the vibration sensor.

12. The vibration meter of claim 10 wherein the force sensor comprises a pressure sensitive electrical resistor.

13. A method for measuring vibrations of a vibrating equipment using a vibration meter, comprising:

sensing vibrations of the vibrating equipment by a vibration sensor;

producing a vibration sensor response by the vibration sensor;

measuring a contact force between the vibration sensor and the vibrating equipment; and

adjusting the vibration sensor response based on the contact force to generate an adjusted vibration sensor response.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

linearizing the vibration sensor response to generate a linearized frequency response.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining an amplitude of the vibrations based on the adjusted vibration sensor response.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a frequency of the vibrations based on the adjusted vibration sensor response.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising contacting the vibrating equipment with a vibration meter.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

filtering one or more frequencies of vibration using a vibration isolator in contact with the vibration sensor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the vibration isolator comprises:

a first isolator at a front side of the vibration sensor; and

a second isolator at a back side of the vibration sensor.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein measuring a contact force between the vibration sensor and the vibrating equipment is performed by a force sensor.