Wireless Collection of Fastener Data

• US 20140320302A1
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Tillotson, Brian J., Mitchell, Bradley J., Herley, Peter E., Carlson, Brenda K., Ung, Kevin Y., Ross, Tamaira E., Venema, Steven C., Farricker, James T., Hendricks, Daniel A., Spinelli, Charles B., Blackwell, David B., Rocks, Richard R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.01
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/02 for indicating the attainment of a particular tensile load or limiting tensile load apparatus for, or method of, determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member similarly stressed G01L5/24
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/14 Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/14 Calling by using pulses

Abstract

Data is remotely collected from a plurality of fasteners in response to a query signal wirelessly transmitted by a reader. Each of the fasteners includes a sensor for measuring a parameter related to the stress on the fastener. A device adapted to be attached to each of the fasteners receives the query signal, activates the sensor to measure the parameter and wirelessly transmits the data including the parameter to the reader.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a fastener, adapted to mechanically join at least two separate structural members together, having a fastener head with a recess containing a sensor for measuring stress on the fastener;

a removable cap, having a cap head and sides surrounding the fastener head, wherein the removable cap is configured to be attached to the fastener and to wirelessly transmit data related to the measured stress, having a set of electrical contacts that are brought into contact with the sensor and the fastener when the cap is attached to the fastener, whereby sensor data is transmitted from the sensor to the cap; and

a reader, configured for wirelessly reading the data transmitted by the cap.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna in the cap;

a wireless transmitter in the cap, coupled with the antenna, configured for transmitting the data to the reader;

a wireless transmitter in the reader, configured for wirelessly transmitting a signal to the cap;

a wireless receiver in the cap, configured for receiving the signal from the reader; and

means, associated with the cap, for converting the signal into energy and for storing the energy.

3. A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the receiver is selected from the group consisting of a light signal receiver, a radio frequency signal receiver, and an acoustic signal receiver.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cap further includes a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the fastener, and the cap is configured for wirelessly transmitting data related to the sensed temperature to the reader.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cap further includes:

a converter configured to convert ambient energy into electrical energy;

a storage device configured to store the electrical energy; and

a pulse generator, configured to convert the stored energy into a pulse used to activate the sensor.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the reader is configured for wirelessly transmitting a first signal along a narrow path to the cap, and further comprising

a receiver on the cap configured to receive the first signal, the receiver including a directional antenna for receiving the first signal along the narrow path; and

a transmitter on the cap configured to wirelessly transmit a second signal to the reader containing data related to the stress measured by the sensor.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the directional antenna is one of a directional dipole antenna and a dish antenna.

8. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

the reader includes a transmitter selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency transmitter, an infrared beam transmitter, and an acoustic energy transmitter;

the first signal is a signal selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency signal, an infrared beam, and an acoustic signal; and

the receiver on the fastener is selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency receiver, an infrared receiver, and an acoustic signal receiver.

9. A method for collecting data from fasteners, comprising:

attaching a removable cap to each of a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having a fastener head with a recess containing a sensor and mechanically joining at least two separate structural members together, each removable cap having a cap head and sides which surround each respective fastener head;

bringing a set of electrical contacts in the cap into engagement with the sensor and the fastener, whereby sensor data is transmissible from the sensor to the cap;

wirelessly transmitting a query signal from a reader to the cap of one of the fasteners;

wirelessly receiving the query signal at a receiver within the cap;

using the sensor on the one fastener to measure stress on the one fastener; and

using a wireless transmitter in the cap to wirelessly transmit the measured stress to the reader.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

converting the received query signal into electrical energy;

storing the energy in the cap; and

using the stored energy to activate the sensor.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

converting ambient energy into electrical energy;

storing the energy in the cap; and

using the stored energy to power the sensor when activated.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

aiming the reader at a fastener to be queried, including directing a beam of light from the reader to the fastener to aid in the aiming of the reader.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein wirelessly transmitting the query signal is performed using one of:

radio frequency energy transmission;

light energy transmission; and

acoustic energy transmission.

14. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein attaching the cap to the fastener includes:

securing a flange to the fastener; and

using the flange to hold the cap on the fastener.

15. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein attaching the cap to the fastener is performed by twisting the cap onto a head of the fastener.

16. A cap, configured to attach to a fastener having a fastener head with a recess containing a sensor for measuring stress on the fastener, the cap comprising:

a cap head and sides configured to surround the fastener head when the cap is attached to the fastener;

a cap attachment mechanism configured to removably attach the cap to the fastener;

electrical contacts, configured to connect with the sensor and receive stress measurements from the sensor when the fastener mechanically joins at least two separate structural members together; and

a wireless transmitter, configured to transmit stress data, based on the stress measurements, to a reader.

17. A cap in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

an antenna, coupled to the wireless transmitter for transmitting the stress data to the reader.

18. A cap in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

a wireless receiver for receiving a signal from the reader; and

a converter configured to convert the signal into energy and a storage device configured to store the energy.

19. A cap in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a temperature sensor on the cap, configured for sensing a temperature of the fastener, the cap configured for wirelessly transmitting data related to the sensed temperature to the reader.

20. A cap in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit an acoustic signal through the structure, the acoustic signal representing the stress data.