SENSOR MODULE

• US 20190317055A1
• Filed: 04/16/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Albers, Timothy R., Rao, Pranesh, Schardt, Thomas, Rathinam, Sekar, Gonuguntla, Mohini Kumari
• Application Number:
  US16/385,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20190317055A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/14 in respect of space
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/36 Detecting the response signal , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/50 using auto-correlation techniques or cross-correlation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• 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: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

A sensor module for obtaining sensor data relevant to a piece of equipment. The sensor module comprises a housing including a base. The base includes a mounting assembly for securing the sensor module to the piece of equipment. The sensor module additionally comprises a processing assembly at least partially enclosed within an interior space presented by the housing. The processing assembly includes a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the interior space of the housing. The processing assembly additionally includes a second temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature external to the housing. The processing assembly additionally includes a vibration sensor configured to measure vibrations experienced by the sensor module. The processing assembly further includes a communication element for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data.

Claims

1. A sensor module for obtaining sensor data relevant to a piece of equipment, said sensor module comprising:

a housing comprising a base, wherein said base includes a mounting assembly for securing said sensor module to the piece of equipment; and

a processing assembly at least partially enclosed within an interior space presented by said housing, wherein said processing assembly includes—

a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the interior space of said housing,

a second temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature external to said housing,

a vibration sensor configured to measure vibrations experienced by said sensor module,

a communication element for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data.

2. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein said communication element is configured to transmit the sensor data according to a subnetwork access protocol.

3. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein said processing assembly is configured to encrypt the sensor data, and wherein said communication element is configured to transmit the encrypted sensor data.

4. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein said base is formed from a heat-conductive material, and wherein said first temperature sensor is thermodynamically coupled with said base and configured to measure a surface temperature of the piece of equipment.

5. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein said processing assembly is secured to said base such that said vibration sensor maintains rigid contact with said base.

6. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein potting material is included within the interior space of said housing to maintain said vibration sensor in rigid contact with said base.

7. The sensor module of claim 5, wherein said base comprises a bottom panel and post extending upward from said bottom panel through the interior space of said housing, and wherein said vibration sensor maintains rigid contact with said post.

8. The sensor module of claim 7, wherein said vibration sensor is located adjacent to a bottom of said processing assembly, and wherein said processing assembly includes one or more springs for forcing said vibration sensor into rigid contact with said post.

9. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein said second temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

10. The sensor module of claim 9, wherein said thermocouple is configured to be removably coupled with a portion of said processing assembly and further configured to be extended to a location spaced apart from said housing of said sensor module to measure the temperature external to said housing.

11. The sensor module of claim 1, further comprising a battery for providing electrical power to said processing assembly, wherein said processing assembly is configured to measure a voltage of said battery.

12. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein said mounting assembly comprises a magnet.

13. The sensor module of claim 1, wherein the base is formed from a paramagnetic material.

14. A sensor module for obtaining sensor data for a piece of equipment, said sensor module comprising:

a housing comprising a base, wherein said base includes a mounting assembly for securing said sensor module to the piece of equipment; and

a processing assembly at least partially enclosed within an interior space presented by said housing, wherein said processing assembly includes—

a temperature sensing element configured to generate temperature data indicative of a temperature of the piece of equipment and a temperature indicative of a temperature external to said housing,

a vibration sensing element configured to generate vibration data indicative of vibrations experienced by the piece of equipment,

a communication element for wirelessly transmitting the sensor data.

15. The sensor module of claim 14, wherein said communication element is configured to transmit the sensor data according to a subnetwork access protocol.

16. The sensor module of claim 14, wherein said processing assembly is configured to encrypt the sensor data, and wherein said communication element is configured to transmit the encrypted sensor data.

17. The sensor module of claim 14, wherein said base is formed from a heat-conductive material, and wherein the temperature sensing element is thermodynamically coupled with said base and configured to generate temperature data indicative of a surface temperature of the piece of equipment.

18. The sensor module of claim 14, wherein said processing assembly is secured to said base such that the vibration sensor maintains rigid contact with said base, wherein said base comprises a bottom panel and post extending upward from said bottom panel through the interior space of said housing, and wherein said vibration sensor maintains rigid contact with said post.

19. The sensor module of claim 14, wherein said temperature sensing element comprises a thermocouple, wherein said thermocouple is configured to be extended to a location external from said housing of said sensor module to generate temperature data indicative of the temperature external to said housing.

20. The sensor module of claim 14, further comprising a battery for providing electrical power to said processing assembly, wherein said processing assembly is configured to generate battery data indicative of a voltage of said battery.