Apparatus for detecting variation of a condition amount in a mechanical device

• US 4,117,451 A
• Filed: 08/10/1976
• Issued: 09/26/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Kazuo, Toriyama, Haruhiko, Matsushige, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/713,194
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 R, 340/52 A, 340/58, 340/59, 340/60, 340/244 A, 340/244 E, 340/253 P, 340/253 R, 340/251, 340/152 T, 340/174, 200/61.4, 200/61.22, 200/61.25, 307/88 R, 331/65, 331/64, 331/148
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0422 characterised by the type of signal transmission means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/061 with level control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/225 brake fluid level indicators level indication in general G01F; H01H
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/021 using electrical detection or indication means
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/028 with non-electrical sensors or signal transmission, e.g. magnetic, optical
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting variation of a condition in a mechanical device comprises a detecting transformer or plurality of such transformers provided with an input winding, a control winding and an output winding, an A. C. power source connected to said input winding, and a detecting element connected in series with said control winding. The normally closed detecting element is adapted to become open circuited in response to variation of the condition amount in said mechanical device. A required output signal is taken out and detected by an output circuit from the output winding due to the open circuiting of the detecting element.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting variation of a condition amount in a mechanical device comprising

at least one detecting transformer having an input winding, at least one control winding, and an output winding mounted in a single magnetic path,

an alternating current power source connected to said input winding,

at least one normally closed circuit detecting element means to detect a variation of a condition amount by opening of said normally closed circuit detecting element means connected between one of two ends of said control winding and ground, and the other of said ends of said control winding connected to ground, and

output means connected to said output winding to take out an output signal occurring on said output winding when said normally closed circuit detecting element means is open circuited.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by

said input winding, said at least one control winding, and said output winding mounted on a single core.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by

said output means including

a diode having a input and an output with said input connected to said output winding,

a smoothing circuit having an input and an output with said input of said smoothing circuit connected to said output of said diode,

an amplifying circuit connected to said output of said smoothing circuit, and

an alarm means connected to said amplifying circuit and driven thereby to be actuated by opening of said normally closed circuit detecting element means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by

said detecting element means including

a metal plate of abradable metal buried in a supporting plate and a friction member of a brake device with said metal plate located to extend into said friction member to be eroded along with adjacent portions of said friction member,

and lead lines connected to said metal plate and to said control winding and said respective ground.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further characterized by

said metal plate positioned in a cavity in said supporting plate and said friction member.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further characterized by

said metal plate embedded in said supporting plate and said friction member.

7. An apparatus for detecting variation of condition amounts in a mechanical device comprising

a plurality of detecting transformers, each having an input winding, at least one control winding, and an output winding mounted in a single magnetic path,

an alternating current power source commonly connected to said input winding of each of said plurality of detecting tranformers,

a plurality of normally closed circuit detecting element means to each detect a variation of a condition amount by opening of said normally closed circuit detecting element means with each detecting element means connected in series with and between a respective one of said control windings and ground, and the other of said ends of each of said control windings connected to ground,

an output means connected to said output windings to take out an output signal occurring on said output windings when said normally closed circuit detecting element means is open circuited.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further characterized by

said output windings of said plurality of detecting transformers being connected in series with each other.