Apparatus and method for monitoring the operation of a vehicle drive shaft
First Claim
1. A means for retaining an instrument within a hollow shaft, the instrument including a housing having an outer dimension which is smaller than an inner dimension of the shaft such that the instrument may fit within the shaft, the means for retaining comprising:
- an expandable retainer connected to the housing, said retainer having a non-compressed outer dimension which is less than the inner dimension of the housing and having a compressed outer dimension which is greater than the inner dimension of the housing; and
means for selectively compressing said retainer when the instrument is disposed within the shaft such that said retainer is expanded into frictional engagement with the shaft to retain the instrument therein.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for monitoring the operation of a hollow drive shaft is disclosed. An instrument is inserted within the shaft. A first end of the instrument includes an elastomeric retainer having a relaxed outer diameter which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the shaft. The retainer is compressed to expand in into frictional engagement with the inner surface of the drive shaft to retain the instrument therein. A generator is mounted within the instrument for rotation therewith. The generator includes a relatively rotatable output shaft having a pendulum attached thereto. When the drive shaft is rotated, the instrument and the generator rotate therewith, but the output shaft and the pendulum do not. Consequently, an electrical output signal is generated which is representative of the rotational speed of the shaft. Several sensors are provided to generate electrical signals representative of the torsional stress within the shaft during use and the ambient temperature therein. The output signals are fed to a control circuit in the instrument. The control circuit includes a power supply sub-circuit for supplying electrical power to the various components thereof. The power supply sub-circuit includes batteries for maintaining the supply of electrical power when the drive shaft is not rotated during use and means for re-charging the batteries when the drive shaft is rotated. A power regulator sub-circuit regulates the electrical power supplied to most of the components of the control circuit. A wake-up sub-circuit generates a signal when the shaft is rotated. The control circuit is maintained in an active operating condition when the shaft is rotated and is automatically placed in a stand-by operating condition after a predetermined length of non-rotation.
36 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A means for retaining an instrument within a hollow shaft, the instrument including a housing having an outer dimension which is smaller than an inner dimension of the shaft such that the instrument may fit within the shaft, the means for retaining comprising:
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an expandable retainer connected to the housing, said retainer having a non-compressed outer dimension which is less than the inner dimension of the housing and having a compressed outer dimension which is greater than the inner dimension of the housing; and means for selectively compressing said retainer when the instrument is disposed within the shaft such that said retainer is expanded into frictional engagement with the shaft to retain the instrument therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An adapter for supporting an instrument within a hollow shaft, a yoke being secured to an opened end of the shaft and having a hollow end portion which extends into the shaft, the instrument having a hollow housing including an opened end, the adapter comprising:
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a main body portion adapted to be received and supported within the hollow end portion of the yoke; a journal portion extending from said main body portion, said journal portion adapted to extend into the housing through the opened end thereof for attachment thereto; and a stop portion formed about said body portion adapted to be engaged between the opened end of the housing and the opened end of the hollow end portion of the yoke. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An instrument for monitoring the performance of a movable hollow shaft during use comprising:
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a housing sized to fit within the shaft; means for securing said housing within the shaft for movement therewith; sensor means disposed in said housing for generating a signal representative of at least one performance characteristic of the shaft; and control circuit means disposed in said housing and connected to said sensor means for selectively receiving and storing said performance characteristic signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. In an instrument for monitoring the performance of a rotatable hollow shaft during use, a means for generating a signal when the shaft is rotated about an axis comprising:
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a switch board mounted within the shaft for rotation therewith; at least one switch means mounted on said switch board for rotation therewith, said switch means adapted to be opened and closed as the angular orientation thereof changes as it is rotated with said switch board and the shaft; and means responsive to said opening and closing of said switch means for generating a signal when the shaft is rotated. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An instrument for generating an electrical signal which is representative of the rotational speed of a hollow shaft comprising:
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generator means mounted within the hollow shaft for rotation therewith, said generator means including an output shaft which is rotatable relative to said generator means, said generator means being adapted to generate an electrical signal which is representative of the rotational speed of said output shaft relative to said generator means; and a pendulum connected to said output shaft, whereby said generator means is rotated relative to said output shaft when the hollow shaft is rotated so as to generate said electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification