Device, system and process for detecting tensile loads on a rope having an optical fiber incorporated therein
First Claim
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1. A system for detecting tensile loads on a rope comprising:
- a plurality of elongated load-bearing members, said elongated load-bearing members being arranged into an elongated shape of a rope, said elongated shape having a long axis, said elongated shape being capable of a change in length along the long axis and structured for bearing tension loads along the long axis;
at least one fiber optical incorporated with the elongated load-bearing members along the length thereof;
an input signal transmitter, said input signal transmitter transmitting electromagnetic radiation into said fiber optic; and
a signal monitor, said signal monitor monitoring electromagnetic radiation exiting from said fiber optical and comparing an observed set of characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation exiting from said fiber optic to an expected set of characteristics of electromagnetic radiation exiting from said fiber optic.
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Abstract
A system for monitoring strains and stresses on rope structures and rigid structures containing the ropes is provided wherein a fiber optic is included in a rope structure and change in the fiber'"'"'s light transmissive/reflective properties, which are caused by strains and stresses on the fiber, are monitored.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for detecting tensile loads on a rope comprising:
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a plurality of elongated load-bearing members, said elongated load-bearing members being arranged into an elongated shape of a rope, said elongated shape having a long axis, said elongated shape being capable of a change in length along the long axis and structured for bearing tension loads along the long axis; at least one fiber optical incorporated with the elongated load-bearing members along the length thereof; an input signal transmitter, said input signal transmitter transmitting electromagnetic radiation into said fiber optic; and a signal monitor, said signal monitor monitoring electromagnetic radiation exiting from said fiber optical and comparing an observed set of characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation exiting from said fiber optic to an expected set of characteristics of electromagnetic radiation exiting from said fiber optic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for detecting tensile loads on a plurality of elongated load-bearing members, said elongated load-bearing members being arranged in an elongated shape of a rope, said elongated shape having a long axis, said elongated shape being capable of a change in length along the log axis and structured for bearing tension loads along the along axis, at least one of said elongated load-bearing members being a fiber optic, said process comprising the steps of:
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1) positioning said rope so as to be subjected to a tension load along the long axis; 2) transmitting a reference input signal into the fiber optical of the thus positioned rope; 3) monitoring the resulting transmitted reference output signal exiting the fiber optical of the thus positioned rope; analyzing the change between the characteristics of the reference input signal and the characteristics of the reference output signal exiting the fiber optic of the thus positioned rope to detect the tensile load on the thus positioned rope. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A device for sensing tensile loads on a rope comprising:
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an optical fiber, said optical fiber being integral with the rope along the length of the rope; an optical source, connected to said optical fiber to transmit a signal into said optical fiber; an optical detector connected to said optical fiber to receive an exit signal from said optical fiber and provide an output signal; and a processor to receive said output signal from said optical detector and compare said output signal to an expected output signal. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification