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Remote self-powered structure monitor

  • US 6,076,405 A
  • Filed: 07/24/1996
  • Issued: 06/20/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A remote structure monitor, for detecting structural crack beginnings and growth in a rotating metal structure, comprising:

  • a piezo-electric acoustic emission sensor on the rotating metal structure for detecting non repetitive high frequency acoustic emission events of 1 to 10 MHz from stress wave acoustic emission energy that comes from said structural crack beginnings and growth and for converting the acoustic emission energy into electrical signals;

    a signal processor, connected to said piezo acoustic emission sensor for receiving the electrical signals prom said emission sensor, said piezo-electric acoustic emission sensor being formed from a plurality of piezo-electric layers and a plurality of elastomeric layers situated between the plurality of piezo-electric layers, such that the piezo-electric and elastomeric layers are stacked on one another alternately in that one elastomeric layer is situated between adjacent piezo-electric layers to form a layered sensor;

    a power storage device being positioned on said layered sensor to provide an inertial load, wherein said sensor outputs the electrical power signals due to compression, stretching and/or bending of the plurality of piezo-electric layers, caused by the vibration of said rotating metal structure and enhanced by said inertial load.

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