Multi-level machine vibration tester marker pen

• US 6,672,168 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew Brough, Michael Jeffery
• Original Assignee: Andrew Braugh, Michael Jeffery
• Inventors: Higgins, Ronald Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US10/005,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 736/60, 736/61, 736/59, 735/93, 736/58, 340/683
• US Class Current: 73/660
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices

Abstract

The small tester is hand held by the writing pen body (21) when testing vibration with a housing mounted vibration probe (15) mechanically driving a piezo element (12), acted on by weight (11). The piezo element (12) has electrical connection (13) through an electronic circuit to an electronic display (22) indicating predetermined levels of vibration amplitude. The multi-level LED display (22) consists of four different colored LED'"'"'s where illumination of a specific colored LED indicates a specific predetermined level of vibration amplitude. The electronic display (22) changing illumination of specific LED'"'"'s from the lowest indicated level of vibration to just reach the highest indicated level of vibration is a nominal 6 dB increase in vibration amplitude at predetermined frequencies. The electronic display (22) though not necessarily in engineering vibration units can be digitally corrected to engineering vibration units on a computer display using an electrical connection (26,27) and suitable software and interfacing device. Simple frequency analysis for determination of a possible dominant frequency can also be performed using an electrical connection (26,27) to a frequency reading digital multimeter (30). Permanent data can be written on the machine surface at the test location using the marker pen writing nib (25). A very low cost tester for day to day use by maintenance workers in a typical factory.

Claims

1. A hand-held machine vibration tester comprising:

(a) a housing about the size of a small match box to contain an electronic circuit;

(b) a vibration probe mounted on the outside surface wall section of said housing;

(c) a piezo element mounted to the adjacent, inside surface wall section of said housing with a permanent hardening adhesive to form a buttered joint between the inside housing wall and said piezo element;

(d) a weight mounted on said piezo element, with a permanent hardening adhesive to form a buttered joint between said weight and said piezo element;

(e) said electronic circuit for controllably electrically coupling the output from said piezo element, to drive an electronic display exposed via said housing;

(f) an electrical connection sampling output from said electronic circuit, so that connection can be made to electrical equipment;

(g) said electronic display for displaying levels of vibration relating to amplitudes and the corresponding frequencies of mechanical vibration exciting said piezo element;

(h) a liquid marking line writing pen body attached rigidly to said housing, so as to not obstruct use of said vibration probe;

whereby said pen body can be held urging said vibration probe against a machine surface to test machine vibration level and later said pen body can be held to write data on said machine surface.

2. The machine vibration tester of claim 1 wherein said electronic display is configured to provide visible indication of each level of vibration by illumination to a predetermined configuration of different light emitting diodes.

3. The machine vibration tester of claim 2 wherein said electronic display can indicate four predetermined levels of vibration.

4. The machine vibration tester of claim 3 wherein said electronic display has a red illuminating light emitting diode to indicate the highest predetermined level of predetermined vibration.

5. The machine vibration tester of claim 4 wherein said electronic display has a green only illuminating light emitting diode to indicate the lowest predetermined level of vibration.

6. The machine vibration tester of claim 5 wherein said electronic display changing from the green only light emitting diode illumination through to the red light emitting diode illumination is indication of an increase in vibration amplitude of a nominal 6 decibel.

7. The machine vibration tester of claim 1 wherein has said electrical connection sampling an output from said electronic circuit, so that temporary electrical leads can be connected to an interfacing device, which in turn connects to a computer.

8. The machine vibration tester of claim 7 wherein in combination of predetermined formulae and means to display on said computer an output from said electronic circuit is digitally converted to engineering vibration units of amplitude for acceleration, velocity, displacement, each as a function of frequency.