Multi-function stress wave sensor
First Claim
1. A multi-function stress wave sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
- a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element; and
a plurality of filter networks in communication with said energy conversion circuitry, said plurality of filter networks attenuating certain frequencies of said signals, wherein said sensor has a resonant gain at its primary resonant frequency to allow for selective amplification of stress waves received from friction and mechanical impacts;
wherein said plurality of filter networks includes a band or high pass filter and a low pass filter;
wherein said sensor has a resonant output of a specific amplitude, said resonant output decaying to half amplitude by a predetermined number of cycles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor for detecting stress waves for use in a stress wave analysis system. The stress waves are preferably detected in a narrow frequency range of 35-40 KHz. At this range, stress waves from friction and impact sources typically propagate through machine structures at detectable amplitudes. In order to maximize the signal to noise ratio of stress waves, relative to background noise and vibration, the sensor of the present invention is designed and calibrated with a frequency response and damping features that are specifically tailored for stress wave analysis. The sensor is a multi-functional sensor that can measure a number of logically related parameters for indicting the mechanical condition of a machine. It is often desirable to measure both friction and one or more other parameters appropriate for indication of a machine'"'"'s health, where all of the measuring capability is contained in one sensor. The multi-functional capability of the present invention significantly reduces the acquisition, installation, and maintenance costs of the condition monitoring instrumentation system.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A multi-function stress wave sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element; and
a plurality of filter networks in communication with said energy conversion circuitry, said plurality of filter networks attenuating certain frequencies of said signals, wherein said sensor has a resonant gain at its primary resonant frequency to allow for selective amplification of stress waves received from friction and mechanical impacts;
wherein said plurality of filter networks includes a band or high pass filter and a low pass filter;
wherein said sensor has a resonant output of a specific amplitude, said resonant output decaying to half amplitude by a predetermined number of cycles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A multi-function stress wave sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element; and
a plurality of filter networks in communication with said energy conversion circuitry, said plurality of filter networks attenuating certain frequencies of said signals, wherein said sensor has a resonant gain at its primary resonant frequency to allow for selective amplification of stress waves received from friction and mechanical impacts;
wherein said logically complementary input parameter signals are available in a single time domain waveform that is transmitted sequentially in a single data stream on a single conductor from said sensor to said electronic assembly.
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29. A multi-function stress wave sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element; and
a plurality of filter networks in communication with said energy conversion circuitry, said plurality of filter networks attenuating certain frequencies of said signals, wherein said sensor has a resonant gain at its primary resonant frequency to allow for selective amplification of stress waves received from friction and mechanical impacts;
wherein the electronic assembly further comprises data acquisition means for instructing the sensor which said input parameters are required, at what time interval each said input parameters are to be acquired at, and in what sequential order said input parameters are to be sent back to the electronic assembly.
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30. A multi-function stress wave system for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, said system comprising:
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a sensor including a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency approximately between 35 KHz to 40 KHz and energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element, said sensor having a resonant gain of approximately 30 db at its primary resonant frequency to allow for selective amplification of stress waves, said sensor having a resonant output of a specific amplitude, said resonant output decaying to half amplitude by a predetermined number of cycles; and
an electronic assembly including a plurality of filter networks in communication with said energy conversion circuitry for attenuating received signals that fall below a selected frequency of approximately 20 KHz. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A multi-function stress wave sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element; and
a plurality of filter networks in communication with said energy conversion circuitry for attenuating certain frequencies of said signals prior to any external amplification or signal conditioning of said signals;
wherein said logically complementary input parameter signals are available in a single time domain waveform that is parallel processed by the plurality of filter networks to respective low frequency and high frequency signals on separate conductors.
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52. A sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
motion conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element for converting motion detected by said transducing element into a varying voltage waveform;
a high pass or band pass filter network in communication with said motion conversion circuitry for extracting a stress wave signal at the primary resonant frequency prior to any external signal conditioning; and
frequency demodulation circuitry in communication with said motion conversion circuitry for extracting a vibration signal at the primary resonant. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with an electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a first transducing element generating a first primary resonant frequency;
a second transducing element generating a second primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said first transducing element;
motion conversion circuitry in communication with said second transducing element for converting motion detected by said second transducing element into a varying voltage waveform;
a high pass or band pass filter network in communication with said energy conversion circuitry for attenuating certain frequencies of said signals prior to any external signal conditioning; and
frequency demodulation circuitry in communication with said motion conversion circuitry for extracting a vibration signal at the second primary resonant frequency. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. A multi-function stress wave sensor for detecting, measuring and processing logically complementary input parameter signals indicative of a machine'"'"'s health, in communication with a remote electronic assembly, said sensor comprising:
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a transducing element generating a primary resonant frequency;
energy conversion circuitry in communication with said transducing element;
other logically complementary input parameter circuitry in communication with said transducing element;
a high pass or band pass filter in communication with said energy conversion circuitry for attenuating certain frequencies of said signals prior to any amplification of said signals; and
a low pass filter in communication with said other logically complementary input parameter circuitry;
wherein the input parameter signals includes a low frequency component and a high frequency component;
wherein said high pass or band pass filter attenuates said low frequency component so that the high frequency component represents a significant percentage of the filtered signal prior to any subsequent amplification outside of the sensor.
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Specification