Sensing pad assembly employing variable coupler fiberoptic sensor
First Claim
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1. A sensing pad assembly, comprising:
- a pad member having a surface configured to support an object to be monitored, said pad member being capable of transmitting pressure fluctuations due to acoustic activity or motion of the supported object; and
a fiberoptic sensor having a fused-fiber coupling region, at least a portion of said coupling region being curved and being disposed in a sensing area of the sensor and configured such that it can be deflected to change an output of the sensor with said coupling region being put, under substantially tension, said sensing area being disposed such that said pressure fluctuations are transmitted thereto to deflect said portion of said coupling region and thereby change the output of said sensor in accordance with said pressure fluctuations.
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Abstract
A sensing pad assembly for monitoring acoustic activity or motion of an object supported on the pad utilizes an improved fiberoptic sensor as a pressure transducing element to convert pressure fluctuations due to the acoustic activity or motion to an output that changes in accordance with the pressure fluctuations. The sensor has an improved design that permits deflection of the coupler fusion region without accompanying tension. In a preferred embodiment, the coupler fusion region is arranged substantially in a U-shape so that the fiberoptic leads of the sensor may be located adjacent to each other at one side of the sensor.
65 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A sensing pad assembly, comprising:
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a pad member having a surface configured to support an object to be monitored, said pad member being capable of transmitting pressure fluctuations due to acoustic activity or motion of the supported object; and
a fiberoptic sensor having a fused-fiber coupling region, at least a portion of said coupling region being curved and being disposed in a sensing area of the sensor and configured such that it can be deflected to change an output of the sensor with said coupling region being put, under substantially tension, said sensing area being disposed such that said pressure fluctuations are transmitted thereto to deflect said portion of said coupling region and thereby change the output of said sensor in accordance with said pressure fluctuations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A sensing pad assembly, comprising:
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a pad member having a surface configured to support an object to be monitored, said pad member being capable of transmitting pressure fluctuations due to acoustic activity or motion of the supported object; and
a fiberoptic sensor having a substantially U-shaped, fused-fiber coupling region disposed in a sensing area of said sensor such that said coupling region can be deflected to change an output of said sensor, said sensing area being disposed such that said pressure fluctuations are transmitted thereto to deflect said coupling region and thereby change the output of said sensor in accordance with said pressure fluctuations. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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35. A sensing pad assembly, comprising;
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a pad member having a surface configured to support an object to be monitored, said pad member being capable of transmitting pressure fluctuations due to acoustic activity or motion of the supported object; and
a fiberoptic sensor having a fused-fiber coupling region, with at least a portion of said coupling region being curved and disposed substantially in a plane in a sensing area of the sensor and being configured such that it can be deflected along a direction perpendicular to said plane to change an output of the sensor with said coupling region being under substantially no tension, said sensing area being disposed such that said pressure fluctuations are transmitted thereto to deflect said portion of said coupling region along said direction perpendicular to said plane and thereby change the output of said sensor in accordance with said pressure fluctuations. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A sensing pad assembly comprising:
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a pad member having a surface configured to support an object to be monitored, said pad member being capable of transmitting pressure fluctuations due to acoustic activity or motion of the supported object; and
a fiberoptic sensor having a substantially U-shaped, fused-fiber coupling region disposed substantially in a plane in a sensing area of said sensor such that said coupling region can be deflected along a direction perpendicular to said plane to change an output of said sensor, said sensing area being disposed such that said pressure fluctuations are transmitted thereto to deflect said coupling region along said direction perpendicular to said plane and thereby change the output of said sensor in accordance with said pressure fluctuations. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68)
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Specification