Embeddable corrosion monitoring-instrument for steel reinforced structures
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the material changes in a structure using:
- at least one monitoring instrument, each of said at least one monitoring instrument having a body, an individual ID and being embedded within said structure and having;
at least one electronic module, each of said at least one electronic module having sensors in contact with said material and electronic monitoring means within said monitoring instrument to receive signals from said sensor;
an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter receiving analog signals from each of said at least one electronic monitoring means;
a microcontroller, said microcontroller receiving signals from said analog to digital converter;
a digital to analog converter, said digital to analog converter converting signals from said microcontroller to each of said at least one electronic monitoring means; and
transmission means, said transmission means to transmit said digital signals to a data logger;
power means, said power means providing power to each of said at least one electronic module;
potting material, said potting material encompassing said modules within said monitoring instrument;
a data logger, said data logger being external from said structure and receiving and storing said digital signals;
wherein said monitoring instrument receives signals from said at least one electronic module, converts said signals from analog to digital and transmits said digital signals for each of said at least one monitoring based on said ID to said data logger.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring the material changes in a structure is disclosed through the use monitoring instruments embedded within the structure. The instruments have at least one sensor with electrodes in contact with the surrounding material and electronics that are contained within the instrument. The sensor signals are converted to digital and transmitted to an external data logger or computer for display of the digitized signals. The connection between the microcontroller and the data logger can be either through hardwire or RF. Power is provided to the electronic sensors through either external or local methods. A power management system can be used to place the electronics into a sleep mode when not in use. The electronics are encapsulated within potting material within an instrument case that is manufactured from a material having a flexural modulus equal to, or greater than, the surrounding material to prevent mechanical failure of the device before failure of the surrounding material. The case has protective trays to protect the electrodes and rounded adjacent connection lengths to prevent the case from developing cracks.
58 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the material changes in a structure using:
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at least one monitoring instrument, each of said at least one monitoring instrument having a body, an individual ID and being embedded within said structure and having;
at least one electronic module, each of said at least one electronic module having sensors in contact with said material and electronic monitoring means within said monitoring instrument to receive signals from said sensor;
an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter receiving analog signals from each of said at least one electronic monitoring means;
a microcontroller, said microcontroller receiving signals from said analog to digital converter;
a digital to analog converter, said digital to analog converter converting signals from said microcontroller to each of said at least one electronic monitoring means; and
transmission means, said transmission means to transmit said digital signals to a data logger;
power means, said power means providing power to each of said at least one electronic module;
potting material, said potting material encompassing said modules within said monitoring instrument;
a data logger, said data logger being external from said structure and receiving and storing said digital signals;
wherein said monitoring instrument receives signals from said at least one electronic module, converts said signals from analog to digital and transmits said digital signals for each of said at least one monitoring based on said ID to said data logger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. The method of monitoring corrosion in a steel reinforced concrete structure comprising the steps of:
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assembling a monitoring device having electronic sensors having electrodes;
positioning said electronic sensors within a protective case to enable said electrodes to contact said concrete;
securing said electronic sensor within said protective case with a potting material;
placing at least one monitoring device within said concrete during construction, said monitoring device containing electronic sensors having electrodes to monitor said corrosion;
assigning each of said at least one monitoring device an ID number;
networking each of said at least one monitoring device with other of said at least one monitoring device;
connecting one of said at least one monitoring device to a data logger;
completing said concrete structure;
monitoring signals sent from said electronic sensors indicating corrosion levels within said structure at said data logger.
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22. An instrument case to enable electronic sensors to be embedded into a structural material, said instrument case having:
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a hollow body, said hollow body being manufactured from a material having a flexural modulus at least equal to said structural material stress divided to by said structural material strain and having a first end, a closed second end and multiple sides each of said multiple sides having a connection length with an adjacent side, said body being configured to contain and protect electronic modules from contact by said structural material;
at least one electrode receiving port in said first end, each of said at least one electrode receiving port enabling an electrode to contact said structural material;
at least one protective tray, each of said at least one protective tray extending from said first end at about a right angled to surround said at least one electrode receiving port;
at least one electronic sensor, said at least one electronic sensor being within said hollow body to receive data from said electrodes and transmit said data to a data gathering source;
at least one cable port to receive a network cable;
wherein said adjacent connection lengths are rounded to direct pressure from said structural material around said instrument case thereby preventing said instrument case from developing cracks from said pressure. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification