Fibre-optical strain-gauge

• US 6,834,552 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Original Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Inventors: Thorsen, Per
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US10/111,755
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 738/00, 738/623.24, 738/626.24
• US Class Current: 73/800
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/35377 Means for amplifying or modifying the measured quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/24 by measuring variations of optical properties of material when it is stressed, e.g. by photoelastic stress analysis using infrared, visible light, ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3636 the mechanical coupling means being grooves G02B6/3652 takes precedence

Abstract

In a fiber-optical strain-gauge of the kind comprising a mechanical construction providing a linear, strain-dependent relative movement of oppositely positioned spaced-apart first and second optical fiber-holding elements in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the optical fibers, and in which the varying transmission of light between the two fibers is used as an indication of the strain, the main new feature is that the strain-gauge is manufactured using the following steps: a) prestressing an optical fibre by applying a pulling force, or prestressing the mechanical construction by applying a compressing force; b) fixing said optical fiber to the fiber-holding elements in the mechanical construction; and c) cleaving the optical fiber at the interspace between the fiber-holding elements. With this arrangement the optical fiber ends are aligned in an exact position in a simple manner without using any expensive micro-manipulation tools, and a high precision of the gap between the two fiber ends can be provided in a simple manner by controlling the prestressing of the optical fiber, or the mechanical construction.

Claims

1. A fibre-optical strain-gauge for a construction whose strain is to be measured across first and second construction surfaces thereof, comprising:

first and second optical fibres; and

a strain-gauge body including

first and second body surfaces which are located opposite to one another,

first and second symmetrically disposed fibre-holding elements in which respective said first and second optical fibres are secured,

first and second mounting elements for mounting the strain-gauge body to the respective first and second construction surfaces of the construction whose strain is to be measured,

first and second double hinges which respectively connect said first and second fibre-holding elements to respective said first and second mounting elements,

(a) said first double hinges having (i) a proximal first hinge thereof which is positioned close to the first fibre-holding elements and which is positioned close to the first body surface of the strain-gauge, and (ii) a distal first hinge thereof which is positioned distant from the first fibre-holding element and which is positioned at a distance from said first body surface, and

(b) said second double hinges for the second fibre-holding element having (i) a proximal second hinges thereof which is positioned close to the second fibre-holding element and which is positioned close to the second body surface, and (ii) a distal hinges thereof which is positioned distant from the second fibre-holding element and which is positioned at a distance from said second body surface,

whereby the first and second fibre-holding elements move in opposite directions perpendicular to an axial direction of the fibres when the mounting elements move towards or away from each other.

2. Fibre-optical strain-gauge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the optical fibres are telecommunication optical fibres, with a fibre diameter of approximately 125 μ

m.

3. Fibre-optical strain-gauge in accordance with claim 1, wherein a material of the strain-gauge body has a same thermal expansion coefficient as a material of the construction to being measured.