Measurement of motions of rotating shafts using non-vibrating contact potential difference sensor
First Claim
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1. An system for monitoring motion of a rotating shaft as part of a machine comprising:
- at least one non-vibrating contact potential probe;
a source of historical data regarding performance of the shaft;
the historical data indicating whether the shaft is in a state selected from the group consisting of a normal state and an abnormal state;
a mechanism for measuring a contact potential difference between the rotational shaft and the at least non-vibrating contact potential probe; and
an output signal from the probe characteristic of the measured contact potential difference, said output signal compared to the historical data enabling at least one of controlling motion of the rotary shaft, monitoring for motion indicative of problems or potential failure and evaluating and optimizing performance of the machine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus having a non-vibrating contact potential probe. The non-vibrating contact potential probe is capable of measuring the chemical and geometrical irregularities on a rotating shaft. The chemical and geometrical information can be used to determine various properties of the rotating shaft.
66 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An system for monitoring motion of a rotating shaft as part of a machine comprising:
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at least one non-vibrating contact potential probe; a source of historical data regarding performance of the shaft; the historical data indicating whether the shaft is in a state selected from the group consisting of a normal state and an abnormal state; a mechanism for measuring a contact potential difference between the rotational shaft and the at least non-vibrating contact potential probe; and an output signal from the probe characteristic of the measured contact potential difference, said output signal compared to the historical data enabling at least one of controlling motion of the rotary shaft, monitoring for motion indicative of problems or potential failure and evaluating and optimizing performance of the machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of measuring rotation of a rotating shaft component and its operating state, comprising the steps of:
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providing a non-vibrating contact potential probe; rotating the rotating shaft component with respect to the non-vibrating contact potential probe; monitoring the relative motion between the non-vibrating capacitance probe and the rotating shaft component; measuring the change in voltage and the change in current due to the relative motion; and outputting a signal comprising voltage information and current information characteristic of an operating state of the rotating shaft component undergoing rotation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A process for using surface variations on a shaft to determine at least one characteristic of the shaft, the process comprising the steps of:
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providing a non-vibrating contact potential probe; rotating the shaft with respect to the non-vibrating contact potential probe; outputting a signal caused by motion of the shaft relative to the non-vibrating contact potential probe; interpreting the signal to determine at least one characteristic of the shaft; and further comprising the step of altering the signal to make a capacitance portion of the signal much larger than a voltage portion of the signal which is characteristic of the chemical charge of a measured surface of the rotating shaft. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification