Coating impedance monitoring system
First Claim
1. A detection system for monitoring a physical condition of an engineered structure, comprising:
- an array of sensors disposable in a predetermined pattern on the engineered structure and disposable between a surface of the engineered structure and a protective coating substantially covering said surface; and
a data acquisition system in communication with the array of sensors for retrieving data from said sensors, the array of sensors providing data corresponding to at least one of a degree of cure of the protective coating and a corrosion rate of the engineered structure at each of the sensors,wherein at least one sensor of the array comprises;
a sensing portion configured to detect at least one of an impedance, current, and voltage, said sensing portion disposed on a flexible substrate, anda control electronics portion including a unique address,wherein the sensing portion comprises a conductive element patterned as at least two electrodes on the flexible substrate, and wherein the control electronics portion includes voltage and current control electronics.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A detection system for monitoring an engineered structure includes an array of sensors disposable in a predetermined pattern on the engineered structure and disposable between a surface of the engineered structure and a protective coating substantially covering the surface. The detection system also includes a data acquisition system in communication with the array of sensors for retrieving data from the sensors. The array of sensors can provide data corresponding to at least one of a degree of cure of the protective coating, a health of the cured protective coating, and a corrosion rate of the engineered structure at each of the sensors.
47 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A detection system for monitoring a physical condition of an engineered structure, comprising:
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an array of sensors disposable in a predetermined pattern on the engineered structure and disposable between a surface of the engineered structure and a protective coating substantially covering said surface; and a data acquisition system in communication with the array of sensors for retrieving data from said sensors, the array of sensors providing data corresponding to at least one of a degree of cure of the protective coating and a corrosion rate of the engineered structure at each of the sensors, wherein at least one sensor of the array comprises; a sensing portion configured to detect at least one of an impedance, current, and voltage, said sensing portion disposed on a flexible substrate, and a control electronics portion including a unique address, wherein the sensing portion comprises a conductive element patterned as at least two electrodes on the flexible substrate, and wherein the control electronics portion includes voltage and current control electronics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of detecting physical conditions in an engineered structure:
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providing a data acquisition circuit that provides an activation signal initiating data collection from an array of sensors, each of the sensors including a sensing portion, the array of sensors being disposed between a surface of the engineered structure and a protective coating substantially covering said surface; searching for at least a portion of the array of sensors and recording and saving all searched sensor addresses; retrieving data from a first sensor of the searched sensors; analyzing the retrieved data; storing the analyzed data; and displaying the stored data upon request, wherein the analyzed data corresponding to at least one of a degree of cure of the protective coating and a corrosion rate of the engineered structure at each of the sensors, wherein the activation signal provides power to each of the sensors of the array. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification