System for monitoring bearing wear
First Claim
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1. A system for determining at least one condition of a bearing, comprising:
- at least one optical fiber embedded in a bearing, the at least one optical fiber having first and second ends, the first end receiving a beam of light from a light source and transmitting the light to the second end, the second end being flush with a contacting surface of the bearing; and
an interferometric system operatively coupled to the optical fiber and a processor;
wherein the interferometric system provides the processor with information relating to at least one condition of the bearing, and the processor determines a state of the at least one condition of the bearing based on the information.
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Abstract
A system for determining at least one condition of a bearing including an optical fiber for transmitting light from a light source. The optical fiber is embedded in the bearing and operatively coupled to an interferometric system. The interferometric system is operatively coupled to a processor. The interferometric system provides the processor with information relating to wear of the optical fiber, and the processor determines wear of the bearing, rate of wear and remaining useful life of the bearing based on the information relating to wear of the optical fiber.
65 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for determining at least one condition of a bearing, comprising:
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at least one optical fiber embedded in a bearing, the at least one optical fiber having first and second ends, the first end receiving a beam of light from a light source and transmitting the light to the second end, the second end being flush with a contacting surface of the bearing; and an interferometric system operatively coupled to the optical fiber and a processor; wherein the interferometric system provides the processor with information relating to at least one condition of the bearing, and the processor determines a state of the at least one condition of the bearing based on the information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for determining at least one condition of a bearing, comprising:
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a light source for generating a beam of light; at least one optical fiber at least part of which is embedded in a bearing, the at least one optical fiber having first and second ends, the first end receiving the beam of light, the second end being flush with a contacting surface of the bearing; and a measuring system operatively coupled to the optical fiber; wherein the optical fiber provides the measuring system with information relating to the at least one condition of the bearing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for determining at least one condition of a bearing, comprising the steps of:
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providing a bearing having an optical fiber embedded therein, the optical fiber having first and second ends, the first end receiving the beam of light, the second end being flush with a contacting surface of the bearing; using a measuring system operatively connected to the optical fiber to collect information relating to the optical fiber; and using a processor operatively coupled to the measuring system to determine the at least one condition of the bearing based on the information. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for determining at least one condition of a bearing, comprising:
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at least one optical fiber embedded in a bearing, the at least one optical fiber having first and second ends, the first end receiving a beam of light from a light source and transmitting the light to the second end, the second end being flush with a contacting surface of the bearing; an interferometric system operatively coupled to the optical fiber and a processor, the interferometric system comprising optics and a detector, the light source transmitting light from the light source to the at least one fiber which is reflected from the optics to the detector; an actuator coupled to the processor and the optics wherein the processor controls the actuator to adjust the optics based on at least one condition of the bearing. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification