Vibration sensor
First Claim
1. A sensor comprising:
- a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor;
an optical fiber secured within said housing at a first location that is fixed relative to said housing and at a second location that is movable relative to said housing such that a sensing portion of said optical fiber between said first and second locations is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of said optical fiber at said second location relative to said first location, said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing a fiber Bragg grating;
a membrane spring assembly located in said housing, said membrane spring assembly comprising;
a membrane disc having a fixed portion that is fixed relative to said housing and a central portion that is movable relative to said housing, said central portion is fixed relative to said optical fiber at said second location such that movement of said central portion causes corresponding displacement of said optical fiber at said second location to cause expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing said fiber Bragg grating; and
a pointer member affixed to said optical fiber at said second location and coupled to said central portion of said membrane disc to effectively couple said optical fiber to said membrane disc;
wherein the expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating, wherein the light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of said central portion of said membrane disc.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor includes a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor, an optical fiber, and a membrane spring assembly. The optical fiber includes a sensing portion containing a fiber Bragg grating that is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of the optical fiber at a second location relative to a first location. The membrane spring assembly includes a membrane disc, wherein movement of a central portion thereof causes corresponding displacement of the optical fiber at the second location to cause expansion and contraction of the sensing portion of the optical fiber containing the fiber Bragg grating, which expansion and contraction effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by the fiber Bragg grating. The light wavelength reflected by the fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of the central portion of the membrane disc.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A sensor comprising:
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a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor; an optical fiber secured within said housing at a first location that is fixed relative to said housing and at a second location that is movable relative to said housing such that a sensing portion of said optical fiber between said first and second locations is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of said optical fiber at said second location relative to said first location, said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing a fiber Bragg grating; a membrane spring assembly located in said housing, said membrane spring assembly comprising; a membrane disc having a fixed portion that is fixed relative to said housing and a central portion that is movable relative to said housing, said central portion is fixed relative to said optical fiber at said second location such that movement of said central portion causes corresponding displacement of said optical fiber at said second location to cause expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing said fiber Bragg grating; and a pointer member affixed to said optical fiber at said second location and coupled to said central portion of said membrane disc to effectively couple said optical fiber to said membrane disc; wherein the expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating, wherein the light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of said central portion of said membrane disc. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A sensor system comprising:
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a sensor comprising; a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor system; a membrane spring assembly located in said housing, said membrane spring assembly comprising; a membrane disc having a fixed portion that is fixed relative to said housing and a movable portion that is movable relative to said housing; and first and second height discs located on opposing sides of said membrane disc, said first and second height discs limiting a maximum displacement flexure of said movable portion of said membrane disc; an optical fiber located within said housing, said optical fiber comprising; a first portion that is fixed relative to said housing; a second portion containing a fiber Bragg grating; and a third portion that is fixed relative to said movable portion of said membrane disc, wherein said second portion of said optical fiber is located between said first and third portions thereof such that said second portion containing said fiber Bragg grating is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of said movable portion of said membrane disc relative to said housing; wherein the expansion and contraction of said second portion of said optical fiber effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating, wherein the light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of said movable portion of said membrane disc. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sensor system comprising:
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a sensor comprising; a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor system; a membrane spring assembly located in said housing, said membrane spring assembly comprising; a membrane disc having a fixed portion comprising an outer peripheral portion that is fixed relative to said housing and a movable portion comprising a central portion that is movable relative to said housing; and first and second membrane stoppers located on opposing sides of said membrane disc, said first and second membrane stoppers limiting a maximum displacement flexure of said movable portion of said membrane disc; an optical fiber located within said housing, said optical fiber comprising; a first portion that is fixed relative to said housing; a second portion containing a fiber Bragg grating; and a third portion that is fixed relative to said movable portion of said membrane disc, wherein said second portion of said optical fiber is located between said first and third portions thereof such that said second portion containing said fiber Bragg grating is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of said movable portion of said membrane disc relative to said housing; wherein the expansion and contraction of said second portion of said optical fiber effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating, wherein the light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of said movable portion of said membrane disc. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A sensor comprising:
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a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor; an optical fiber secured within said housing at a first location that is fixed relative to said housing and at a second location that is movable relative to said housing such that a sensing portion of said optical fiber between said first and second locations is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of said optical fiber at said second location relative to said first location, said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing a fiber Bragg grating; a membrane spring assembly located in said housing, said membrane spring assembly comprising; a membrane disc having a fixed portion that is fixed relative to said housing and a central portion that is movable relative to said housing, said central portion is fixed relative to said optical fiber at said second location such that movement of said central portion causes corresponding displacement of said optical fiber at said second location to cause expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing said fiber Bragg grating; and a core support coupled to said housing, said core support effectively providing structural support for said fixed portion of said membrane disc and for said optical fiber at said first location; wherein the expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating, wherein the light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of said central portion of said membrane disc. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A sensor comprising:
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a housing adapted to be secured to a component within a system to be monitored by the sensor; an optical fiber secured within said housing at a first location that is fixed relative to said housing and at a second location that is movable relative to said housing such that a sensing portion of said optical fiber between said first and second locations is able to undergo expansion and contraction resulting from movement of said optical fiber at said second location relative to said first location, said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing a fiber Bragg grating; a membrane spring assembly located in said housing, said membrane spring assembly comprising; a membrane disc comprising a generally circular shape having concave contoured portions extending radially inwardly from an outer edge thereof and having a fixed portion that is fixed relative to said housing and a central portion that is movable relative to said housing, said central portion is fixed relative to said optical fiber at said second location such that movement of said central portion causes corresponding displacement of said optical fiber at said second location to cause expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber containing said fiber Bragg grating; wherein the expansion and contraction of said sensing portion of said optical fiber effects a change in a light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating, wherein the light wavelength reflected by said fiber Bragg grating can be used to measure movement of said central portion of said membrane disc.
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Specification