Wireless collection of fastener data
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- a fastener, adapted to mechanically join at least two separate structural members together, having a fastener head with a recess containing a sensor for measuring stress on the fastener;
a removable cap, having a cap head and sides surrounding the fastener head, wherein the removable cap is configured to engage and disengage the fastener head by a twisting motion of the cap relative to the fastener, the cap having an electronic circuit, configured to wirelessly transmit data related to the measured stress, the cap having at least one electrical contact protruding from underneath the cap head and surrounded by the cap sides, the electrical contact coupled to the electronic circuit within the cap, the electrical contact positioned to, within the recess of the fastener head, engage the sensor when the cap is attached to the fastener;
a power source for powering the electronic circuit, comprising a thermal energy harvesting device, disposed in the cap;
a reader, configured for wirelessly reading the data transmitted by the cap;
a wireless transmitter in the reader, configured for wirelessly transmitting a signal to the cap;
a wireless receiver in the cap, configured for receiving the signal from the reader; and
an electronic converter, associated with the cap, configured to convert the signal received from the reader into electrical energy produced by the signal and configured to store the electrical energy produced by the signal at the storage device, wherein the cap further includes a storage device configured to store electrical energy produced by the signal received from the reader.
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Abstract
Data is remotely collected from a plurality of fasteners in response to a query signal wirelessly transmitted by a reader. Each of the fasteners includes a sensor for measuring a parameter related to the stress on the fastener. A device adapted to be attached to each of the fasteners receives the query signal, activates the sensor to measure the parameter and wirelessly transmits the data including the parameter to the reader.
89 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a fastener, adapted to mechanically join at least two separate structural members together, having a fastener head with a recess containing a sensor for measuring stress on the fastener; a removable cap, having a cap head and sides surrounding the fastener head, wherein the removable cap is configured to engage and disengage the fastener head by a twisting motion of the cap relative to the fastener, the cap having an electronic circuit, configured to wirelessly transmit data related to the measured stress, the cap having at least one electrical contact protruding from underneath the cap head and surrounded by the cap sides, the electrical contact coupled to the electronic circuit within the cap, the electrical contact positioned to, within the recess of the fastener head, engage the sensor when the cap is attached to the fastener; a power source for powering the electronic circuit, comprising a thermal energy harvesting device, disposed in the cap; a reader, configured for wirelessly reading the data transmitted by the cap;
a wireless transmitter in the reader, configured for wirelessly transmitting a signal to the cap;a wireless receiver in the cap, configured for receiving the signal from the reader; and an electronic converter, associated with the cap, configured to convert the signal received from the reader into electrical energy produced by the signal and configured to store the electrical energy produced by the signal at the storage device, wherein the cap further includes a storage device configured to store electrical energy produced by the signal received from the reader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A cap, configured to attach to a fastener having a fastener head with a recess containing a sensor for measuring stress on the fastener, the cap comprising:
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a cap head and sides configured to surround the fastener head when the cap is attached to the fastener; a cap attachment mechanism configured to engage and disengage the fastener head by a twisting motion of the cap relative to the fastener; an electronic circuit, disposed in the cap; at least one electrical contact protruding from underneath the cap head and surrounded by the cap sides, the electrical contact coupled to the electronic circuit within the cap, the electrical contact positioned to, within the recess of the fastener head, engage the sensor when the cap is attached to the fastener; a wireless transmitter, associated with the electronic circuit, configured to transmit stress data, based on the stress measurements, to a reader; a wireless receiver for receiving a query signal from the reader; an electronic converter configured for converting the query signal into electrical energy produced by the query signal and for storing the electrical energy produced by the query signal; a thermal energy harvesting device; a storage device configured to store electrical energy produced by the query signal for use in powering the sensor; a data packet circuit within the cap, the data packet circuit configured to combine a unique identifier associated with the cap with the stress data before the stress data is transmitted to the reader; and a temperature sensor on the cap, configured for sensing a temperature of the fastener, the cap configured for wirelessly transmitting data related to the sensed temperature to the reader. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification