System and method for monitoring vibration isolators

• US 9,562,807 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stmicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Stmicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Gillies, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, Laura
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US14/981,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 736/43, 731/170.3, 735/97, 736/55, 736/57
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1162 directly mounted on the suspension arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/91 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/94 Deformation of a vehicle part
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/14 Photo or light sensitive means, e.g. Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 99/002 Suspension details of the suspension of the vehicle body on the vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/16 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 9/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by using radiation-sensitive means, e.g. optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/081 by using a contact-less detection method, i.e. with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping

Abstract

A system may monitor a vibration isolating connection between a first part and a second part. The system may include a light source, an optical sensor mounted to receive light from the light source, and a processing unit for providing an output indicative of the deformation of the vibration isolating connection based on the output of the optical sensor.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a vibration isolating connection, the method comprising:

transmitting light from a light source along an optical path to be received by a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) optical sensor, a length of the optical path being varied by deformation of the vibration isolating connection;

operating the light source to interleave a plurality of different modulation frequencies; and

determining from received light a value indicative of the length of the optical path.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the deformation of the vibration isolating connection based upon a plurality of values indicative of the length of the optical path.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a calibration to provide a first set of readings for the vibration isolating connection.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first set of readings comprises data for a composition of the vibration isolating connection and tolerances of the vibration isolating connection.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising comparing the value indicative of the length of the optical path with the first set of readings.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining if a range of motion of the vibration isolating connection while in use is within a range based upon the comparing between the value indicative of the length of the optical path and the first set of readings.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising generating a warning signal if the range of motion of the vibration isolating connection while in use exceeds a threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording information based upon the value indicative of the length of the optical path.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vibration isolating connection comprises a bushing.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting of the light is performed at intervals of 5-100 Hz.

11. A method for monitoring a bushing, the method comprising:

transmitting light from a laser source along an optical path to be received by a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) optical sensor, a length of the optical path being varied by deformation of the bushing;

operating the laser source to interleave a plurality of different modulation frequencies; and

determining from received light a value indicative of the length of the optical path.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining the deformation of the bushing based upon a plurality of values indicative of the length of the optical path.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising performing a calibration to provide a first set of readings for the bushing.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first set of readings comprises data for a composition of the bushing and tolerances of the bushing.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising comparing the value indicative of the length of the optical path with the first set of readings.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining if a range of motion of the bushing while in use is within a range based upon the comparing between the value indicative of the length of the optical path and the first set of readings.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating a warning signal if the range of motion of the bushing while in use exceeds a threshold.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising recording information based upon the value indicative of the length of the optical path.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein transmitting of the light is performed at intervals of 5-100 Hz.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for causing a computer system to execute a method comprising:

transmitting light from a light source along an optical path to be received by a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) optical sensor, a length of the optical path being varied by deformation of a vibration isolating connection;

operating the light source to interleave a plurality of different modulation frequencies; and

determining from received light a value indicative of the length of the optical path.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer system executes the method further comprising determining the deformation of the vibration isolating connection based upon a plurality of values indicative of the length of the optical path.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer system executes the method further comprising performing a calibration to provide a first set of readings for the vibration isolating connection.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22 wherein the first set of readings comprises data for a composition of the vibration isolating connection and tolerances of the vibration isolating connection.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer system executes the method further comprising transmitting of the light at intervals of 5-100 Hz.