Load cell residual fatigue life estimation system and method
First Claim
1. A load cell residual fatigue life estimation system, comprising:
- an in-service load cell adapted to have loads applied thereto and configured, in response to the applied loads, to supply load cell output signals representative thereof;
first memory having stored therein fatigue life reference data associated with a test load cell;
second memory having stored therein a predetermined number of data storage bins, each data storage bin representative of a predefined value range of peak loads applied to the in-service load cell; and
a first processor coupled to receive the load cell output signals and configured, upon receipt thereof, to;
sample the in-service load cell output signals a predetermined number of times;
determine a number of positive load peaks and a number of negative Load peaks there are in the predetermined number of samples;
calculate an average amplitude magnitude of the positive load peaks;
calculate an average amplitude magnitude of the negative load peaks;
compare the calculated average amplitude magnitudes to determine which is a greater magnitude average load peak; and
selectively store the determined number of positive load peaks or the determined number of negative load peaks in a data storage bin of the data storage bins associated with the greater magnitude average load peak; and
a second processor in operable communication with the first memory and the second memory and configured to (i) calculate a number of load cycles of the in-service load cell based on the detected peak loads stored in each of the data storage bins and (ii) calculate an estimate of the residual life of the in-service load cell from the fatigue life reference data and the calculated number of load cycles of the in-service load cell.
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Abstract
A system and method for estimating the residual fatigue life of a load cell includes storing, in a memory, fatigue life reference data associated with a test load cell. A predetermined number of data storage bins are provided. Each data storage bin is representative of a predefined value range of peak loads. Peak loads applied to an in-service load cell are detected, and each is stored in an appropriate one of the data storage bins. A number of load cycles of the in-service load cell are calculated based on the detected peak loads stored in each of the data storage bins. An estimate of the residual life of the in-service load cell is calculated from the fatigue life reference data and the calculated number of load cycles of the in-service load cell.
16 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A load cell residual fatigue life estimation system, comprising:
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an in-service load cell adapted to have loads applied thereto and configured, in response to the applied loads, to supply load cell output signals representative thereof; first memory having stored therein fatigue life reference data associated with a test load cell; second memory having stored therein a predetermined number of data storage bins, each data storage bin representative of a predefined value range of peak loads applied to the in-service load cell; and a first processor coupled to receive the load cell output signals and configured, upon receipt thereof, to; sample the in-service load cell output signals a predetermined number of times; determine a number of positive load peaks and a number of negative Load peaks there are in the predetermined number of samples; calculate an average amplitude magnitude of the positive load peaks; calculate an average amplitude magnitude of the negative load peaks; compare the calculated average amplitude magnitudes to determine which is a greater magnitude average load peak; and selectively store the determined number of positive load peaks or the determined number of negative load peaks in a data storage bin of the data storage bins associated with the greater magnitude average load peak; and a second processor in operable communication with the first memory and the second memory and configured to (i) calculate a number of load cycles of the in-service load cell based on the detected peak loads stored in each of the data storage bins and (ii) calculate an estimate of the residual life of the in-service load cell from the fatigue life reference data and the calculated number of load cycles of the in-service load cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A load cell residual fatigue life estimation system, comprising:
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an in-service load cell adapted to have loads applied thereto and configured, in response to the applied loads, to supply load cell output signals representative thereof; a first memory having stored therein fatigue life reference data associated with a test load cell; a second memory having stored therein a predetermined number of data storage bins, each data storage bin representative of a predefined value range of peak loads applied to the in-service load cell; and a first processor coupled to receive the load cell output signals and configured, upon receipt thereof, to; detect peak loads applied to an in-service load cell; determine a number of positive load peaks and a number of negative load peaks in the detected peak loads; calculate an average amplitude magnitude of the positive load peaks; calculate an average amplitude magnitude of the negative load peaks; compare the calculated average amplitude magnitudes to determine which is a greater magnitude average load peak; and selectively store the determined number of positive load peaks or the determined number of negative load peaks in a data storage bin of the data storage bins associated with the greater magnitude average load peak; and a second processor in signal communication with the first memory and the second memory and configured to; calculate a number of load cycles of the in-service load cell based on the detected peak loads stored in each of the data storage bins; and calculate an estimate of the residual life of the in-service load cell from the fatigue life reference data and the calculated number of load cycles of the in-service load cell. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A load cell residual life estimation system, comprising:
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an in-service load cell adapted to have loads applied thereto and configured, in response to the applied loads, to supply load cell output signals representative thereof; first memory having stored therein fatigue life reference data associated with a test load cell, wherein the fatigue life reference data characterizes a number of cycles in a characteristic life of the test load cell relative to an applied load magnitude; second memory having stored therein a predetermined number of data storage bins, each data storage bin of the predetermined number of data storage bins is representative of a predefined value range of peak loads applied to the in-service load cell across a load limit range of the in-service load cell; and a first processor coupled to receive the load cell output signals and configured, upon receipt thereof, to;
(i) detect peak loads applied to the in-service load cell, wherein the peak loads represent load peaks measured by the in-service load cell during use, and (ii) store each of the detected peak loads in an appropriate one of the data storage bins having a peak load range corresponding to the detected peak loads; anda second processor in operable communication with the first memory and the second memory and configured to (i) calculate a number of load cycles of the in-service load cell based on a number of load peaks in the detected peak loads stored in each of the data storage bins and (ii) calculate an estimate of the residual life of the in-service load cell from the number of cycles in the characteristic life in the fatigue life reference data and the calculated number of load cycles of the in-service load cell. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification