Tension monitoring arrangement and method

• US 9,778,121 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2016
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Chau, Albert W., Zeller, Rudolf, Mercer, John E., Tsang, Charles Yu Yat
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Application Number:
  US15/011,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20160146683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 612 Days
• Field of Search: 73760, 73826, 73862391
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/16 Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/905 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/54 Safety gear
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/26 Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/10 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/103 using sensors fixed at one end of the flexible member

Abstract

Tension monitoring is described using a sensor which may exhibit an offset for which compensation may be provided to produce a zero voltage amplified output or to increase dynamic range. An arrangement determines whether a power reset is responsive to a battery bounce such that an initially-measured system start-up parameter can be retained. The start-up parameter is automatically saved at start-up if the power reset is responsive to a start-up from a shut-down condition. The start-up parameter may be a zero tension amplified output responsive to the sensor offset at zero tension. Protection of a tension data set is provided such that no opportunity for altering the data set is presented prior to transfer of the data set. A housing configuration forms part of an electrical power circuit for providing electrical power to an electronics package from a battery.

Claims

1. In a system for installing an underground utility by retraction that is applied to a leading end of the utility to draw the utility through the ground such that the utility is subjected to a tension force, said system including an inground tension monitoring arrangement having a processor which receives electrical power from a power supply in a way which subjects the processor to a loss of power that is temporary during system operation, as well as a shut-down loss of power condition, either of which causes the processor to reset, an apparatus comprising:

a detector for producing an output voltage that is responsive to a time duration of the loss of power; and

said processor configured for comparing the output voltage, subsequent to a reset, to a threshold value to establish whether the reset is responsive to a power supply bounce condition during operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured for saving at least one system start-up parameter at an initial system start-up and wherein said processor is further configured for re-entering a run mode responsive to establishing that the reset is responsive to said power supply bounce condition while retaining the system start-up parameter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said system includes a sensor that produces a sensor signal that is characterized by a nonzero offset value at a tension force of zero and said processor saves a nonzero amplified offset voltage, that is produced responsive to said nonzero offset value, as said system start-up parameter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured for saving at least one system start-up parameter at an initial system start-up and wherein said processor is further configured for entering a start-up mode responsive to establishing that the reset is not responsive to said power supply bounce condition in which said system start-up parameter is replaced with a new system start-up parameter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured for determining that any measured value of said output voltage, which measured value is responsive to the reset, above a predetermined threshold value indicates said power supply bounce condition during operation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector defines a time constant such that the output voltage is generated based on the time constant.