Multi-level machine vibration tester marker pen

• US 20030056593A1
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Brough, Michael Jeffery
• Original Assignee: Andrew Brough, Michael Jeffery
• Inventors: Higgins, Ronald Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 6,672,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/649
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices

Abstract

The small tester is hand held by the writing pen body (21) when testing vibration with a housing mounted vibration probe (15) mechanically driving a piezo element (12), acted on by weight (11). The piezo element (12) has electrical connection (13) through an electronic circuit to an electronic display (22) indicating predetermined levels of vibration amplitude. The multi-level LED display (22) consists of four different coloured LED'"'"'s where illumination of a specific coloured LED indicates a specific predetermined level of vibration amplitude. The electronic display (22) changing illumination of specific LED'"'"'s from the lowest indicated level of vibration to just reach the highest indicated level of vibration is a nominal 6dB increase in vibration amplitude at predetermined frequencies. The electronic display (22) though not necessarily in engineering vibration units can be digitally corrected to engineering vibration units on a computer display using an electrical connection (26,27) and suitable software and interfacing device. Simple frequency analysis for determination of a possible dominant frequency can also be performed using an electrical connection (26,27) to a frequency reading digital multimeter (30). Permanent data can be written on the machine surface at the test location using the marker pen writing nib (25). A very low cost tester for day to day use by maintenance workers in a typical factory.

Claims

1. A hand-held machine vibration tester comprising:

(a) a housing about the size of a small match box to contain an electronic circuit;

(b) a vibration probe mounted on the outside surface wall section of the said housing;

(c) a piezo element mounted to the adjacent, inside surface wall section of the housing with a permanent hardening adhesive to form a buttered joint between the inside housing wall and the said piezo element;

(d) a weight mounted on the said piezo element, with a permanent hardening adhesive to form a buttered joint between said weight and the piezo element;

(e) said electronic circuit for controllably electrically coupling the output from the said piezo element, to drive an electronic display exposed via said housing;

(f) an electrical connection sampling the output from the electronic circuit, so that connection can be made to electrical equipment;

(g) the display is indicative of the levels of vibration amplitudes, which deviates from engineering vibration units to a predetermined formulae;

that are a function of frequency, for engineering vibration units of acceleration, velocity, and displacement.

(h) a liquid marking line writing pen body attached rigidly to the housing, so as to not obstruct use of the vibration probe;

whereby the said pen body can be held urging the vibration probe against a machine surface to test machine vibration and later the pen body can be held to write data on the said machine surface.

2. The machine vibration tester, of claim 1 wherein each predetermined level of vibration amplitude is indicated by a different coloured light emitting diode.

3. The machine vibration tester, of claim 2 wherein the electronic display can indicate four predetermined levels of vibration amplitude.

4. The machine vibration tester, of claim 3 wherein the electronic display has a red illuminating light emitting diode to indicate the highest level of predetermined vibration amplitude.

5. The machine vibration tester, of claim 4 wherein the electronic display has a green only illuminating light emitting diode to indicate the lowest predetermined level of vibration amplitude.

6. The machine vibration tester, of claim 5 wherein the electronic display changing from a green only light emitting diode illumination through to a red light emitting diode illumination is indication of an increase in vibration amplitude of a nominal 6 decibel.

7. The machine vibration tester of claim 1 wherein has electrical connection sampling an output from the electronic circuit, so that temporary electrical leads can be connected to an interfacing device, which in turn connects to a computer.

8. The machine vibration tester of claim 7 wherein in combination, of predetermined formulae and means to display on the said computer an output from the electronic circuit digitally converted to engineering vibration units of amplitude for acceleration, velocity, displacement, each as a function of frequency.