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US 10,371,179 B2Granted
Hydraulic ram with a side load sensor
AssigneeActuant Corporation
InventorFrantz D. Stanford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydraulic cylinder assembly, a sensor assembly for a cylinder assembly and methods of assembling and operating a cylinder assembly. The cylinder assembly may include a housing; a ram slidably mounted in the housing; and a sensor assembly mounted between the housing and the ram and operable to sense a side load. The sensor assembly may be incorporated into a bearing. In some constructions, the sensor assembly may include a capacitive sensor. In some constructions, the sensor assembly may include a piezoelectric sensor.
Claims12
A hydraulic cylinder assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a ram slidably mounted in the housing;
- and
- a sensor assembly mounted between the housing and the ram and operable to sense a side load, the sensor assembly including,
- a first inner conductive plate extending about a first portion of a circumference of the ram,
- a first middle plate and a second middle plate, and
- a first outer conductive plate extending about the first portion of the circumference of the ram, the first inner conductive plate and the first outer conductive plate being separated the first middle plate, the first inner conductive plate and the first outer conductive plate being operable to sense a side load on the first portion of the circumference of the ram,
- a second inner conductive plate extending about a second portion of a circumference of the ram spaced from the first portion of the circumference, and
- a second outer conductive plate extending about the second portion of the circumference of the ram, the second inner conductive plate and the second outer conductive plate being separated by the second middle plate, the second inner conductive plate and the second outer conductive plate being operable to sense a side load on the second portion of the circumference of the ram.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.