# US 10,502,711 B2 · Embedded or clip-on device for health monitoring of an article

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- Number: US 10,502,711 B2
- Document ID: US10502711B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/884,275
- Filed: 2011-11-10
- Published: 2013-09-12
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-15
- Assignees: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
- Applicants: Xiangdong Zhu; Peter V. Buca; Isaac Shilad; Jay Lee
- Inventors: Xiangdong Zhu; Peter V. Buca; Isaac Shilad; Jay Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502711B2

## CPC

- G01N 29/04: Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14)
- 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
- G01N 29/043: {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves}
- G01N 29/223: {Supports, positioning or alignment in fixed situation (mounting transducers per se G10K11/004)}
- G01N 29/225: {Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation}
- G01N 29/265: by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
- G01N 29/28: providing acoustic coupling {, e.g. water (impedance matching G10K11/02)}
- F16L 2201/30: Detecting leaks
- G01N 2291/0258: Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils
- G01N 2291/02827: Elastic parameters, strength or force
- G01N 2291/106: one or more transducer arrays
- G01N 2291/2634: cylindrical from outside
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A sensor (10, 80) for monitoring health of an associated article (A) (e.g., a fluid connector) including a sensing element (12, 84, 86) disposed along a length of an outer surface of the associated article, wherein the sensing element is configured to detect at least one physical property of the associated article and output an electrical signal in proportion to an amount of the physical property applied to the sensing element; and a mounting mechanism (14, 88) configured to secure the force sensing element to at least a portion of the outer surface of associated article.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor system for monitoring health of an associated article, the sensor system comprising:
a sensing element disposed along a length of an outer surface of the associated article, wherein the sensing element is configured to passively detect deflection of an outer surface of the associated article and output an electrical signal in proportion to an amount of deflection;
a mounting mechanism configured to secure the sensing element to at least a portion of the outer surface of associated article; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the sensing element, wherein the processor is configured to:
extract a plurality of different features from deflection data obtained by the sensing element;
generate, using the plurality of different features, an associated distribution of the features, wherein a baseline distribution of the features indicative of normal behavior of the associated article is represented by the baseline distribution in a first position;
generate, utilizing the associated distribution of the features a confidence value, the confidence value indicative of a similarity in position between the associated distribution of features and the baseline distribution of features; and
determine the article is damaged or degraded when the confidence value for a deviation from the baseline distribution corresponds to abnormal behavior.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sensing element is an electroactive polymer that measures force generated between the mounting mechanism and the outer surface of the associated article.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sensing element is a piezoelectric material that measures force generated between the mounting mechanism and the outer surface of the associated article.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sensing element is one or more strain sensors that measure deformation of the outer surface of the associated article.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, further including a deformable dielectric layer configured to cover at least a portion of the associated article and the force sensing material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The sensor system of claim 5, wherein the deformable dielectric layer is adhesively affixed to at least a portion of the mounting mechanism.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the mounting mechanism is releasably secured to the outer surface of the associated article.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the mounting mechanism is a hose clamp.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sensing material is adhesively affixed to at least a portion of the deformable dielectric layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, further including a pair of wire leads coupled to the sensing element, wherein the pair of wire leads are configured to output the electrical signal output generated from the sensing element to an external device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the sensing element is supported by a deformable substrate and the substrate is operable to conform to at a portion of the outer surface of the associated article.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the mounting mechanism includes a motion assembly for moving the sensor along a length of the associated article.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, comprising:
a non-transitory storage device coupled to the sensing element, wherein the storage device is configured to store the output of the sensing element and the storage device further includes reference data.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The sensor system of claim 13, wherein the non-transitory storage device is wirelessly coupled to the sensing element.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The sensor system of claim 13, wherein a prescribed threshold value is stored in the non-transitory storage device and if the processor determines that the output of the sensing element varies by more than the prescribed threshold value, a health indication warning is output to an associated user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The sensor system of claim 1, wherein generating the waveform includes generating the waveform based on at least one of maximum deflection of the outer surface, a minimum deflection of the outer surface, an RMS deflection of the outer surface, or a frequency domain peak of the deflection of the outer surface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to
i) determine a number of strain cycles applied to the article based on the output of the sensing element, and
ii) output a health indication based on the number of strain cycles with respect to a prescribed value.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the different features include at least one feature in the time domain and at least one feature in the frequency domain.