# US 2013/0154676 A1 · Cable fatigue monitor and method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154676 A1 - Document ID: US20130154676A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/820,380 - Filed: 2010-11-09 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-09 - Assignees: ABB Research Ltd. - Inventors: Gang Wu; Jens Hofschulte; JingGuo Ge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154676A1 ## CPC - G01N 3/08: by applying steady tensile or compressive forces (G01N3/28 takes precedence) - G01R 31/58: Testing of lines, cables or conductors (testing of electric windings G01R31/72) - B60L 5/00: Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles (current collectors in general H01R41/00) - G01M 13/00: Testing of machine parts - G01R 31/11: using pulse reflection methods - G05B 23/0256: {injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system} - H02G 11/00: Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts - 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) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract A monitor for determining the operation condition of at least one cable that suffers bending and/or twisting and constitutes an electrical loop and a method thereof are provided. The monitor comprises a test electrical signal generator (5) for generating an identifiable test electrical signal and injecting the test electrical signal into the first point of the at least one cable, a test electrical signal filter (7) adapting to extract the injected test electrical signal from the second point of the at least one cable, and a comparator (8) for comparing a predetermined threshold with the difference between the electrical state of the injected test electrical signal and the extracted test electrical signal and producing a warning signal indicating cable fatigue when the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold. It provides the advantages as follows: it only monitors the electric performance, not the mechanical performance of a cable; it monitors the cable itself rather than a monitor material; it is applicable to all kinds of cables, including but not limited to a large-current cable; it does not introduce new cables; it is an on-line monitoring, i.e. the electro-mechanical system needs no pause for monitoring its cable fatigue. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monitor that determines an operation condition of at least one cable that suffers at least, one of bending twisting and constitutes an electrical loop, comprising: a test electrical signal generator generates a test electrical signal and injects the test electrical signal into a first point of the at least one cable; a test electrical signal filter that extracts the injected test electrical signal from a second point of the at least one cable; and a comparator that compares a predetermined threshold with a difference between an electrical state of the injected test electrical signal and the extracted test electrical signal, producing a warning signal indicating cable fatigue in response to the difference exceeding the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The monitor according to claim 1, wherein: the test electrical signal is set at a first frequency; a center frequency of the test electrical signal filter is set at the first frequency; the electrical loop carries an working load dispersed on a predetermined spectrum; and a component of a working load at the first frequency is less than a component of the test electrical signal at the first frequency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The monitor according to claim 2, wherein: the test electrical frequency falls out of the predetermined spectrum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The monitor according to claim 1, wherein: one of said at least one cable, a first part, ground and a second part constitute the electrical loop; and the first point and the second point are arranged on said one cable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The monitor according to claim 1, wherein: a first cable of said at least one cable, a first part, a second cable of said at least one cable and a second part constitute the electrical loop; and the first point and the second point are respectively arranged on the first cable and the second cable and are arranged at the same side with respect to the at least one of the bending or twisting portions of the cables. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The monitor according to claim 2, further comprising: a notch filter, with a center frequency at the first frequency, arranged in the electrical loop for preventing the test electrical signal from being disturbed by the working load. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The monitor according to claim 1, wherein: the working load is of at least one of power or one or more of digital data or analog data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The monitor according to claim 1, wherein: the difference is at least one of an attenuation or a flutter of the extracted test electrical signal compared with the injected test electrical signal. ### Claim 9 A method for determining an operation condition of at least one cable that suffers at least one of bending or twisting and constitutes an electrical loop, comprising: (a) generating a test electrical signal identifiable and injecting the test electrical signal into a first point of the at least one cable; (b) extracting the injected test electrical signal from a second point of the at least one cable; and (c) comparing a predetermined threshold with a difference between an electrical state of the injected test electrical signal and the extracted test electrical signal, and producing a warning signal indicating cable fatigue when the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein: the test electrical signal is set at first frequency; a center frequency of the test electrical signal filter is set at the first frequency; the electrical loop carries a working load dispersed on a predetermined spectrum; and a component of a working load at the first frequency is less than a component of the test electrical signal at the first frequency. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein: the test electrical frequency falls out of the predetermined spectrum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein: one of said at least one cable, a first part, ground and a second part constitute the electrical loop; and the first point and the second point are arranged on said one cable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein: a first cable of said at least one cable, a first part, a second cable of said at least one cable and a second part constitute the electrical loop; and the first point and the second point are respectively arranged on the first cable and the second cable and are arranged at the same side with respecter to the at least one of the bending or the twisting portions of the cables. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising step (d) before (a): arranging a notch filter, with a center frequency at the first frequency, in the electrical loop for the working load to prevent the test electrical signal from being disturbed by the working load. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein: the working load is at least one of power or one or more of analog data and/or digital data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein: the difference is at least one of an attenuation or a flutter of the extracted test electrical signal compared with the injected test electrical signal.