# US 2018/0321331 A1 · Sensor for a Fingerboard Latch Assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0321331 A1 - Document ID: US20180321331A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/039,108 - Filed: 2018-07-18 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-05 - Assignees: Salunda Limited - Applicants: Salunda Limited - Inventors: Alan Patrick John Finlay; John Mark Newton; Andrew Henry John Larkins; Mathew William Davis; Grant Nicholls - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321331A1 ## CPC - E21B 19/14: Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole (E21B19/20, E21B19/22 take precedence) - E21B 47/09: Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells {, e.g. the position of an extending arm}; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes - F16B 39/12: by means of locknuts - F16L 3/00: Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets (anchors for holding pipes on or under the ground F16L1/06; noise absorbers in the form of specially adapted hangers or supports F16L55/035; arrangements specially adapted for supporting insulated bodies F16L59/12) - G01D 7/005: {Indication of measured value by colour change} - G01R 33/072: {Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications} - G08C 17/02: using a radio link - G08C 23/04: using light waves, e.g. infrared - E21B 19/15: Racking of rods in horizontal position; Handling between horizontal and vertical position - G01R 33/07: Hall effect devices - H04W 16/28: using beam steering - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A sensor unit for a fingerboard latch assembly comprising a latch bracket and a latch rotatably mounted on the latch bracket comprises a sensor arranged to sense the orientation of the latch and a wireless, optical or other communication unit arranged to communicate the orientation of the latch sensed by the sensor. The sensor unit may be mountable on the latch and comprise an orientation sensor arranged to take measurements that are dependent on the orientation of the sensor unit, and a processor arranged to derive an orientation signal representing the orientation of the latch from the measurements, the communication unit being arranged to communicate the orientation signal. A monitoring system receives the sensed orientations from plural sensor units. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -45. (canceled) ### Claim 46 A latch for a fingerboard latch assembly, the latch having an aperture and comprising a sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising a housing that houses electronic components including an accelerometer or inclinometer arranged to sense the orientation of the latch, the sensor unit being inserted in the aperture in the latch and further comprising a retaining member, the housing and the retaining member comprising screw threads that are screwed together so that the retaining member engages with the housing and retain the sensor unit in the aperture. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, wherein the housing and the retaining member comprise a ratchet arrangement configured to permit screwing of the retaining member onto the housing and to prevent unscrewing. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) A latch according to claim 47, wherein the ratchet arrangement comprises teeth and at least one flexible ratchet arm. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) A latch according to claim 48, wherein the teeth are provided on the housing and the flexible ratchet arm is provided on the retaining member. ### Claim 50 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, wherein the housing comprises a pin configured to fit within the aperture, and the retaining member is configured to engage with the pin within the aperture. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) A latch according to claim 50, wherein the pin comprises a proximal portion configured to fit within the aperture and a distal portion that is recessed relative to the proximal portion, the retaining member being configured to engage with the proximal portion of the pin within the aperture. ### Claim 52 (depends on 50) A latch according to claim 50, wherein the retaining member further comprises a flange extending laterally for engaging the latch. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) A latch according to claim 52, wherein the flange is shaped to fit within a bevel formed on the rim of the aperture. ### Claim 54 (depends on 52) A latch according to claim 52, wherein the flange has a cut-out arranged to accommodate a retaining wire, and the flange is rotatable on the retaining member. ### Claim 55 (depends on 50) A latch according to claim 50, wherein the housing comprises a head that extends laterally of the pin for engaging the latch, the head containing the electronic components. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) A latch according to claim 55, further comprising a light source that comprises a light emitter contained in the head and a light guide extending along the pin from the light emitter, the pin and the retaining member being configured to allow output of light transmitted along the light guide. ### Claim 57 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, wherein the housing and the retaining member are made from non-metallic material. ### Claim 58 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, further comprising at least one resilient liner arranged between the sensor unit and the aperture in the latch. ### Claim 59 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, wherein the electronic components further include a wireless communication unit arranged to wirelessly communicate the orientation of the latch sensed by the sensor. ### Claim 60 (depends on 59) A latch according to claim 59, wherein the wireless communication unit comprises a radio communication interface. ### Claim 61 (depends on 60) A latch according to claim 60, wherein the radio communication interface is arranged to provide radio communication at a radio frequency wavelength that is less than a minimum spacing between plural fingerboard latch assemblies mounted on a fingerboard. ### Claim 62 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, wherein the wireless communication unit comprises a light source, the sensor unit being arranged to modulate the light output by the light source to represent the orientation of the latch sensed by the sensor ### Claim 63 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, wherein the sensor is arranged to take measurements that are dependent on the orientation of the sensor unit, and the electronic components further comprise a processor arranged to derive an orientation signal representing the orientation of the latch from the measurements. ### Claim 64 (depends on 63) A latch according to claim 63, wherein the processor is further arranged to associate metadata with the orientation signal. ### Claim 65 (depends on 64) A latch according to claim 64, wherein the metadata includes one or more of: time information, sensor identity, latch identity, number of latch cycles, count of latch being in open position, count of latch being in closed position, latch speed, latch acceleration, battery level, orientation sensor signal level. ### Claim 66 (depends on 64) A latch according to claim 64, wherein the electronic components further include a geolocation unit arranged to detect the location of the sensor unit, and the metadata includes the location detected by the geolocation unit. ### Claim 67 (depends on 63) A latch according to claim 63, wherein the orientation signal represents the value of the present orientation of the latch across its range of movement. ### Claim 68 (depends on 63) A latch according to claim 63, wherein the orientation signal represents that the present orientation of the latch is an open position, a closed position or an intermediate position. ### Claim 69 (depends on 46) A latch according to claim 46, further comprising a backup retention device comprising a strand of wire or rope attached to both the latch and the sensor unit. ### Claim 70 (depends on 46) A fingerboard latch assembly comprising: a latch bracket; and a latch according to claim 46 rotatably mounted on the latch bracket.