Structural health monitoring systems
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorChristopher M. Minnella
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a structure can include a body, and one or more thermal sheet sensors disposed on or within the body. The one or more thermal sheet sensors can be configured to receive heat from the body to allow sensing of thermal flux through the body to monitor and/or determine a condition of the structure.
Claims20
A structure, comprising:
- a body;
- and
- one or more thermal sheet sensors disposed on or within the body and configured to receive heat from the body to allow sensing of thermal flux through the body to monitor and/or determine a condition of the structure.
A system for determining structural health of a structure, comprising:
- a computerized device operatively connected to one or more thermal sheet sensors disposed on or within a structure, the computerized device configured to:
- receive thermal signals from the one or more thermal sheet sensors to create thermal transient data based on the location of the thermal signals on the one or more thermal sheet sensors;
- and
- compare the thermal transient data to expected thermal transient data or to one or more other locations of the structure to determine structural health of the structure.
The system of claim 17, wherein the computerized device includes a wired or wireless communication system configured to connect to an aircraft systems monitoring computer or a maintenance computer.
A method for determining or monitoring the health of a structure, comprising:
- inputting heat to structure;
- and
- determining the condition of the structure as a function of thermal transients through the structure, wherein determining the condition of the structure includes:
- receiving thermal signals from one or more thermal sheet sensors, disposed on or within the structure, to create thermal transient data based on the location of the thermal signals on the one or more thermal sheet sensors;
- and
- comparing the thermal transient data to expected thermal transient data or to one or more other locations of the structure to determine structural health of the structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.