Determining a fatigue condition of a hydraulic system
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsErin E. Berry, Edward W. Goy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and associated methods relate to monitoring health of a hydraulic system. A method includes monitoring pressure within the system and determining when a potential fatigue condition may occur based on counting the number of times pressure in the system has exceeded the at least one threshold. In some embodiments, strain cycle data is calculated based on a time sequence of signals generated by a hydraulic fitting, which is indicative of strain of the hydraulic fitting. An output signal indicative of the fatigue condition determined is generated. In some embodiments, the strain data includes a number of strain cycles that the time sequence of signals crosses from below a strain threshold to above the strain threshold.
Claims20
A method of monitoring health of a system, comprising:
- monitoring pressure within the system;
- counting a number of times pressure in the system has exceeded at least one threshold;
- and
- determining when a potential fatigue condition may occur based on the number of times pressure in the system has exceeded the at least one threshold.
A system for monitoring health of a hydraulic system, the system comprising:
- a strain gauge affixed to a hydraulic fitting in the system, the strain gauge configured to monitor pressure within the system;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- count a number of times pressure in the system has exceeded at least one threshold;
- and
- determine when a potential fatigue condition may occur based on the number of times pressure in the system has exceeded the at least one threshold.
The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:
- determine a maxima of each of the contiguous subsets of the time sequence of signals that are greater than the first strain threshold;
- determine a fatigue value corresponding to each of the maxima determined;
- sum the fatigue values determined so as to obtain a summation result;
- and
- compare the summation result with a fatigue threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.