Fastener assembly sensor unit
AssigneeSalunda Limited
InventorsAlan Patrick John Finlay, Philip Samuel Pickles, John Mark Newton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor unit for a fastener assembly includes a mounting arranged to rigidly attach the sensor unit to, or adjacent to, a fastener assembly. The sensor unit further includes a sensor, that is an optical flow sensor or an inductive sensor, configured to sense movement of the fastener assembly. The sensor unit can include a processor arranged to process the output of the sensor to detect loosening of the fastener assembly and to output a signal representing the status of the fastener assembly. The sensor unit can include a wireless communication unit arranged to communicate the signal.
Claims20
A sensor unit for the long term monitoring of a characteristic of a fastener assembly, the sensor unit comprising:
- a mounting arranged to rigidly attach the sensor unit to, or adjacent to, a fastener assembly;
- and
- an optical flow sensor configured to long term monitor a characteristic of the fastener assembly;
- wherein the optical flow sensor is configured to detect an axial movement of part of the fastener assembly to thereby detect a change in a characteristic of the fastener assembly.
A valve and a sensor unit for the long term monitoring of a characteristic of the valve, the sensor unit comprising:
- a mounting arranged to rigidly attach the sensor unit to, or adjacent to, the valve;
- and
- an optical flow sensor configured to long term monitor a characteristic of the valve;
- wherein the optical flow sensor is configured to detect angular rotation and/or axial movement of part of the valve to thereby detect a change in a characteristic of the valve.
A method of long term monitoring a characteristic of a fastener assembly, the method comprising:
- using an optical flow sensor to long term monitor a characteristic of the fastener assembly;
- and
- detecting, by the optical flow sensor, an axial movement of part of the fastener assembly to thereby detect a change in a characteristic of the fastener assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.