Ultrasonic load measuring device with control feature
AssigneeUltrafast, Inc.
InventorIan E. Kibblewhite
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A load indicating device and a method of using a load indicating device for monitoring the deformation in and imparting torque to a load bearing member are disclosed and claimed. An ultrasonic transducer, grown on one surface of a load bearing member, such as a fastener, is used to determine the length, stress or other tensile load dependent characteristic of the member using ultrasonic techniques.
Claims42
A method of monitoring the load in and imparting torque to a load bearing member comprising the steps of:
- providing a load bearing member subjected to deformation when stressed such that one portion thereof moves relative to another portion thereof, said load bearing member having a first surface functioning as a first electrode and ultrasonic transducer means including an acoustoelectric film grown directly on said first surface adapted to mechanically, electrically and acoustically interconnect said acoustoelectric film to said first surface;
- electrically interconnecting an electronic control to said ultrasonic transducer means for supplying and removing electronic signals to and from said ultrasonic transducer means;
- monitoring said electronic signals received from said ultrasonic transducer means by said electronic control to provide an accurate measurement of said load in said load bearing member;
- and
- imparting and removing a torque to and from said load bearing member in response to said measurement of said load in said load bearing member.
An ultrasonic device for monitoring load, imparting a torque, and removing a torque, said ultrasonic device comprising:
- a load bearing member adapted to deform when stressed and having a first surface functioning as a first electrode and ultrasonic transducer means including an acoustoelectric film grown directly on and conforming to said first surface of said load bearing member so as to mechanically, electrically, and acoustically interconnect said acoustoelectric film to said first surface;
- an electronic control electrically interconnected to said ultrasonic transducer means for supplying and removing electronic signals to and from said ultrasonic transducer means;
- means for monitoring said electronic signals received from said ultrasonic transducer means by said electronic control, said monitoring means providing an accurate measurement of said load in said load bearing member;
- and
- means for imparting and removing a torque to and from said load bearing member in response to said measurement of said load in said load bearing member.
An ultrasonic device for monitoring load, imparting a torque, and removing a torque, said ultrasonic device comprising:
- a load bearing member adapted to deform when stressed and having a first surface functioning as a first electrode and ultrasonic transducer means including:
- (a) a second electrode, and
- (b) an acoustoelectric film grown directly on and conforming to the surface of said second electrode so as to mechanically, electrically, and acoustically interconnect said acoustoelectric film to said second electrode, said acoustoelectric film mechanically, acoustically, and electrically interconnected to said first surface of said load bearing member and adapted to electrically isolate said first electrode from said second electrode;
- an electronic control electrically interconnected to said ultrasonic transducer means for supplying and removing electronic signals to and from said ultrasonic transducer means;
- means for monitoring said electronic signals received from said ultrasonic transducer means by said electronic control, said monitoring means providing an accurate measurement of said load in said load bearing member;
- and
- means for imparting and removing a torque to and from said load bearing member in response to said measurement of said load in said load bearing member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.