Optical system for sensing fractures in a structural component
US4808814A · kind A · utility
12Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 28, 1987 |
| Grant date | Feb 28, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 28, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08B21/10
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for sensing fractures in a structural component that has a plurality of light conductor fibers attached to or incorporated in the structural component, such as an aircraft body or wings made of fiber reinforced material. The light conductor fibers function as fracture sensors. For this purpose the light supply to each individual fracture sensing light conductor and the interrogation whether a light signal has passed through the light conductors is controlled by a computer. The absence of a light signal at a particular conductor signifies a fracture and this fact may be indicated on a display in the cockpit of an aircraft.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.