Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for diagnosing the state of a machine

US4980844A · kind A · utility

225Cited by
15References
31Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 27, 1988
Grant dateDec 25, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 27, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01H1/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention provides a method and apparatus for diagnosing the mechanical condition of a machine. The method of the invention includes the following steps: sensing reference vibrational characteristics of a machine in the time domain; creating a reference signature from the reference vibrational characteristics; saving the reference signature; sensing test vibrational characteristics of the same machine in the time domain; creating a test signature from the test vibrational characteristics; automatically computing a measured distance between at least one point of the reference signature and at least one corresponding point on the test signature; automatically comparing the measured distance against a threshold value to determine if the machine is operating normally or abnormally; and providing a signal when the comparison indicates abnormal operation. An apparatus is also disclosed for implementing the method of the invention.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.