Patent · US Expired

Structural member bend radius and shape sensor and measurement apparatus

US7646945B2 · kind B2 · utility

37Cited by
10References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 19, 2004
Grant dateJan 12, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 19, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01L1/246
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Structural member bend radius sensor apparatus 90 comprises three fibre Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors 102 provided within three optical fibres 14, 16, 18. The optical fibres 14, 16, 18 and the FBGs 102 are embedded within a part-cylindrical shaped carrier member 92. The fibres 14, 16, 18 are provided at three spaced locations across the shaped carrier member 92 so that, in use, the three respective FBG strain sensors will be located at three different angular positions around the circumference of the structural member (pipe) 68. Structural member shape measurement apparatus 100 comprises four bend radius sensor apparatus 90 provided at four bend radius measurement positions along the pipe 68. The four bend radius sensor apparatus 90 shown share their optical fibres 14, 16, 18, and a single shaped carrier member 92. The shape measurement apparatus 100 further comprises FBG interrogation apparatus 104.

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