Intelligent gasket sensor, connecting piece and looseness monitoring system

Abstract

The invention relates to an intelligent gasket sensor, a connecting piece and a looseness monitoring system.The intelligent gasket sensor comprises a gasket base body and piezoelectric fibers, and an open hole is formed in the center of the gasket base body; the piezoelectric fiber is arranged in the gasket base body; the piezoelectric fibers are arranged around the opening; the piezoelectric fibers are used for converting vibration signals borne by the gasket base body into electric signals. Compared with the prior art, the system has the advantages of high sensitivity, wide adaptability, easiness in installation and replacement, low cost, capability of realizing real-time monitoring and early warning and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of piezoelectric sensors, and in particular to an intelligent gasket sensor, a connector and a looseness monitoring system. Background Art

[0002] Connectors play a vital role in many mechanical and structural applications, especially in heavy machinery and equipment, large building components, bridges, and vehicles. Loose connectors often pose significant safety risks. Traditional methods for checking the tightness of connectors rely mainly on manual inspection and periodic maintenance, or mechanical vibration detection to determine whether a connector is loose. However, manual inspections are limited by time, environmental conditions and other factors, and periodic inspections are difficult to achieve real-time long-term monitoring, and hidden dangers caused by loose connectors cannot be predicted in time. Although mechanical vibration analysis methods can detect loose connectors to a certain extent, they often require complex equipment, and are unable to achieve high sensitivity and local monitoring, and cannot guarantee comprehensive real-time monitoring.

[0003] With the development of materials science, smart sensors and wireless sensor network technology, piezoelectric materials have become ideal electromechanical coupling transducer materials for real-time monitoring and intelligent early warning due to their unique ability to generate electrical signals when deformed by force. Sensors based on piezoelectric materials can generate corresponding electrical signals by detecting the deformation caused by the loosening of the connector, thereby realizing real-time perception of the loose state. However, there are still some problems in the current application of sensors, such as: the sensor structure is too complex, the volume is large, and the installation is inconvenient. In addition, in some special connector connection scenarios, the sensor sensitivity is insufficient, it is easily disturbed by the electromagnetic environment, and it is difficult to adapt to a variety of connector specifications. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a highly sensitive, easy-to-install, and widely applicable connector loosening detection device that can solve these problems. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the above-mentioned prior art and to provide an intelligent gasket sensor, connector and looseness monitoring system with high sensitivity, wide adaptability, easy installation and replacement, low cost, and capable of real-time monitoring and early warning.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved by the following technical solutions:

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an intelligent gasket sensor, comprising: a gasket matrix and piezoelectric fibers, wherein: an opening is provided at the center of the gasket matrix; the piezoelectric fibers are provided inside the gasket matrix; the piezoelectric fibers are provided around the opening; and the piezoelectric fibers are used to convert vibration signals received by the gasket matrix into electrical signals.

[0007] As a preferred technical solution, the smart gasket sensor also includes:

[0008] The signal acquisition and conditioning module is electrically connected to the piezoelectric fiber and is used to acquire and condition the electrical signal sent by the piezoelectric fiber.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution, the intelligent gasket sensor further includes: a signal transmitting module, which is electrically connected to the signal acquisition and conditioning module and is used to send the electrical signal conditioned by the signal acquisition and conditioning module to a host computer.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution, the piezoelectric fiber is a coaxial self-shielded piezoelectric fiber.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution, the gasket substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate; the first substrate and the second substrate are meshed.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the gasket substrate is a gasket substrate made of high-strength polymer material.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a connector is provided, comprising: a connector body and at least one smart gasket sensor provided by the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect; the smart gasket sensor is connected to the connector body.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the connector body includes at least one of a screw, a bolt, a flange connector and a rivet.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a looseness monitoring system is provided, the looseness monitoring system comprising: a host computer and at least one connecting member provided by the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect; the host computer comprises a signal receiving module; the connecting member is connected to the signal receiving module in a wireless or wired manner;

[0016] The host computer is used to determine whether the connecting piece is loose according to the electrical signal received by the signal receiving module.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution, the looseness monitoring system further includes:

[0018] The alarm module is connected to the host computer and is used to issue an alarm when the connecting piece is loose.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. High sensitivity: The smart gasket sensor provided in the embodiment of the present application adopts piezoelectric fibers with good stability, self-shielding and high flexibility, which can detect tiny mechanical deformations and is particularly suitable for early detection of loose connections;

[0021] 2. Wide adaptability: The gasket structure of the smart gasket sensor provided in the embodiment of the present application is compactly designed and is suitable for connectors of various specifications and can be used in different mechanical equipment and structures;

[0022] 3. Easy to install and replace: The smart gasket sensor provided in the embodiment of the present application is easy to install and can be directly installed between the bolt and the connected part without complicated tools or operations, and can be quickly replaced in case of failure;

[0023] 4. Low cost: Compared with complex mechanical vibration monitoring equipment, the smart gasket sensor provided by the embodiment of the present application has low manufacturing cost and can be widely promoted and applied;

[0024] 5. Realize real-time monitoring and early warning: The looseness monitoring system provided in the embodiment of the present application monitors the looseness state of the connector in real time and transmits the detected electrical signal to the host computer to realize automatic early warning and reduce the reliance on manual inspection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the smart gasket sensor provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 A top view of a gasket substrate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of a gasket substrate provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a looseness monitoring system provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0029] The numbers in the figure show:

[0030] 100. Intelligent gasket sensor, 110. Gasket substrate, 120. Piezoelectric fiber, 130. Opening, 140. Signal acquisition and conditioning module, 150. Signal transmission module, 200. Connector, 300. Looseness monitoring system, 310. Host computer, 320. Signal receiving module, 330. Alarm module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish different objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0034] Reference to "embodiments" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0035] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The smart gasket sensor 100 provided by the embodiment of the present application shown includes: a gasket substrate 110 and a piezoelectric fiber 120;

[0036] An opening 130 is provided at the center of the gasket substrate 110, and the piezoelectric fiber 120 is arranged inside the gasket substrate 110, and the piezoelectric fiber 120 is arranged around the opening 130;

[0037] The piezoelectric fiber 120 is used to convert the vibration signal received by the gasket substrate 110 into an electrical signal.

[0038] It is understandable that the above-mentioned piezoelectric fiber 120 refers to a linear piezoelectric ceramic, or it can be a slender, soft linear structure supported by a natural or synthetic high molecular polymer (such as polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF, etc.) through a wire drawing process. The piezoelectric fiber 120 has unique electromechanical properties and can convert vibration signals into electrical signals. In the above scheme, the piezoelectric fiber 120 is arranged inside the gasket matrix 110, so that the piezoelectric fiber 120 can convert the vibration signal received by the gasket matrix 110 into an electrical signal.

[0039] Optionally, the smart gasket sensor 100 further includes:

[0040] The signal acquisition and conditioning module 140 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric fiber 120 and is used to acquire and condition the electrical signal sent by the piezoelectric fiber 120 .

[0041] It is understandable that the signal acquisition and signal conditioning functions of the signal acquisition and conditioning module 140 can be implemented through a circuit structure or through a software algorithm deployed in a processing module. When implemented through a software algorithm, the smart gasket sensor 100 can also include a processing module for executing the corresponding algorithm.

[0042] In addition, it can be understood that the signal conditioning functions that can be implemented by the above-mentioned signal acquisition and conditioning module 140 include but are not limited to signal amplification, filtering, etc.

[0043] Optionally, the smart gasket sensor 100 further includes:

[0044] The signal transmitting module 150 is electrically connected to the signal collecting and conditioning module 140 , and is used to send the electrical signal conditioned by the signal collecting and conditioning module 140 to the host computer.

[0045] It is understandable that the signal transmission module 150 can send the conditioned electrical signal to the host computer wirelessly or by wire.

[0046] Optionally, the piezoelectric fiber 120 may be a coaxial self-shielding piezoelectric fiber.

[0047] It is understandable that the above-mentioned coaxial self-shielding piezoelectric fiber is a piezoelectric fiber with a special structure, which is designed as a coaxial structure and has self-shielding characteristics. The coaxial self-shielding piezoelectric fiber not only maintains the basic properties of the piezoelectric fiber, such as the ability to generate electrical signals when deformed by force, but also improves the stability and anti-interference ability of the signal through the coaxial design and self-shielding characteristics.

[0048] Optionally, the gasket substrate 110 includes a first substrate and a second substrate, and the first substrate and the second substrate are meshed.

[0049] Optionally, the gasket substrate 110 may be a gasket substrate made of a high-strength polymer material.

[0050] It can be understood that the above-mentioned high-strength polymer material can be polyimide, epoxy resin, etc.

[0051] Two application scenarios of the smart gasket sensor 100 are provided below:

[0052] Application scenario 1:

[0053] In bolt-connected engineering machinery equipment, small-diameter bolts can be used as connectors. The piezoelectric fiber 120 can be made of PFA piezoelectric fiber, which has good flexibility and piezoelectric effect;

[0054] When in use, the smart gasket sensor 100 is installed between the bolt and the connection surface of the equipment. When the bolt is slightly loosened, the smart gasket sensor 100 can sense the mechanical deformation in time and output an electrical signal. The signal acquisition and conditioning module 140 amplifies the electrical signal and transmits it to the host computer through the signal transmission module 150, so that the operator can process it in time according to the change of the electrical signal.

[0055] Application scenario 2:

[0056] In the bolt connection structure of a large bridge, large-sized bolts are often used. In this case, the piezoelectric fiber 120 can be made of a flexible IXPP piezoelectric cable with a diameter of 2 mm. The loosening state of the bridge bolts can be monitored in real time through the smart gasket sensor 100. The smart gasket sensors 100 installed in multiple key parts of the bridge form a complete bolt monitoring system. When any bolt becomes loose, the system will automatically issue an early warning to notify the maintenance personnel to repair it in time.

[0057] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application further provides a connector 200 , which includes: a connector body and at least one smart gasket sensor 100 , wherein the smart gasket sensor 100 is connected to the connector body.

[0058] Optionally, the above-mentioned connecting part body includes at least one of: a screw, a bolt, a flange connecting part and a rivet.

[0059] It is understandable that, in addition to the above-mentioned connector body, the above-mentioned smart gasket sensor 100 can also be used in the structure of similar connectors such as welds.

[0060] See also Figure 4 Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present application further provides a looseness monitoring system 300 , which includes a host computer 310 and at least one of the above-mentioned connecting components 200 .

[0061] The host computer 310 is provided with a signal receiving module 320, and the connector 200 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the signal receiving module 320. The host computer 310 is used to determine whether the connector 200 is loose according to the electrical signal received by the signal receiving module 320.

[0062] Optionally, the looseness monitoring system 300 further includes:

[0063] The alarm module 330 is connected to the host computer 310 and is used to generate an alarm when the connecting member 200 is loose.

[0064] It is understandable that the host computer 310 can determine the looseness of the connector 200 through the electrical signal received by the signal receiving module 320, and issue an alarm.

[0065] In the embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed device can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some communication interface, the indirect coupling or communication connection of the device or unit can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0066] In addition, the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0067] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist separately, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part.

[0068] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An intelligent gasket sensor, characterized in that: The smart gasket sensor comprises: a gasket substrate and piezoelectric fibers, wherein: The center of the gasket matrix is ​​provided with an opening; the piezoelectric fiber is arranged inside the gasket matrix; the piezoelectric fiber is arranged around the opening; The piezoelectric fiber is used to convert the vibration signal received by the gasket matrix into an electrical signal.

2. The smart gasket sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The smart gasket sensor also includes: The signal acquisition and conditioning module is electrically connected to the piezoelectric fiber and is used to acquire and condition the electrical signal sent by the piezoelectric fiber.

3. The smart gasket sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The smart gasket sensor also includes: The signal transmitting module is electrically connected to the signal acquisition and conditioning module and is used to send the electrical signal conditioned by the signal acquisition and conditioning module to the host computer.

4. The smart gasket sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The piezoelectric fiber is a coaxial self-shielding piezoelectric fiber.

5. The smart gasket sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The gasket substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate; the first substrate and the second substrate are engaged with each other.

6. The smart gasket sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The gasket matrix is ​​a gasket matrix made of high-strength polymer material.

7. A connecting piece, characterized in that: The connector comprises: a connector body and at least one smart gasket sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 6; the smart gasket sensor is connected to the connector body.

8. The connecting piece according to claim 7, characterized in that: The connector body includes at least one of a screw, a bolt, a flange connector and a rivet.

9. A looseness monitoring system, characterized in that: The looseness monitoring system comprises: a host computer and at least one connecting piece according to any one of claims 7 to 8; the host computer is provided with a signal receiving module; the connecting piece is connected to the signal receiving module in a wireless or wired manner; The host computer is used to determine whether the connecting piece is loose according to the electrical signal received by the signal receiving module.

10. The looseness monitoring system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The looseness monitoring system further comprises: The alarm module is connected to the host computer and is used to issue an alarm when the connecting piece is loose.

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