A sensor support device and methods of manufacture
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- GB · GB
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CENTEK
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-15
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field The present invention relates to devices for supporting sensors and methods of manufacture and assembly of those devices. The increase in distributed communications and sensing in network infrastructures over recent years including an explosion in Internet of Things connected sensors has allowed for the integration of various communications, control, and information processing systems for vehicle communication, smart control of traffic, logistics and fleet management, vehicle control, and notably safety of vehicles and infrastructure. One advantage of the distribution of sensors across a transport network is that continuous monitoring of conditions in the transport network has become possible on a finer scale than ever before. Distributing a large number of sensors across a transport network represents a unique challenge in that the reliability of those sensors is required in order to ensure that the sensor network can benefit from the improvements in quality and resolution of the data obtained and not simply provide a degree of redundancy over a smaller and less complex network. One area of sensing which may contribute to an improved transport network is in detecting the ground conditions in proximity to transport infrastructure such as railway lines and roads. Railway and road networks comprise a complex web of rails and roads which may require regular maintenance and monitoring to ensure that the conditions do not reach a point at which the rails or road become dangerous or unusable. When a rail or a road fails, for example from subsidence in the ground supporting the rail or road surface, the knock on effects may be that the whole network is placed under greater stress. Additionally, fixing transport infrastructure once it has catastrophically failed can be far more expensive than monitoring smaller changes and failures and maintaining the transport infrastructure as time goes on. Alternatively or additionally, sensors detecting the ground conditions in proximity to transport infrastructure may be used to measure vehicle movements, for example to count axles, count vehicles, measure vehicle speed, or even weigh the vehicles travelling in proximity. The load that the transport infrastructure has been exposed to may be indirectly monitored by the effect of that load on the road, the rails, or the ground around it. Monitoring subsidence, or ground movement across a rail or road network presents a challenge because it is motion of earth and parts under the surface which will provide an indication of gradual failure, whereas monitoring the surface may mask the subsidence until a point at which the rail or road fails catastrophically. Above-ground sensors are susceptible to external factors such as weather, or being struck by workers or vehicles. For this reason, sensors may be placed in the ground under the surface which are configured to monitor conditions of the earth and detect any motion. Sensors would typically be most useful in locations where subsidence is being mitigated by the use of ground piles or underpinning. However, what is needed are improvements in the devices and methods for locating sensors in the locations where subsidence is being mitigated. Summary In an embodiment, there is provided, a sensor support device, comprising a spacer wherein the spacer comprises: a first end band, a second end band, and a centre band, the first end band spaced from the centre band in a first direction by a first plurality of bows, and the second end band spaced from the centre band in a second direction opposite the first direction by a second plurality of bows. The centre band may comprise an attachment means, the attachment means configured to align the sensor support device along the first direction within a bore, in use. The attachment means may comprise a hole perpendicular to the first direction, and optionally the hole extends through a first side of the centre band and a second side of the centre band. The attachment means may comprise a pin configured to fit within the hole. The sensor support device may comprise a canister configured to slidably fit within the first end band, the second end band, and the centre band. The canister may comprise a canister hole. The pin may be fitted in the hole and in the canister hole such that the canister is held longitudinally in the centre band. In a further embodiment, the first plurality of bows extend from the first end band at a first diameter about a central axis of the spacer, via a mid-point of the first plurality of bows at a second diameter about the central axis, to the centre band at the first diameter about the central axis, and optionally wherein the second plurality of bows extend from the second end band at the first diameter about the central axis, via a mid-point of the second plurality of bows at the second diameter about the central axis, to the centre band at the first diameter about the central axis. The second diameter may be greater than the first diameter. The spacer may be formed from seamless tube. The first diameter may be the diameter of the seamless tube. In an embodiment, the sensor support device further comprises a sensor device fixed in the canister. The sensor device may comprise a sensor, a sensor housing supporting the sensor, and one or more leads in electrical communication with the sensor extending from the sensor housing. The sensor may comprise one or more of a motion sensor, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a microphone. The centre band may comprise at least one flexible portion, and optionally the centre band comprises a plurality of flexible portions. The flexible portion may be formed by a plurality of alternating cuts in the centre band defining a serpentine path. The one or plurality of flexible portions may be configured to deform under an outward radial load, or the one or plurality of flexible portions may be configured to deform under an inward radial load. One or both of the first end band and the second end band may comprise at least one flexible portion, and optionally the first and second end bands each comprise a plurality of flexible portions. The flexible portion or flexible portions may be formed by a plurality of alternating cuts in the first end band and / or the second end band defining a serpentine path. The one or plurality of flexible portions may be configured to deform under an outward radial load, or the one or plurality of flexible portions may be configured to deform under an inward radial load. In an embodiment, there is provided a ground pile assembly comprising a pile and a sensor support device according to any of the embodiments described herein. In an embodiment, there is provided a method of assembling a ground pile assembly comprising: locating a sensor device in a canister; fitting the canister in a sensor spacer comprising: a first end band, a second end band, and a centre band, the first end band spaced from the centre band in a first direction by a first plurality of bows, and the second end band spaced from the centre band in a second direction opposite the first direction by a second plurality of bows; and fitting the sensor spacer in a ground pile. The method may further comprise inserting a pin through the canister, the sensor spacer, and the ground pile to longitudinally secure the canister, the sensor spacer and the ground pile together. The ground pile assembly may be a ground pile assembly according to any of the embodiments described herein. The method may further comprise attaching a second pile to the ground pile assembly. The second pile may be longitudinally secured to the ground pile assembly by inserting the pin through the second pile. The method may further comprise inserting the ground pile assembly into the ground. The method may further comprise connecting the sensor device to a monitoring device to monitor one or more readings from the sensor device. In an embodiment, there is provided a method of manufacturing a spacer for a sensor support device comprising: providing a length of tube; forming a plurality of cutouts in the length of tube to produce a first end band, a second end band, and a centre band, the first end band spaced from the centre band in a first direction by a first plurality of bows, and the second end band spaced from the centre band in a second direction opposite the first direction by a second plurality of bows; and expanding the first plurality of bows and the second plurality of bows to a diameter greater than a diameter of the length of tube. The length of tube may be a length of seamless tube or wherein the length of tube is an extruded tube, or the length of tube may be formed by bending sheet metal into a round section and joining the sides of the sheet to form a seam. The method may further comprise forming a flexible portion into one or more of the centre band, the first end band, and the second end band. The method may further comprise expanding the flexible portion to enlarge a diameter of the tube, or contracting the flexible portion to reduce a diameter of the tube. The method may further comprise providing the sensor support device of any of the embodiments described herein. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a spacer for a sensor support device according to an embodiment. Figure 2 shows the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 1 from a first side view. Figure 3 shows the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 1 from a second side view. Figure 4 shows the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 1 from a third side view. Figure 5 shows a spacer for a sensor support device, a sensor, and a canister according to an embodiment. Figure 6 shows the components of Figure 5 in an exploded side view. Figure 7 shows the components of Figure 5 assembled together. Figure 8 shows the components of Figure 7 assembled into one end of a ground pile. Figure 9 shows a sectional view of the components of Figure 8 and a second ground pile. Figure 10 shows a section view of the components of Figure 9 assembled together. Figure 11 shows a side view of the assembled components of Figure 10 including pins. Figure 12 shows a first perspective view of a spacer for a sensor support device according to an embodiment. Figure 13 shows a second perspective view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 12. Figure 14 shows a first side view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 12. Figure 15 shows a second side view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 12. Figure 16 shows a first perspective view of a spacer for a sensor support device according to an embodiment. Figure 17 shows a first side view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 16. Figure 18 shows a second side view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 16. Figure 19 shows a first perspective view of a spacer for a sensor support device according to an embodiment. Figure 20 shows a first side view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 19. Figure 21 shows a second side view of the spacer for a sensor support device of Figure 19. Detailed Description The present invention will be readily understood in the context of the following detailed description. With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a sensor support device 10 according to an embodiment. The sensor support device 10 comprises a spacer 100. The spacer 100 includes a first end band 110, a second end band 120, and a centre band 130. The first end band 110, the second end band 120, and the centre band 130 may be cylindrical tube sections extending in a longitudinal direction. The first end band 110, the second end band 120, and the centre band 130 are coaxial in the longitudinal direction. The first end band 110 is spaced from the centre band 130 in a first direction. The first direction may follow the longitudinal axis of the first end band 110, the second end band 120, and the centre band 130 from the centre band 130 to the first end band 110. A first plurality of bows 140 may space the first end band 110 from the centre band 130. The first plurality of bows 140 includes a first bow 140a, a second bow 140b, a third bow 140c, and a fourth bow 140d. However, the first plurality of bows 140 may include two bows, three bows, five bows, six bows, or more according to the desired design. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 1 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the first plurality of bows 140 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 100 to be held centrally within a hole. The second end band 110 is spaced from the centre band 130 in a second direction. The second direction may follow the longitudinal axis of the first end band 110, the second end band 120, and the centre band 130 from the centre band 130 to the second end band 120. The second direction is therefore opposite to the first direction. A second plurality of bows 150 may space the second end band 120 from the centre band 130. The second plurality of bows 150 includes a first bow 150a, a second bow 150b, a third bow 150c, and a fourth bow 150d. However, the second plurality of bows 150 may include two bows, three bows, five bows, six bows, or more according to the desired design. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 1 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the second plurality of bows 150 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 100 to be held centrally within a hole. By providing a first plurality of bows 140 and a second plurality of bows 150 which space the first end band 110 and the second end band 120 on either side of the centre band 130 in opposite directions, the first plurality of bows 140 provide a centering force of the upper end of the spacer 100 and the second plurality of bows 150 provide a centering force of the lower end of the spacer 100. In combination, the centering of the first plurality of bows 110 and the second plurality of bows 120 provides an angular alignment of the spacer within a hole or bore as well as centering the spacer 100 towards the centre of the hole or bore. By providing an angular alignment of the spacer 100 within a hole or a bore as well as centering towards the centre of the hole or bore, the spacer maintains an angular alignment and a positional alignment within the hole or bore into which it has been inserted. The spacer 100 comprises an attachment means 160. The attachment means 160 may be located at the centre band 130 of the spacer 100. In the spacer 100 shown in Figure 1, the attachment means 160 includes a hole 165 which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the spacer 100 (i.e. longitudinal to the first direction and the second direction), across the centre band 130. The hole 165 extends through the centre band 130 such that it extends through a first side of the centre band and a second side of the centre band (i.e. the hole extends all the way across and through the centre band). The attachment means 160 may also comprise a pin 166 extending through the hole and configured to fit within the hole 165. Examples of the pin 166 extending through the hole 165 may be seen in Figure 11, for example. By providing attachment means 160, or the hole 165 as shown in Figure 1, the spacer 100 may be longitudinally fixed in position when the spacer 100 is in use, inserted into a hole or a bore. Figures 2, 3, and 4 show first, second, and third side views of the spacer 100 of Figure 1 respectively. Figure 2 shows the spacer in a first side view such that both sides of the centre band 130 including the hole 165 can be clearly seen. Figure 3 shows a second side view of the spacer 100 such that the form of the hole 165 can be clearly seen. Figure 4 shows a third side view of the spacer 100 at a 45 degree rotation relative to the second side view such that the outer profile of the first plurality of bows 140 and the second plurality of bows 150 can be more clearly seen. As can be seen in Figure 4, the first plurality of bows 140 extend from the first end band 110 at a first diameter about a central axis of the spacer, via a mid-point 141 of the first plurality of bows at a second diameter about the central axis, to the centre band at the first diameter about the central axis. That is, the first plurality of bows 140 are formed or curved such that they are narrow, of the same diameter as the first end band 110 and the centre band 130 where the bows 140 are connected to the first end band 110 and the centre band 130, and the first plurality of bows 140 are expanded at their mid-points 141 such that the diameter of the bows 140 is larger in their middle. In this way, the first plurality of bows 140 are flexible springs which provide a centering force on the spacer 100 if the spacer is inserted into a hole or bore which is narrower than the second diameter, the largest diameter of the bows in their relaxed position. The second plurality of bows 150 may be similarly formed such that they extend from the second end band 120 at the first diameter about the central axis, via a mid-point 151 of the second plurality of bows at the second diameter about the central axis, to the centre band 130 at the first diameter about the central axis. In this way, the second plurality of bows 150 may also be formed or curved such that they are narrow, of the same diameter as the second end band 120 and the centre band 130 where the bows 150 are connected to the second end band 120 and the centre band 130, and the second plurality of bows 150 are expanded at their mid-points 151 such that the diameter of the bows 150 is larger in their middle. In this way, the second plurality of bows 150 are flexible springs which provide a centering force on the spacer 100 if the spacer is inserted into a hole or bore which is narrower than the second diameter, the largest diameter of the bows in their relaxed position. Together, the first plurality of bows 140 and the second plurality of bows 150 provide centering forces at two different vertical locations of the spacer 100 such that the spacer 100 is rotationally centered within a hole or bore in use. The spacer 100 may be formed from a seamless tube or from a sheet (such as sheet metal) curved and connected together along the edges at a seam. Methods of manufacture will be described in more detail below. Turning now to Figure 5, the sensor support device 10 may comprise, in addition to the spacer 100, a canister 200. The canister 200 is sized to slidably fit in, and be received by the spacer 100. The spacer 100 may be the spacer 100 as described in relation to Figures 1 to 4, or the spacer 100 may be an alternative spacer, such as those shown in Figures 12 to 15, or Figures 16 to 18. A purpose of the canister 200 is to house a sensor or sensors (not shown in Figure 5) which will be described in more detail in relation to Figure 6. The canister 200 comprises a wall 210, and an end cap 220. The end cap 220 may be fixedly located at one end of the wall 210 of the canister. The wall 210 of the canister 200 may be a hollow cylindrical body, sized to fixed within the first end band 110, the second end band 120, and the centre band 130 of the spacer 100. Since the canister 200 is hollow, the canister 200 may house, protect, and / or support a sensor including any sensitive electronic components including but not limited to electronic components, power source, capacitors, transistors, antennas, cables, wires, and any other circuitry. The sensor may include one or more of a motion sensor, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a microphone. In particular, where the sensor includes a motion sensor, the sensor may detect one or more motions of the sensor and convert the detected motion to a signal indicative of the motion of the sensor to be transmitted to another device for recording or analysis either via a lead, a wire, or a cable, or wirelessly. The end cap 220 may include one or more 230 fixing holes to secure a sensor or other circuitry within the canister 200. At the opposite end of the canister 200 to the end cap, the canister 200 may either be open, or the canister 200 may be closed. Along the side wall of the canister 200 may be one or more canister holes 240. Similarly to the holes 165 of the spacer 100, the canister holes 240 may be sized so as to fit a pin, not shown, which may pass through the canister hole 240 and the spacer holes 165 such that the canister 200 is longitudinally secured within the spacer 100. In this way, the canister 200 supporting the sensor may securely fix the sensor to the spacer 100. Figure 6 shows a sectional, exploded view of the sensor support device shown in Figure 5, to clearly show the assembly of the sensor device 250 within the canister 200. As shown in Figure 6, the sensor device 250 has a wall 255, and a through hole 256 at one end. The through hole 256 may allow a wire, or wires, or cables to pass through to the sensor components housed within the wall 255. The sensor device 250 may be a sealed unit. The sensor device is sized to fit in the canister 200 and is secured longitudinally within the canister at one end using attachments connecting the sensor device 250 to the end cap 220. The sensor device 250 may be a sealed unit that has a through hole on each of its ends. By providing a through hole on each end of the sensor device 250 multiple sensor devices 250 may be daisy chained together. Figure 7 shows the sensor device 250, the canister 200, and the spacer 100 assembled together. The canister 200 containing the sensor device 250 is slidably received within the spacer 100. The hole 165 and the canister hole 240 are shown aligned in Figure 7. In order to fix the canister 200 within the spacer 100, the canister hole 240 and the hole 165 of the spacer 100 may be aligned by a user such that a pin may be passed through both holes together. Turning now to Figure 8, a use of the sensor support device 100 will be described in more detail. As shown in Figure 8, a ground pile assembly 300 may be assembled. The ground pile assembly 300 includes the sensor support device 10 including the sensor device 250 as described herein. The sensor support device 10 may be inserted into one end of a pile 310. A pile 310 may be used to mitigate or reduce subsidence of earth. For example, a pile 310 may be driven into the ground at a location where subsidence has been detected previously, or where potential subsidence in the future is suspected. The pile 310 may provide a pinning effect on the ground into which it is inserted. That is, the pile 310 when inserted into the ground may resist the relative motion of different layers of the ground as may occur in subsidence. When a pile 310 is resisting relative motion of different layers of the ground, the pile 310 may move, rotate, or otherwise be disturbed in a detectable manner. For example, where an upper layer of the ground into which a pile is inserted moves laterally relative to a lower layer of the ground into which the pile 310 is also inserted, the pile will rotate. By providing a ground pile assembly according to the present disclosure, the rotation of the pile 310 may be detected since this will result in a rotation of the spacer 100, the canister 200, and the sensor device 250. The sensor device 250 may also detect a translation of the entire pile 310 into which it is inserted in addition to detecting any rotation. The sensor device 250 may also be configured to detect a vibration within a range of frequencies. Vibration detected by the sensor device 250 may indicate that, even in the absence of rotation or translation of the sensor device 250 in the ground pile 310, that other subsidence local to the sensor device 250 has occurred. The first plurality of bows 140 and the second plurality of bows 150 may be configured to allow for rotation and / or translation of the pile 310 to be detected but in the case of extreme vibration transmitted through the pile 310, the sensor device 250 may be decoupled from the vibration in the pile 310. For example, during insertion of the pile 310 into the ground, or during substantial vibration in the pile from the motion of a passing train or other vehicle, the vibration of the pile 310 will cause the first plurality of bows 140 and the second plurality of bows 150 to flex rather than fully transmit the vibration to the sensor device 250. In this way, the sensor device 250 within the spacer 100 may still detect translations and rotations of the ground pile 210, but is not severely affected by large vibrations. Alternatively or additionally, the ground pile 310 may be used to locate the sensor device 250 or a plurality of sensor devices 250 in proximity to a road, a rail, or other infrastructure for monitoring ground movement. The ground movement may be indicative of a load on the infrastructure, and / or it may be used to determine a number of axles or vehicles which have passed over the road, rail, or other infrastructure. Once inserted, and with reference to Figure 9, the ground pile assembly 300 may either be inserted into the ground for use, or the ground pile assembly may be extended by fitting the ground pile assembly 300 with an additional pile 320. The additional pile 320 comprises a body 330 and an expanded section 340 connected to the body 330 at one end. The expanded section 340 is sized to receive the body 330 of another ground pile 310. In this case, the ground pile assembly 300 may be inserted into the expanded section 340 of the additional pile 320. As shown in Figure 10, the ground pile assembly 300 now comprises the sensor support device 10, the ground pile 310, and the additional pile 320. The sensor support device 100 is aligned with one or more holes 350 of the additional pile 320 and one or more holes 360 of the ground pile 310. The holes 350 and holes 360 may be aligned with the hole 165 of the spacer and the canister hole 240 such that a pin inserted into the ground pile assembly 300 may fix together the ground pile 310, the additional pile 320, and the sensor support device 10. Figure 11 shows a side view of the ground pile assembly 300 including three pins 166 which are inserted into the corresponding holes of the sensor support device 10. In this way, the sensor support device is readily installed in the joint between piles 310, 320 of the ground pile assembly 300. The ground pile assembly 300 may be further extended, or it may be inserted into the ground. Once inserted into the ground 300, signals from the sensor device 250 may be fed back to be recorded or otherwise analysed to detect motion of the ground pile assembly 300, or transportation movements, or environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture levels, or pressure. In some embodiments, the pile 310 or piles 310, 320 may protrude above the ground such that they can be used as the foundation for some infrastructure. For example, the pile 310 may extend above the ground to support a bridge, a walkway, or a road above the surface of the ground. A method of manufacturing the spacer 100 for a sensor support device 10 will now be described. The spacer 100 may be manufactured starting with stock material of a length of tube. Stock tube is usually found in predefined diameters. For example, tube having typical sizes of 25mm or of 1 inch diameter may be found on the market. Stock tube may be seamless or it may have a seam. A seamless tube may be produced by extruding the cylindrical shape from a die, producing a continuous cylindrical shape without any discernible joining line or seam. Alternatively, the tube may have a seam. A tube having a seam may be formed by bending sheet material around rollers until they form the shape of the tube, this may produce a linear seam along the length of the tube, or it may produce a helical seam around the length of the tube. Alternatively, a tube having a seam may be formed in a press. A blank may be punched or cut into sheet material. A press may be shaped to form the blank or sheet material into a pre-form which is then pressed into the final cylindrical shape. A pre-form may be a W-form or any other suitable pre-form shape to produce the tube shape. Once the tube shape has been formed by the bending operations, the edges of the seam may be joined together to form a continuous tube including a seam. The method comprises forming a plurality of cutouts in the length of tube to produce a first end band 110, a second end band 120, and a centre band 130. The cutouts may be the spaces between the bows 140 and the bows 150 which can be seen clearly in Figure 1. The cutouts may be formed by a press, a cutting blade, or by a laser cutter, for example. The cutouts are formed such that they produce a plurality of gaps between a first plurality of bows 140 and a second plurality of bows 150 (i.e. the cutouts define the shape of the bows). Forming a plurality of cutouts may be done after the tube has been formed, or it may be done on the pre-form or sheet material prior to bending operations. The first plurality of bows and the second plurality of bows may be expanded such that they are bowed or bent to a diameter greater than the diameter of the length of tube. The expansion of the bows may be done either prior to forming the plurality of cutouts by expanding the length of tube (for example by hydroforming the bow shape of the tube by injecting high pressure liquid into the centre of the tube, or during formation of the blank or sheet material in the press), or the expansion of the bows may be done subsequently to the forming of the plurality of cutouts by expanding the first plurality of bows 140 and second plurality of bows 150 directly once they have been formed. Once the spacer 100 has been formed, it may be assembled into the sensor support device 10 as described herein. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, difficulties can arise in producing spacers for particular applications where the starting materials include stock tube, over which the dimensions may be predefined because they are one of a finite number produced. For example, there may be 20mm tube, and 25mm tube available, but if a particular application requires 22.7mm tube, there may be no source of tube for that intermediate size. Turning now to Figures 12, 13, 14, and 15, an embodiment of a spacer 400 is shown which addresses at least some of these concerns. The spacer 400 includes a first end band 410, a second end band 420, and a centre band 430. The first end band 410, the second end band 420, and the centre band 430 are formed as cylindrical tube sections extending in a longitudinal direction. The first end band 410, the second end band 420, and the centre band 430 are coaxial in the longitudinal direction. The first end band 410 is spaced from the centre band 430 in a first direction. The first direction may follow the longitudinal axis of the first end band 410, the second end band 420, and the centre band 430 from the centre band 430 to the first end band 410. A first plurality of bows 440 may space the first end band 410 from the centre band 430. The first plurality of bows 440 includes a first bow 440a, a second bow 440b, a third bow 440c, and a fourth bow 440d. However, the first plurality of bows 440 may include two bows, three bows, five bows, six bows, or more according to the desired design. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 12 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the first plurality of bows 440 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 400 to be held centrally within a hole. The second end band 410 is spaced from the centre band 430 in a second direction. The second direction may follow the longitudinal axis of the first end band 410, the second end band 420, and the centre band 430 from the centre band 430 to the second end band 420. The second direction is therefore opposite to the first direction. A second plurality of bows 450 may space the second end band 420 from the centre band 430. The second plurality of bows 450 includes a first bow 450a, a second bow 450b, a third bow 450c, and a fourth bow 450d. However, the second plurality of bows 450 may include two bows, three bows, five bows, six bows, or more according to the desired design. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 12 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the second plurality of bows 450 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 400 to be held centrally within a hole. In addition, the centre band 430 comprises a flexible portion 470. The flexible portion 470 may be formed by a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the centre band 430 such that the flexible portion 470 has a lower hoop stiffness than the rest of the centre band 430. As shown in Figure 12, the flexible portion 470 may be formed by a plurality of cuts in the centre band forming a serpentine or an flexible shape. For example, the flexible portion 470 comprises a plurality of flexible arms 475 which are configured to flex under an outward hoop stress applied to the centre band 430. The flexible arms 475 may be configured such that they elastically flex to provide a squeezing force inwardly from the centre band 430, or the flexible arms 475 may be configured to plastically deform such that the flexible portion 470 may be extended to expand the centre band 430 without a restoring force. As shown in Figure 12, the centre band 430 may comprise two flexible portions 470 such that the centre band 430 may be expanded on both sides. In addition, the first end band 410 comprises a flexible portion 480. The flexible portion 480 may be formed by a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the first end band 410 such that the flexible portion 480 has a lower hoop stiffness than the rest of the first end band 410. As shown in Figure 12, the flexible portion 480 may be formed by a plurality of cuts in the first end band 410 forming a serpentine or an flexible shape. For example, the flexible portion 480 comprises a plurality of flexible arms 485 which are configured to flex under an outward hoop stress applied to the first end band 410. The flexible arms 485 may be configured such that they elastically flex to provide a squeezing force inwardly from the first end band 410, or the flexible arms 485 may be configured to plastically deform such that the flexible portion 480 may be extended to expand the first end band 410 without a restoring force. As shown in Figure 12, the first end band 410 may comprise four flexible portions 480 such that the first end band 410 may be expanded on multiple sides. In addition, the second end band 420 comprises a flexible portion 490. The flexible portion 490 may be formed by a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the second end band 420 such that the flexible portion 490 has a lower hoop stiffness than the rest of the second end band 420. As shown in Figure 12, the flexible portion 490 may be formed by a plurality of cuts in the second end band 420 forming a serpentine or an flexible shape. For example, the flexible portion 490 comprises a plurality of flexible arms 495 which are configured to flex under an outward hoop stress applied to the second end band 420. The flexible arms 495 may be configured such that they elastically flex to provide a squeezing force inwardly from the second end band 420, or the flexible arms 495 may be configured to plastically deform such that the flexible portion 490 may be extended to expand the second end band 420 without a restoring force. As shown in Figure 12, the second end band 420 may comprise four flexible portions 490 such that the second end band 420 may be expanded on multiple sides. By providing four flexible portions 480, 490 of each of the end bands, additional flexibility in the end bands may be achieved where there is less available depth to provide a flexible portion relative to the centre band 430. For example, the longer centre band 430 may allow for relatively long flexible portions 470, whereas the narrower end bands 410, 420 may have relatively shorter extendable portions. By providing four flexible portions in the end bands, the same overall expansion may be achieved on the end bands 410, 420 as on the larger centre band 430. In manufacturing or using the spacer 400 according to Figure 12, an additional step of expanding each of the flexible portions of the spacer 400 to fit the canister may be done. In this way, relatively smaller tube may be easily expanded to fit multiple sizes of canister 200. Figures 16,17, and 18 show another embodiment of a sensor support device 50. The sensor support device 50 incorporates the function of the canister in the spacer 500 by providing support and enclosure along the length of the spacer 500. The spacer 500 includes a first end band 510, a second end band 520, and a centre band 530. The first end band 510, the second end band 520, and the centre band 530 are formed as cylindrical tube sections extending in a longitudinal direction. The first end band 510, the second end band 520, and the centre band 530 are coaxial in the longitudinal direction. The first end band 510 is spaced from the centre band 530 in a first direction. The first direction may follow the longitudinal axis of the first end band 510, the second end band 520, and the centre band 530 from the centre band 530 to the first end band 510. A first plurality of bows 540 may space the first end band 510 from the centre band 530. The first plurality of bows 540 includes a first bow 540a, a second bow 540b, a third bow 540c, and a fourth bow 540d. However, the first plurality of bows 540 may include two bows, three bows, five bows, six bows, or more according to the desired design. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 16 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the first plurality of bows 540 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 500 to be held centrally within a hole. The second end band 520 is spaced from the centre band 530 in a second direction. The second direction may follow the longitudinal axis of the first end band 510, the second end band 520, and the centre band 530 from the centre band 530 to the second end band 520. The second direction is therefore opposite to the first direction. A second plurality of bows 550 may space the second end band 520 from the centre band 530. The second plurality of bows 550 includes a first bow 550a, a second bow 550b, a third bow 550c, and a fourth bow 550d. However, the second plurality of bows 550 may include two bows, three bows, five bows, six bows, or more according to the desired design. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 16 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the second plurality of bows 550 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 500 to be held centrally within a hole. In addition, the spacer 500 includes longitudinal sections 570 dispersed between each of the first plurality of bows 540 and between each of the second plurality of bows 550. The longitudinal sections 570 may be formed by not removing these sections when manufacturing the cut-outs to create the first plurality of bows 540 and the second plurality of bows 550. For example, the cut-outs to manufacture spacer 500 may be cut-outs configured to allow the first plurality of bows 540 and the second plurality of bows 550 to be expanded without removing the longitudinal sections 570. The longitudinal sections 570 may provide support to a sensor device 250 as described herein in relation to the canister 200 in other embodiments. Figures 19, 20, and 21 show another embodiment of a sensor support device 60. Sensor support device 60 comprises a spacer 600 including a first end band 610 and a second end band 620. The first end band 610 is spaced apart from the second end band 620 by a first plurality of bows 640 including a first bow 640a, a second bow 640b, a third bow 640c, and a fourth bow 640d. Four bows are shown in the embodiment of Figure 19 which provides centering forces in four directions. It will be understood that each bow of the first plurality of bows 640 may provide a centering force and therefore three or more bows will allow the spacer 600 to be held centrally within a hole. The second end band 620 comprises an attachment means 660. In the spacer 600 shown in Figure 19, the attachment means 660 includes a hole 665 which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the spacer 600 (i.e. longitudinal to the first direction and the second direction), across the second end band 620. The hole 665 extends through the second end band 620 such that it extends through a first side of the second end band and a second side of the second end band (i.e. the hole extends all the way across and through the second end band). The attachment means 660 may also comprise a pin extending through the hole and configured to fit within the hole 665. Examples of the pin extending through the hole 665 may be seen in Figure 11, for example. By providing attachment means 660, or the hole 665 as shown in Figure 19, the spacer 600 may be longitudinally fixed in position when the spacer 600 is in use, inserted into a hole or a bore. The spacer 600 of Figure 19 does not include a centre band as found in other embodiments of this disclosure. The bows 640 of the spacer 600 are sized such that in use, the bows 640 flex to provide both a translational centering force and a rotational centering force. That is, the bows 640 are at least a minimum length relative to the diameter of the first end band 610 and the second end band 620 such that they provide axial stability (e.g. the spacer 600 will not rotate out of longitudinal alignment with a bore or hole in use). The minimum length of the bows 640 relative to the diameter of the first end band 610 and / or the second end band 620 may be a multiple of the diameter of the first end band 610 and / or the second end band 620. In one example, the minimum length of the bows 640 relative to the diameter of the first end band 610 and / or the second end band 620 may be fourtimesthe diameter of the first end band 610 and / orthe second end band 620. That is, the length of the bows 640 may be at least four times the diameter of the first end band 610 and / orthe second end band 620. In another embodiment, the minimum length of the bows 640 relative to the diameter of the first end 610 and / or the second end band may be at least five times the diameter of the first end band 610 and / or the second end band 620. The description of the different advantageous arrangements has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the examples in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, different advantageous examples may describe different advantages as compared to other advantageous examples. The example or examples selected are chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the examples, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various examples with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 04 08 25
Claims
1. A sensor support device, comprising a spacer wherein the spacer comprises: a first end band formed as a cylindrical tube section extending in a longitudinal direction,a second end band formed as a cylindrical tube section extending in the longitudinal direction, anda centre band formed as a cylindrical tube section extending in the longitudinal direction,the first end band spaced from the centre band in a first direction by a first plurality of bows,the second end band spaced from the centre band in a second direction opposite the first direction by a second plurality of bows, anda canister configured to slidably fit within the first end band, the second end band, and the centre band, andwherein the canister is held longitudinally in the centre band.
2. The sensor support device of claim 1, said centre band comprising an attachment means, the attachment means configured to align the sensor support device along the first direction within a bore, in use.
3. The sensor support device of claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises a hole perpendicular to the first direction, and optionally wherein the hole extends through a first side of the centre band and a second side of the centre band.
4. The sensor support device of claim 3, wherein the attachment means comprises a pin configured to fit within the hole.
5. The sensor support device of claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the canister comprises a canister hole.
6. The sensor support device of claim 5, when dependent on claim 4, wherein the pin is fitted in the hole and in the canister hole such that the canister is held longitudinally in the centre band.
7. The sensor support device of any preceding claim, wherein the first plurality of bows extend from the first end band at a first diameter about a central axis of the spacer, via a mid-point of the first plurality of bows at a second diameter about the central axis, to the centre band at the first diameter about the central axis, and optionally wherein the second plurality of bows extend from the second end band at the first diameter about the central axis, via a mid-point of the second plurality of bows at the second diameter about the central axis, to the centre band at the first diameter about the central axis.
8. The sensor support device of claim 7, wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.
9. The sensor support device of any preceding claim, wherein the spacer is formed from seamless tube.
10. The sensor support device of claim 9, when dependent on claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the first diameter is the diameter of the seamless tube.
11. The sensor support device of any preceding claim when dependent on claim 5, further comprising a sensor device fixed in the canister.04 08 2512. The sensor support device of claim 11, wherein the sensor device comprises a sensor, a sensor housing supporting the sensor, and one or more leads in electrical communication with the sensor extending from the sensor housing.
13. The sensor support device of claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises one or more of a motion sensor, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and a microphone.
14. The sensor support device of any preceding claim, wherein the centre band comprises at least one flexible portion, and optionally wherein the centre band comprises a plurality of flexible portions.
15. The sensor support device of claim 14, wherein the flexible portion is formed by a plurality of alternating cuts in the centre band defining a serpentine path.
16. The sensor support device of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the one or plurality of flexible portions are configured to deform under an outward radial load, or wherein the one or plurality of flexible portions are configured to deform under an inward radial load.
17. The sensor support device of any preceding claim, wherein one or both of the first end band and the second end band comprise at least one flexible portion, and optionally wherein the first and second end bands each comprise a plurality of flexible portions.
18. The sensor support device of claim 17, wherein the flexible portion or flexible portions are formed by a plurality of alternating cuts in the first end band and / or the second end band defining a serpentine path.
19. The sensor support device of claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the one or plurality of flexible portions are configured to deform under an outward radial load, or wherein the one or plurality of flexible portions are configured to deform under an inward radial load.
20. A ground pile assembly comprising a pile and a sensor support device according to any preceding claim.
21. A method of assembling a ground pile assembly comprising: locating a sensor device in a canister;fitting the canister in a sensor spacer comprising:a first end band formed as a cylindrical tube section extending in a longitudinal direction,a second end band formed as a cylindrical tube section extending in the longitudinal direction, anda centre band formed as a cylindrical tube section extending in the longitudinal direction,the first end band spaced from the centre band in a first direction by a first plurality of bows, andthe second end band spaced from the centre band in a second direction opposite the first direction by a second plurality of bows, wherein the canister is secured to the centre band of the sensor spacer; andfitting the sensor spacer in a ground pile.04 08 2522. The method of claim 21, further comprising inserting a pin through the canister, the sensor spacer, and the ground pile to longitudinally secure the canister, the sensor spacer and the ground pile together.
23. The method of claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the ground pile assembly is a ground pile assembly according to claim 20.
24. The method of any of claims 21 to 23, further comprising attaching a second pile to the ground pile assembly.
25. The method of claim 24 when dependent on claim 22, wherein the second pile is longitudinally secured to the ground pile assembly by inserting the pin through the second pile.
26. The method of any of claims 21 to 25, further comprising inserting the ground pile assembly into the ground.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising connecting the sensor device to a monitoring device to monitor one or more readings from the sensor device.
28. A method of manufacturing a spacer for a sensor support device comprising: providing a length of tube;forming a plurality of cutouts in the length of tube to produce a first end band, a second end band, and a centre band, the first end band spaced from the centre band in a first direction by a first plurality of bows, and the second end band spaced from the centre band in a second direction opposite the first direction by a second plurality of bows; andexpanding the first plurality of bows and the second plurality of bows to a diameter greater than a diameter of the length of tube.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein the length of tube is a length of seamless tube or wherein the length of tube is an extruded tube, or wherein the length of tube is formed by bending sheet metal into a round section and joining the sides of the sheet to form a seam.
30. The method of claim 28 or claim 29, further comprising forming a flexible portion into one or more of the centre band, the first end band, and the second end band.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising expanding the flexible portion to enlarge a diameter of the tube, or contracting the flexible portion to reduce a diameter of the tube.
32. The method of claim 28 or claim 20 further comprising providing the sensor support device of any of claims 1 to 19.