Pressure-Sensing Hose With Conductive Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting hydraulic hose failure do not account for pressure effects, making it difficult to determine if changes in electrical properties indicate impending failure or are due to pressure changes within the hose, and thus may lead to false alarms or missed failures.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-sensing hose assembly with conductive layers and an insulative elastomeric layer, where a monitoring circuit generates an electrical signal to estimate pressure by calculating resistance and capacitance, and applying a hysteresis model to account for elastomeric compression and physical characteristics to accurately determine internal pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical property monitoring is used to detect hose failure, then failure detection capability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to distinguish pressure effects from failure indicators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring function into two independent parts: a first sensor measures electrical properties (capacitance, resistance) while a second sensor measures pressure. This separation allows each sensor to specialize in one measurement type, eliminating the interference that occurs when a single sensor tries to detect both failure indicators and pressure changes. The segmented architecture enables independent calibration and compensation algorithms to be applied to each measurement channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pressure as an intermediary variable that mediates between the electrical property measurements and failure detection. By measuring pressure separately and using it as a compensating parameter, the system can distinguish between electrical property changes caused by pressure versus those caused by actual hose degradation. This intermediary approach allows the system to subtract pressure effects from the electrical property signals to isolate true failure indicators.
2Measurement precision
If pressure compensation is added to the monitoring system, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pressure sensor and electrical property sensor into a single integrated monitoring unit that processes both signals simultaneously. By combining the sensors and their processing circuits into one compact device, the system achieves pressure compensation functionality without proportionally increasing overall system complexity. The merged design allows shared power supply, housing, and data processing resources, reducing the complexity burden of adding the pressure compensation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same electronic platform serves both electrical property measurement and pressure measurement functions. The processing circuitry is configured to handle multiple sensor types and perform multiple functions (raw measurement, pressure compensation, failure detection) using a unified architecture. This universal design approach reduces device complexity by avoiding separate dedicated systems for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables non-destructive and non-disruptive monitoring of hydraulic hose pressure, reducing false alarms and improving the accuracy of failure detection by accounting for pressure-induced changes in the hose assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an insulative elastomeric layer positioned between the first and second conductive layers... applying a hysteresis model to account for elastomeric compression
Implementation Method 2
a circuit generates an electrical signal across the first and second conductive layers of the hose assembly, which generates an electrical response to the electrical signal... calculate a hose resistance and a hose capacitance based on the electrical response
Implementation Method 3
applying a hysteresis model to the estimated change in wall thickness to estimate pressure within the hose assembly, the hysteresis model based on a previous elastomeric compression, the pressure
Data Source
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AI summary
A pressure-sensing hose assembly and method of its use are disclosed. In an example aspect, the pressure sensing hose assembly includes a hose assembly including a hose having first and second conductive layers and a circuit electrically connected to the first and second conductive layers of the hose assembly. The circuit generates an electrical response across the first and second conductive layers of the hose assembly. The pressure-sensing hose assembly further includes a computing system configured to receive the electrical response and estimate a pressure within the hose assembly based on the electrical response.