Tri-Axis Fibre Optic Accelerometer Common Axis Coiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fibre optic accelerometer designs for seismic cables require complex handling and assembly processes, leading to increased fibre handling and manufacturing steps, which complicates the production and integration of multiple sensors in seismic surveying applications.
Innovation Solution
A tri-axis fibre optic accelerometer design featuring three fibre optic accelerometer elements coiled around a common axis, including at least one slanted accelerometer element, which simplifies the coiling process and reduces fibre handling by allowing all fibre coils to be coiled in a single operation, with movable elements arranged in orthogonal directions to sense acceleration in three dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional fibre optic accelerometer designs are used with separate coiling operations for each sensor element, then each accelerometer element can be manufactured independently, but the fibre handling complexity and number of manufacturing steps increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate coiling operations into a single integrated coiling process. The fibre optic accelerometer package includes multiple accelerometer elements (first, second, and third elements) that are coiled simultaneously around a common axis using one continuous fibre coil, eliminating the need for separate handling and assembly of individual coils for each sensor element.
Solution Approach 2:
The single fibre coil serves multiple functions by providing the sensing element for all three accelerometer elements simultaneously. The fibre is coiled once to create a unified structure that enables three-dimensional acceleration sensing across multiple axes, reducing the overall number of components and assembly steps required.
2Productivity
If multiple separate fibre coils are used for each accelerometer element, then each sensor can be optimized independently, but the manufacturing time and production efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous coiling of a single fibre optic element through all accelerometer elements without interruption. The fibre is coiled in one continuous operation around a common axis, maintaining continuous useful action throughout the manufacturing process and eliminating downtime between separate coiling operations for each sensor element.
3Ease of manufacture
If fibre coils are coiled after assembly of accelerometer elements, then each element can be prepared separately, but the handling and mounting complexity of fibre coils increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the coiling operation as a preliminary step before final assembly of the accelerometer package. The single fibre coil is coiled around the common axis first, establishing the structural framework, and then the accelerometer elements are integrated into this pre-formed coil structure, simplifying subsequent assembly operations.
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
This design simplifies the manufacturing of seismic cables by reducing fibre handling and enabling efficient production of tri-axis accelerometers, allowing for accurate three-dimensional acceleration sensing with fewer steps and minimizing manual handling errors, thus enhancing the reliability and efficiency of seismic surveying operations.
Implementation Method 1
it is well known to use fibre optic sensor for the measurement of acceleration of certain structures. Such fibre optic sensors may for example be configured as fibre optic interferometers
Data Source
AI summary
A tri-axis accelerometer for use in seismic surveying is provided. The accelerometer comprises at least three fiber optic accelerometer elements which have respective fiber sensor coils, and which are characteristic in that the fiber sensor coils are coiled about a common coiling axis and at least one of the accelerometer elements is a slant angle accelerometer element. A corresponding method of manufacturing a tri-axis fiber optic accelerometer is also disclosed. A fiber optic tri-axis accelerometer for sensing acceleration in three directions is also provided, which comprises a first, a second, and a third sensor base, each base including a first, a second, and a third fixed element, respectively, and a first, a second, and a third movable element, respectively, each pair of fixed and movable elements carrying a fiber sensing coil. The fiber sensing coils are all coiled around a common coiling axis and at least one of the movable elements is designed and mounted so as to be movable in a direction that is slanted with respect to the common coiling axis.