Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
073761000 | Threaded fastener stress | 27 |
20080314157 | System and Method for Automated Execution of Bolted Joints - A tightening method yielding a precise control of the resulting clamping force, in which the tightening operation is performed in two steps, and the stress level is always kept within the limits of the elastic portion of the stress×strain curve. The method employs a single or multi-spindle power wrench controlled by a computer, provided with measuring means for the precise sensing of applied torque and turn angle in real time. The method comprises in a preferred embodiment a first and a second tightening operations, the data collected during the first operation being inputted to the computer which calculates the amount of torque to be applied to the fastener in the second and final tightening operation according to an algorithm which also comprises checking steps to ascertain that the results fall within the preset values, tolerances and scatter limits. | 12-25-2008 |
20090038401 | Load indicating member with identifying element - A load indicating member is provided with an identifying element which can be accessed and used to determine ultrasonic measurement parameters specific to the load indicating member to provide more precise and more reliable load measurements by compensating for differences resulting from manufacturing variations in individual load indicating members. The parameters specific to the load indicating member can be stored in coding applied to the load indicating member or in a database that can be accessed remotely, for example, using the Internet. | 02-12-2009 |
20090038402 | Thread forming fasteners for ultrasonic load measurement and control - An ultrasonic load measurement transducer is mated with a thread-forming fastener to provide a load indicating thread-forming fastener that can be used for the precise and reliable assembly of critical bolted joints, such as those in the automobile and aerospace industries, among others. Steps can then be taken to accurately measure and control the load in the thread-forming fastener during tightening, and to inspect the load in the thread-forming fastener after assembly. A similar result can be achieved for a thread-locking fastener by mating an ultrasonic transducer with the thread-locking fastener assembly. | 02-12-2009 |
20090173161 | Probe for fastener identification and ultrasonic load measurement - A system is provided for both reading an optical identification mark, such as a bar code, on a fastener and for making ultrasonic load measurements in the fastener using a single probe for use during fastener installation with assembly tools and for the inspection of load in preinstalled fasteners. The probe includes both a fiber optic imaging cable and at least one electrical conductor. The fiber optic imaging cable is optically coupled to an imaging device such as a bar code reader allowing the bar code reader to be located remote from the fastener. The electrical conductor provides an electrical connection from the ultrasonic transducer on the fastener to load measurement instrumentation. The probe is further capable of providing illumination of the bar code to facilitate reading of the bar code. | 07-09-2009 |
20100050778 | Monitoring Fastener Preload - The health of a structural joint clamped by fasteners is monitored by directly measuring the preload of the fasteners. The preload is measured by a transducer on the fastener and electronically transmitted to a monitoring station where the preload values may be analyzed to assess the health of the joint. | 03-04-2010 |
20100126279 | Load indicating member with identifying element - A load indicating member is provided with an identifying element which can be accessed and used to determine ultrasonic measurement parameters specific to the load indicating member to provide more precise and more reliable load measurements by compensating for differences resulting from manufacturing variations in individual load indicating members. The parameters specific to the load indicating member can be stored in coding applied to the load indicating member or in a database that can be accessed remotely, for example, using the Internet. | 05-27-2010 |
20110100131 | IN-SITU SENSORS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING ENVIRONMENT ASSISTED CRACKING OF STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS - Sensor assemblies, units and methods are provided to determine crack development of components of interest associated with a monitored structure. According to preferred embodiments, a sample sensor bolt is provided having a shank with a threaded end, the sensor bolt being formed of a material serving as a surrogate of the material forming a component of interest associated with the monitored structure. A frame surrounds the shank of the sensor bolt and has fluid ports therein to allow fluid to contact an exposed portion of the sensor bolt shank in registry therewith. A load cell is operatively connected to the sensor bolt. A pre-load nut is threaded onto the threaded end of the sensor bolt shank and contacts an end of the frame so as to place the sensor bolt under an initial tensile stress. Crack formation within the sensor bolt shank caused by fluid acting upon the exposed portion thereof responsively relieves the initial tensile stress of the sensor bolt which is thereby sensed by the load cell, whereby crack formation in the shank can be used to sense the propensity for crack development in the component of interest associated with the monitored structure. | 05-05-2011 |
20120198941 | Thread clamping device including internal sensing and reporting - The present device relates to a thread clamping device including a plurality of movable segments with threaded inner surfaces suitable for engaging a threaded rod and including a strain gauge therein for measuring the actual strain on the device, in contrast to conventional thread clamping devices restricted to measuring the torque applied during installation, not the actual strain experienced during service. In addition to measuring the actual strain experienced by the thread clamping device, some embodiments of the present invention also relate to a transmitter for transmitting to a remote receiving station the actual strain measured, typically including a suitable identification code for determining which device is transmitting. | 08-09-2012 |
20120227507 | INSTRUMENTED COUPLER LOAD CELL FOR ROCK ANCHORS - A load-measuring coupling device for rock anchors comprises a body having a threaded section for receiving a bearing plate and a nut, and a hollow section having a threaded hole to allow a threaded rock anchor head to be fitted thereinto. The body has a central blind hole extending from the threaded section for receiving a strain gauge lengthwise therein, to sense the axial stretch induced in the gauge due to applied loads on the rock anchor head. The strain gauges are attached to a connector located at the threaded section, which permits the transmission of the strain gauge signal to a reader unit. The coupling device is attached to the rock anchor and the assembly is inserted in a hole in a mine. The rock anchor can be pre-tensioned with a shear pin in the hollow section or a jamming nut in the threaded section. | 09-13-2012 |
20130019690 | TEST APPARATUS FOR A THREADED JOINT FOR OIL COUNTRY TUBULAR GOODS - An apparatus | 01-24-2013 |
20130068031 | BOLT TENSION MONITORING SYSTEM - The bolt tension monitoring system provides remote monitoring of the tension of a bolt, thus allowing for remote monitoring of general structural health and integrity of the fastener. The bolt tension monitoring system includes a housing adapted for being retained on a head of a bolt to be monitored. The system further includes a force transducer positioned between the head of the bolt and a surface in which the bolt is fastened and measures tension between the head of the bolt and the workpiece surface. A controller circuit within the housing calculates the difference between currently measured tension between the head of the bolt and the workpiece surface and an initially measured tension. A wireless transponder mounted in the housing transmits an alert signal if the calculated difference exceeds a pre-defined threshold value. | 03-21-2013 |
20130074605 | MEASURING ARRANGEMENT SYSTEM FOR A UNIVERSAL PROCESS CONNECTION - Provided is a measuring arrangement system operative for measuring a physical and/or chemical process variable of a process medium, which is held in a container, having a measuring device with a process connection and a sensor housing attached to it, such that the process connection comprises a measuring cell housing with a measuring cell, wherein a circumferential web, which divides the circumferential surface into a first and second circumferential section, is provided on the circumferential surface of the measuring cell housing; the process connection comprising a union nut with an inside thread and interior ring stop; and a tubular flange having first and second ends, having on its first end an outside thread, designed to correspond to the inside thread of the union nut, such that the circumferential web is designed so the measuring cell housing can be clamped between the flange and the union nut in two different directions. | 03-28-2013 |
20130139604 | BOLT TENSION MONITORING SYSTEM - The bolt tension monitoring system provides remote monitoring of the tension of a bolt, thus allowing for remote monitoring of general structural health and integrity of the fastener. The bolt tension monitoring system includes a housing adapted for being retained on a head of a bolt to be monitored. The system further includes a force transducer positioned between the head of the bolt and a workpiece surface in which the bolt is fastened and measures tension between the head of the bolt and the surface. A controller circuit disposed within the housing calculates a difference between a currently measured tension between the head of the bolt and the workpiece surface and an initially measured tension. A wireless transponder mounted in the housing transmits an alert signal if the calculated difference exceeds a pre-defined threshold value. Actuation and power are provided through radio frequency power harvesting. | 06-06-2013 |
20130255392 | Tension Monitoring Apparatus - A tension monitoring assembly or device permanently installed between a connection or anchor point and a guy cable line or structural rod allows constant monitoring and increase confidence that the guy cable or structural tension rod remains tensioned to the proper value. The device includes a plurality of compression members and a connecting member that are arranged between connection points such that the tension between a first connecting point and a second connection point may be set to a selected value. The tension on the device is determined by the distance between two members of the device such that a change in the tension from a set amount will result in a change of the distance between the two members. This change in distance can be determined by indicia that are visible as the two members move with respect to each other. | 10-03-2013 |
20130298687 | SENSOR ARRANGEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, ON AN ANCHOR BOLT - A sensor arrangement, for example, on an anchor bolt, including at least one sensor ( | 11-14-2013 |
20140069201 | QUALITY MANAGEMENT METHOD, QUALITY MANAGEMENT GAUGE, AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT GAUGE SET FOR SCREW COMPONENT - A management torque value smaller than a specified torque value is defined beforehand, and a screw ring-form, plug management gauge ( | 03-13-2014 |
20140190267 | FASTENER TENSION MONITORING SYSTEM - The fastener tension monitoring system provides for automatic notification when a structural tensile fastener, such as a bolt, is loosened. The system incorporates piezoelectric material in the core of the fastener shank or deposited around the shank. The piezoelectric material communicates electrically with an electrical storage device, a microprocessor, and a transmitter installed on the fastener head. Vibration or other changes in the tensile force developed by the fastener result in electrical impulses being generated by the piezoelectric material, generating electrical energy that is stored in the storage device and used to operate the microprocessor. In the event that an out of tolerance condition is sensed by the microprocessor, the transmitter is activated to send a signal to that effect. A receiver and computer are provided to monitor any such signals. The piezoelectric material may include pyroelectric material as well for the generation of electrical energy due to temperature changes. | 07-10-2014 |
20140260652 | THREADED MEMBER CAPABLE OF DETECTING TENSION - A threaded member capable of detecting tension includes a sensor component. A receiving space is formed in the threaded member. The sensor component has a flexible member and a sensor. The sensor is disposed on the flexible member. The sensor component is disposed in the receiving space of the threaded member and preset in a compressed/flexed state in an axial/longitudinal direction of the threaded member. When an article is tightened with the threaded member, the threaded member is tensioned to change the flexion of the flexible member. At this time, the sensor can detect and find the tension of the threaded member to achieve the tightening force applied to the threaded member. | 09-18-2014 |
20140283617 | THREADED MEMBER CAPABLE OF DETECTING TENSION - A threaded member has an axial direction. A thread is formed on the threaded member in the axial direction. At least one receiving recess is formed on a circumferential surface of the thread of the threaded member. At least one sensor member is disposed in the receiving recess for detecting tension applied to the threaded member in the axial direction. When a tightened article is tightened by the threaded member, an extension force/tension is applied to the threaded member in the axial direction. The sensor member is positioned in adjacency to the thread of the threaded member so that the sensor member can precisely detect the extension extent of the threaded member for precisely obtaining the tightening force applied to the threaded member. | 09-25-2014 |
20140338461 | MATERIAL STRAIN MEASUREMENT METHOD BY MEANS OF LASER ABLATION - A fastener strain measurement system employs a probe incorporating a laser emitter to provide a laser beam and an acoustic detection device. A system controller is configured to detect an acoustic wave resulting from the ablation created by the laser beam and calculate fastener strain based on the detected acoustic wave. | 11-20-2014 |
20140373636 | SYNCHRONOUS PRE-TENSIONABLE SENSING SCREW WITH FIBER BRAGG GRATING DEVICES - An apparatus includes a sensing screw capable of providing synchronous both pre-drawing of fiber Bragg grating and pre-tightening of bolt with induced characteristics to detect feedback control of large scale public engineering structures or precise equipments to facilitate fabrication of precise elements to achieve more precise control and record fabrication processes. Through the sensing screw apparatus a precision system structure can be formed to meet expectation of improved product quality and comprehensive recording of complete production process and physical characteristics at important points of the production process. The invention can provide instant onsite status and accumulate data or make parameter pre-action to avoid error accumulation, thereby improve production yield or safety of large scale structures. | 12-25-2014 |
20150082896 | AXIAL FORCE TESTING DEVICE FOR SPINDLES OF MACHINES - An axial force testing device includes a spindle and a frame. Multiple mediate members are mounted to the spindle which is rotatable relative to the frame by the mediate members. A first fixing member is connected to a first end of a scale which shows the axial force. A first contact member contacts the first fixing member and is mounted to the spindle. A second fixing member is connected to a second end of the scale. A second contact member contacts the second fixing member and is mounted to the spindle. The second contact member has a first contact portion which contacts the mediate members. A locking member is locked to the spindle and presses the first contact member, the first fixing member, the scale, the second fixing member, the second contact member and the mediate members. The axial force applied to the mediate members is displayed on the scale. | 03-26-2015 |
20150292996 | BOLT TENSION GAUGING APPARATUS - A bolt tension gauging apparatus is provided with a bolt assembly including a bolt having a top cavity on a head and a recess on a surface of a threaded shank, and a covering element fitted onto the recess; an electrical resonant transformer on a bottom of the covering member; and a force transducer and transmitter assembly in the recess and electrically connected to the transformer. An electrical resonant transformation device causes the transformer to harvest power from radio frequency electromagnetic waves if a distance between the transformation device and the transformer is sufficiently short. The force transducer and transmitter assembly gauges tension of the bolt and converts same into a signal. The signal is transmitted to a controller and display device for calculating a difference between a predetermined tension and the gauged tension. An alert is generated if the gauged tension is greater than the predetermined tension. | 10-15-2015 |
20150323402 | FASTENER STRETCH MEASUREMENT FIXTURE - Fixtures and methods are described herein to measure fastener stretch after fastener application. The measurement fixtures may include fastener contacting portions having contact plates that may move orbitally about a measurement shaft to allow contact plates to abut against non-parallel end surfaces of a fastener. The fixtures may also include datum assemblies that have datum plate mounted in fixed relation to the contacting portions that allow for measurements to be made between the datum plates. Adjustable dials may be included to transfer rotational movement of the dial to translation movement of the contacting portions. Measurement fixtures may further include a frame and mounting portions. | 11-12-2015 |
20160033344 | STRUCTURAL SHEAR LOAD SENSING PIN - A shear load sensing pin comprising a pin housing having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a strain sensing element disposed in the bore and extending around a complete circumference of an inside wall of the pin surrounding the bore. The strain sensing element extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pin, so that shear loads can be measured from changes in resistance of the strain sensing element. The strain sensing element can be formed of one or several wires that are wrapped around the circumference of the inside wall of the pin. | 02-04-2016 |
20160138986 | A METHOD OF MEASURING ELONGATION OF A FASTENER WITH ULTRASOUND, PERFORMED BY A POWER TOOL, AND A POWER TOOL - The invention relates to a method of measuring elongation of a fastener by means of minimum peak side lobe (MPS) coded ultrasonic signals, and a power tool configured to performing the method. MPS coded signals with different base frequencies are transmitted into the fastener and a corresponding set of reflected signals are received from the fastener. Each reflected signal is cross-correlated with the corresponding transmitted signal, and a quality attribute of each transmitted signal is determined from the cross-correlated signals. Based on the quality attributes at least one parameter of an ultrasonic measurement signal is determined and the measurement is performed by transmitting the ultrasonic measurement signal into the fastener, and receiving a reflected ultrasonic measurement signal. | 05-19-2016 |
20220136917 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMPONENT WEAR MONITORING - A monitoring system includes a fastener. A sensor is coupled to the fastener. A circuit board is electrically coupled to the sensor. An antenna electrically coupled to the circuit board. | 05-05-2022 |