The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 31, 1999
Filed:
May. 09, 1997
Arthur D Hay, Cheshire, CT (US);
CiDra Corporation, Wallingford, CT (US);
Abstract
The present invention features an apparatus that provides an indication of tensioning strain when it is tensioned with respect to a workpiece, comprising either a bolt, stud or fastener together with an embedded fiber optic Bragg Grating sensor. For example, the bolt has a head at one end, threads at the other end and a central bore with a bore wall drilled into at least one end thereof. The bolt responds to a tensioning force applied on the head of the bolt, for providing a tensioning strain force applied inwardly on the wall of the central bore. The fiber optic Bragg Grating sensor is arranged inside the central bore of the bolt and bonded, for example by epoxy, to the central bore wall. The fiber optic Bragg Grating sensor responds to the tensioning strain force, and further responds to a light signal, for providing a fiber optic Bragg Grating sensor light signal containing information about a sensed tensioning strain force on the bolt when the threads are tensioned to the workpiece.