Belt monitoring systems and methods
View Patent ↗A belt monitoring system employs a belt having at least one reinforcement member made from a conductive reinforcement material. A belt monitor is disposed in conjunction with the belt. The belt monitor comprises a field inductor excited by an applied signal. An electrical characteristic of at least a portion of the field inductor as influenced by changes in the electrical properties of the conductive reinforcement member is monitored in order to determine a physical condition of the conductive reinforcement member and thereby monitor a physical characteristic of the belt. This monitoring may be carried out by a sense inductor disposed adjacent or in conjunction with the field inductor.
1. A system comprising:
a belt having at least one reinforcement member comprising a conductive reinforcement material;
a belt monitor disposed in conjunction with said belt, said belt monitor comprising a field inductor excited by an applied signal; and
means for monitoring an electrical characteristic of at least a portion of said field inductor as influenced by changes in the electrical properties of said conductive reinforcement member in order to determine a physical condition of said conductive reinforcement member and thereby monitor a physical characteristic of said belt, said means for monitoring comprises a sense inductor disposed adjacent to said field inductor; and
said electrical characteristic of said field inductor is an impedance of said field inductor as manifested in said sense inductor.
2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said conductive reinforcement material comprises carbon fiber belt reinforcement.
3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said conductive reinforcement material is woven with a non-conductive reinforcement material.
4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said conductive reinforcement material is disposed integral to said belt.
5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said conductive reinforcement material is disposed on a least a portion of the exterior of said belt.
6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said conductive reinforcement material is disposed integral to a tooth on said belt.
7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said reinforcement member is disposed longitudinally along at least a portion of said belt.
8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said reinforcement member is disposed transversely across at least a portion of said belt.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said field inductor comprises a conductive wire and a ferrite core.
10. The system according to claim 1 wherein said field inductor generates an electromagnetic field as a result of application of said applied signal.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein said field inductor and said sense inductor share a common core.
12. The system according to claim 1 wherein a second electrical characteristic of said field inductor is the phase difference between voltage and current flowing in said field inductor.
13. The system according to claim 1 wherein a second electrical characteristic of said field inductor is the magnitude of magnetic flux in said field inductor.
14. The system according to claim 1 wherein a second electrical characteristic of said field inductor is the change in waveform symmetry of the voltage in said field inductor.
15. The system according to claim 1 wherein a second electrical characteristic of said field inductor is the magnitude of current flowing in said field inductor.
16. The system according to claim 1 wherein said applied signal is a voltage signal.
17. The system according to claim 1 wherein said belt is from the group consisting of a timing belt, an accessory drive belt, a carbon continuously variable transmission belt, a carbon v-belt, a fan belt, a carbon thermoplastic polyurethane belt, long length belting, a static machine belt, and a conveyor belt.