IP Library Granted Patent US 9,182,300
Granted Patent B2
US 9,182,300 · App. 13/648,644 · Granted Nov 10, 2015

Method and system for measuring belt tension

Inventors: Jeremy Themm (Schoolcraft, MI); William W. Wittliff, III (Gobles, MI); Reed Selkirk (Kalamazoo, MI); Kevin Gray (Kalamazoo, MI)
Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc.
G01L1/00G01L1/10G01L1/103G01H1/00G01H3/00G01H9/00G01H11/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,182,300
App. No.
13/648,644
Granted
Nov 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measuring system including a sensor positioned to a belt to measure an oscillation or vibration of the belt based at least in part on a trigger threshold. Also, the measuring system may include a diagnostic tool coupled the sensor to receive a plurality of measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt, wherein the diagnostic tool may determine a tension of the belt based at least in part on an average of the plurality of measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt.

Claims (26)

1. A measuring system, comprising:

a sensor positioned near a belt to measure an oscillation or vibration of the belt based at least in part on a trigger threshold, wherein the sensor measures at a random sampling rate; and

a diagnostic tool coupled the sensor to receive a plurality of the measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt, wherein the diagnostic tool determines a tension of the belt based at least in part on an average of the plurality of measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt and measures an environment of the sensor, and wherein the diagnostic tool retrieves a belt specification, and the trigger threshold is automatically determined by the diagnostic tool based on the measured environment of the sensor.

2. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

3. The measuring system of claim 2 , wherein the optical sensor comprises at least one of an invisible infrared beam device, a LED beam device, a light receiver, a photo detector, or a photo transistor.

4. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an acoustic sensor and the acoustic sensor is a microphone.

5. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an inductive sensor and the inductive sensor is an electromagnetic device to generate a magnetic field.

6. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger threshold is a trigger threshold amplitude of frequency.

7. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger threshold is a trigger threshold amplitude of wavelength.

8. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger threshold is a trigger threshold amplitude of magnetic field.

9. The measuring system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic tool receives an output signal comprising information associated with the measurement of the oscillation or vibration of the belt.

10. The measuring system of claim 9 , wherein the output signal is an optical output signal.

11. The measuring system of claim 9 , wherein the output signal is an electrical output signal.

12. A method, comprising:

measuring, via a sensor positioned near a belt, an oscillation or vibration of the belt based at least in part on a trigger threshold, wherein the measuring is at a random sampling rate;

retrieving, via a processor of a diagnostic tool, a specification of the belt;

measuring an environment of the sensor; and

receiving, via the diagnostic tool coupled the sensor, a plurality of the measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt, wherein the diagnostic tool determines a tension of the belt based at least in part on an average of the plurality of measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt, wherein the trigger threshold is automatically determined by the diagnostic tool based on the measured environment of the sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is at least one of an optical sensor, an acoustic sensor and an inductive sensor.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the trigger threshold is a trigger threshold amplitude of frequency.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the trigger threshold is a trigger threshold amplitude of wavelength.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the trigger threshold is a trigger threshold amplitude of magnetic field.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving a plurality of measurements comprises receiving an output signal comprising information associated with the measurement of the oscillation or vibration of the belt.

18. A measuring system, comprising:

means for measuring positioned to measure an oscillation or vibration of a belt based at least in part on a trigger threshold, wherein the means for measuring measures at a random sampling rate; and

means for processing coupled the means for measuring to receive a plurality of measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt, wherein the means for processing determines a tension of the belt based at least in part on an average of the plurality of measurements of the oscillation or vibration of the belt and measures an environment of the means for measuring, and wherein the means for processing retrieves a belt specification, and the trigger threshold is automatically determined by the means for processing based on the measured environment of the means for measuring.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 21, 2015
From: BOSCH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE SOLUTIONS LLC
To: BOSCH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 036613/0224 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 21, 2015
From: SERVICE SOLUTIONS U.S. LLC
To: BOSCH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 036642/0725 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2012
From: THEMM, JEREMY; WITTLIFF, WILLIAM W., III; SELKIRK, REED; GRAY, KEVIN
To: SERVICE SOLUTIONS U.S. LLC
Reel/Frame 029105/0552 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140096608A1 · Apr 10, 2014