Conveyor belt system with integrated sensor and method of using same

1. A conveyor belt system comprising:

a conveyor belt; and

a sensor assembly integrated in the conveyor belt;

wherein the conveyor belt comprises a plurality of wickets, and a plurality of interconnecting rods about which the wickets hinge, at least one of said plurality of wickets being configured to mount said sensor assembly therein;

wherein the sensor assembly comprises a load-bearing member, a sensor fitted in the load-bearing member, and an RFID device connected to the sensor, the load-bearing member being coupled to two adjacent rods such that a belt tension is sustained between the adjacent rods.

2. The conveyor belt system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt is a metallic conveyor belt.

3. The conveyor belt system of claim 1 , wherein the RFID device is a passive RFID device.

4. The conveyor belt system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a strain-measuring sensor.

5. The conveyor belt system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor further comprises a temperature-measuring sensor.

6. A sensor assembly for use in a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of wickets and a plurality of interconnecting rods about which the wickets hinge, the sensor assembly comprising:

a load-bearing member;

a sensor fitted in the load-bearing member; and

an RFID device connected to the sensor,

wherein the load-bearing member is coupled to two adjacent rods of the conveyor belt such that a belt tension is sustained between the adjacent rods.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the sensor further comprises a temperature-measuring sensor.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to be integrated in a conveyor belt that is metallic.

9. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the RFID device is a passive RFID device.

10. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the sensor comprises a strain-measuring sensor.

11. The sensor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the sensor further comprises a temperature-measuring sensor.

12. A method of using a conveyor belt system, the conveyor belt system comprising a conveyor belt, and a sensor assembly integrated in the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of wickets, and a plurality of interconnecting rods about which the wickets hinge, the sensor assembly comprising a load-bearing member and a sensor fitted in the load-bearing member, and the load-bearing member being coupled to two adjacent rods such that a belt tension is sustained between the adjacent rods,

the method comprising:

pinging the sensor assembly using a reader with an antenna positioned on a conveyor frame;

collecting a signal from the sensor assembly using the reader; and

processing the collected data to determine a history of belt tension and to estimate overall belt elongation.

13. The method of using a conveyor belt system of claim 12 , wherein the conveyor belt is metallic.

14. The method of using a conveyor belt system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor assembly further comprises an RFID device connected to the sensor, and the step of pinging the sensor comprises pinging the RFID device.

15. The method of using a conveyor belt system of claim 14 , wherein the RFID device is a passive RFID device.

16. In a conveyor belt system comprising a conveyor belt including a plurality of wickets, and a plurality of interconnecting rods about which the wickets hinge, the improvement comprising:

at least one of said plurality of wickets being configured to mount a sensor assembly therein;

the sensor assembly comprising a load-bearing member, a sensor fitted in the load-bearing member, and an RFID device connected to the sensor.