Abstract:
A stress composite sensor has a plurality of sensor elements each including a base plate and a stress sensor disposed thereon for delivering stress signals indicating stress in one direction alone. The sensor elements have the base plates fixed together in a common plane to form a sensor segment wherein the stress sensors are provided at intervals to provide signals indicating stress in the one direction. The stress sensors optionally each include strain gauges and in an embodiment include four strain gauges. The sensor elements are arranged in rows in an embodiment and are optionally integrally fixed together.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/274,532 filed Oct. 18, 2002, now allowed, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/561,067 filed Apr. 28, 2000, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,178, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/031,857, filed Feb. 27, 1998, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,115 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/524,858, filed Sep. 17, 1995, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,792. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a stress composite sensor and a stress measuring device using the same for a structure, for measuring stresses, such as shearing stresses, or shearing strains, produced in a structure such as an automobile, airplane, railroad vehicle, crane, robot or the like.  
         [0003]     Methods for measuring stresses, such as shearing stresses, or shearing strains, produced in a structure such as an automobile, airplane, railroad vehicle, crane, robot or the like, include the photoelasticity method, brittle coating method, acoustic method, holographic method and strain gauge method, of which generally the strain gauge method has been used most frequently.  
         [0004]     Such mechanical quantity sensors are various in kind and easy to handle, but when used for measuring stresses, they have to be equipped with transducers. Further, in the strain gauge method, the strain gauge is subjected to stresses-in every direction and hence analysis is required.  
         [0005]     Further, a stress sensor comprising a conventional mechanical quantity sensor such as a strain gauge, when singly used on a structure, receives greater amounts of other stresses than the main stress depending upon the position where it is attached; thus, a plurality of stress sensors have to be used and such stress sensor has to be attached to the neutral point where other stresses than the main stress are not transmitted or reduced, making it necessary to find the neutral point possessed by the structure and to attach a stress sensor to the neutral point accurately.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     With the above in mind, the present invention provides an arrangement wherein instead of singly using stress sensors (mechanical quantity sensors) comprising strain gauges, a plurality of stress sensors are composited or integrated to provide an integral stress composite sensor, which is mounted on a structure such as an automobile whose stresses are to be measured, and X-, Y- and Z-axis direction stress signals obtained from the single-packaged stress composite sensor are selectively used to measure stresses.  
         [0007]     The present invention includes a plurality of stress sensors or a plurality of rows of stress sensors comprising strain gauges are integrated by being fixed on the same plane of a base plate at intervals, so that each stress sensor delivers stress signals in one direction alone or a selected stress sensor delivers stress signals in one direction alone.  
         [0008]     The present invention provides stress sensors comprising strain gauges fixed on the individual surfaces of base plates placed in two mutually orthogonal planes and thereby integrated to provide a sensor segment, a plurality of such sensor segments or a plurality of rows of such sensor segments being connected together or superposed and connected together to form an integral body, so that each sensor segment delivers stress signals in two directions or a selected sensor segment delivers stress signals in two directions.  
         [0009]     The present invention also provides stress sensors comprising strain gauges fixed on the individual surfaces of base plates placed in three mutually orthogonal planes and thereby integrated to provide a sensor segment, a plurality of such sensor segments or a plurality of rows of such sensor segments being connected together or superposed and connected together to form an integral body, so that each sensor segment delivers stress signals in three directions or in selected directions or a selected sensor segment delivers stress signals in three directions.  
         [0010]     The present invention further provides a signal processing circuit such as a bridge circuit of strain gauges or an amplifying circuit integrally formed on the same base plate as that of a stress composite sensor as described above.  
         [0011]     The present invention still further provides for a hole formed in the stress concentration region of a structure whose stresses are to be measured and a stress composite sensor being selectively installed, so that X-axis, X- and Z-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis direction shearing strains produced in the structure are selectively measured corresponding to the selected stress composite sensor.  
         [0012]     The present invention additionally provides a stress measuring device for a structure described above, when shearing strains produced in the structure are to be sensed, at least one or more necessary sensors or sensor segments of the stress composite sensor being sorted for stress measurement.  
         [0013]     The present invention yet further provides a stress composite sensor as described being selectively installed in a hole formed in the stress concentration region of a structure whose stresses are to be measured, thereby making it possible to measure stresses in a particular direction or summed stress signals from a plurality of sorted sensor segments by means of sorted stress signals in the X- and Y- axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions of the structure.  
         [0014]     The present invention further still provides a stress composite sensor as described above being installed in a hole formed in the stress concentration region of a structure whose stresses are to be measured, and the stress sensors in a plurality of selected sensor segments alone in the X-axis, X- and Y-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions of the structure are employed for sensing and their stress signals are separated according to the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions, such separated stress signals being respectively added together to provide stress signals which are subjected to comparative computation for stress measurement.  
         [0015]     The present invention also provides in a stress measuring device for a structure described above, when a necessary sensor segment is sorted for stress measurement, a plurality of stress signals of the sensor segments along a stress layer having relatively little mixing of other stresses produced in the structure being derived and combined for stress measurement.  
         [0016]     The present invention also provides in a stress measuring device for a structure described above, stresses in the X- and Z-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions being sorted to measure stresses in the necessary directions, the resulting stress signals being used as control parameters.  
         [0017]     According to the invention stress sensors or a plurality of rows of stress sensors comprising strain gauges are integrated by being fixed on the same base plate, whereby each stress sensor in the single package delivers signals in one direction alone or a selected stress sensor delivers stress signals in one direction alone, and hence stresses iri one direction can be measured.  
         [0018]     According to the present invention, stress sensors comprising strain gauges are fixed on the individual surfaces of base plates placed in two mutually orthogonal planes and thereby integrated to provide a sensor segment, a plurality of such sensor segments or a plurality of rows of such sensor segments being connected together or superposed and connected together to form an integral body, so that each sensor segment in a single package delivers stress signals in two directions or a selected sensor segment delivers stress signals in two directions alone and hence stresses in two directions can be measured.  
         [0019]     According to the present invention, stress sensors comprising strain gauges are fixed on the individual axis surfaces of base plates placed in three mutually orthogonal planes and thereby integrated to provide a sensor segment, a plurality of such sensor segments or a plurality of rows of such sensor segments being connected together or superposed and connected together to form an integral body, so that each sensor segment in a single package delivers stress signals in three directions or a selected sensor segment delivers stress signals in three directions. Thus, stresses in three directions can be measured.  
         [0020]     According to the present invention, a signal processing circuit such as a bridge circuit of strain gauges or an amplifying circuit is integrally formed on the base plate for the stress sensor or sensor segment; thus, the measuring function can be improved to increase reliability.  
         [0021]     According to the present invention, a single-packaged stress composite sensor described in Claims  1  through  4  is selectively installed in a hole formed in the stress concentration region of a structure, whereby X-axis, X- and Z-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis direction shearing strains produced in the structure or 1-, 2- or 3-direction stresses corresponding to the selected stress composite sensor can be selected and measured.  
         [0022]     According to the present invention as described above, when shearing strains produced in a structure are to be sensed, at least one or more necessary sensors or sensor segments of the stress composite sensor are sorted for stress measurement, whereby stresses in any desired direction and an amount of change in said stresses can be derived and accurately measured.  
         [0023]     According to the present invention as described above, a stress composite sensor capable of measuring stresses in a single direction or a plurality of directions is selectively installed in a hole formed in the stress concentration region of a structure, whereby stresses in a particular direction or summed stress signals from a plurality of sorted sensor segments can be derived by means of sorted stress signals in the X-axis, X- and Z-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions of the structure and thus stresses can be measured.  
         [0024]     According to the present invention as described above, a stress composite sensor capable of measuring stresses in a single direction or a plurality of directions is installed in a hole formed in the stress concentration region of a structure, and a plurality of selected sensor segments alone in the X-axis, X- and Y-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions are employed for sensing and their stress signals are separated according to the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions, such separated stress signals being respectively added together for comparative computation of the resulting stress signals so as to measure stresses with increased accuracy.  
         [0025]     According to the present invention as described above, in a stress measuring device for a structure described above, when necessary sensor segments are sorted for stress measurement, a plurality of stress signals of the sensor segment along a stress layer having relatively little mixing of other stresses produced in the structure are derived and combined for stress measurement: thus, stresses not influenced by cross talk are easily measured.  
         [0026]     According to the present invention as described above, in a stress measuring device for a structure described above, stresses in the X- and Z-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions are sorted to measure stresses in the necessary directions, the resulting stress signals being used as control parameters; thus, it is possible to construct a highly reliable control system adapted to accurately derive stresses in necessary directions alone. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a 1-direction sensor segment;  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a 1-direction stress composite sensor;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a 2-direction sensor segment;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a 2-direction stress composite sensor;  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a laminated 2-direction stress c-omposite sensor;  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a 3-direction sensor segment;  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a 3-direction stress composite sensor;  
         [0034]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a laminated 3-direction stress composite sensor;  
         [0035]      FIG. 9  is a view showing an example of signal processing circuit using 1-direction sensor elements;  
         [0036]      FIG. 10  is a view showing an example of signal processing circuit using two rows of sensor segments connected together;  
         [0037]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing an example in which a 1-direction stress composite sensor is installed in a hole in an axle of a vehicle;  
         [0038]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of the region where the stress composite sensor is installed in  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 13  is a view showing a disk type 1-direction stress composite sensor installed in a hole in an axle of a vehicle;  
         [0040]      FIG. 14  is a view showing a plurality of 1-direction stress composite sensors installed in the same hole in an axle of a vehicle;  
         [0041]      FIG. 15  is a view showing a 2-direction stress composite sensor installed in a hole in an axle;  
         [0042]      FIG. 16  is a view showing a 1-direction and 2-direction stress composite sensors installed in the same hole in an axle of a vehicle;  
         [0043]      FIG. 17  is a view showing a 3-direction stress composite sensor installed in a hole in an axle;  
         [0044]      FIG. 18  is a view showing a 2-direction stress composite sensor installed in an angular hole in an axle; and  
         [0045]      FIG. 19  is a view showing a stress composite sensor installed in a hole in an axle and fixed in position by a filler. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0046]     What is shown herein is an example of preferred mode of embodiment and the scope of the present invention is not limited by embodiments shown herein.  
         [0047]     The present invention will now be described with reference to illustrated embodiments showing examples of a stress measuring device applied to a vehicle, particularly an automobile.  
         [0048]      FIG. 1  shows an example of the basic arrangement of a 1 direction stress composite sensor, wherein strain gauges a, b, c, d formed of metal resistance foil are fixed, in pairs with the two in each pair crossing each other, on the opposite surfaces of a base plate  1  made of a plastic material such as epoxy resin, metal or silicon material so as to form a stress sensor S, which is a sensor element, a plurality of such sensor elements being integrally connected together on the same plane to form a sensor segment g; each stress sensor S is used to measure stresses in one direction or a selected sensor segment is used to measure stresses in one direction.  
         [0049]     In  FIG. 2 , a plurality of rows of sensor segments g as shown in  FIG. 1  are prepared and signal processing circuits G such as bridge circuits and amplifying circuits are integrally formed on a common base plate  1 ′ into a single package to provide a stress composite sensor P′, so that each stress sensor S in the sensor segments g or the stress sensors S in selected sensor segments g alone are used to measure stresses in one direction.  
         [0050]      FIG. 3  shows an example of the basic arrangement of a 2-direction stress composite sensor, wherein sensor elements e 1  and e 2  which have stress sensors S fixed thereto and which are integrally connected together at right angles to form a sensor segment g′, so that stresses in two directions, X- and Z-axis directions, can be measured.  
         [0051]     In  FIG. 4 , a plurality of the sensor segments g′ (in 4 lateral rows and 3 longitudinal rows) shown in  FIG. 3  are integrally connected together to form a 2-direction stress composite sensor P″, so that stresses in two directions can be measured by each sensor element a in the sensor segments in the X- and Z-axis directions or by the stress sensors S in selected sensor elements e.  
         [0052]     In  FIG. 5 , 2-direction stress composite sensors P″ shown in  FIG. 4  are laminated in multilayer (in two layers) and connected together, whereby 2-direction stress composite sensors are formed into a single package.  
         [0053]      FIG. 6  shows an example of the basic arrangement of a 3 direction stress composite sensor, three sensor elements having stress sensors S fixed on base plates  1  are integrally connected in the three directions of the X-, Y- and Z-axes to form a sensor segment g″ so that individual stresses are measured by the individual stress sensors S, whereby stresses in three directions can be measured.  
         [0054]     In  FIG. 7 , a plurality of sensor segments g″ (in 4 lateral rows and 3 longitudinal rows) as shown in  FIG. 6  are integrally connected together to form a 3=direction stress composite sensor P′″, so that stresses in three directions can be measured by each sensor element in the sensor segments in the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions or by the stress sensors in selected sensor elements e.  
         [0055]     In  FIG. 8 , 3-direction stress composite sensors P′″ shown in  FIG. 7  are laminated in multilayer (in two layers) and connected together, are formed into a single packaged 3 direction stress composite sensor LP.  
         [0056]     The aforesaid 2-direction sensor segment g′, 2-direction stress composite sensor P″, 3-direction sensor segment g″ and 3-direction stress composite sensor P″ is producible by semiconductor process or made of ceramic or other material, and a signal processing circuit G such as a bridge circuit or amplifying circuit for the stress sensor S is optionally integrally formed on the same base plate such as a metal base or semiconductor base into a single package, in the same manner with that shown in  FIG. 2 . Further, in the case where a signal processing circuit is to be integrally formed on the base plate  1  of the sensor segment g shown in  FIG. 2 , the strain gauges a, b, c, d in each sensor element e together with adjusting resistors r, as shown in  FIG. 9 , constitute bridge circuits, which are connected to arithmetic circuits A and B through amplifying circuits AP to form a logic circuit L 1 , the respective outputs from the logic circuits L 1 -L 3  being connected to arithmetic circuits C and C′ so as to derive stress signals.  
         [0057]      FIG. 10  shows an example of the arrangement of a signal processing circuit comprising for a 1-direction stress composite sensor comprising two rows of sensor segments g connected together. A signal processing circuit for 2- and 3-direction stress composite sensors can be formed by applying the same idea of forming said signal processing circuit for 1-direction stress composite sensor.  
         [0058]     In addition, strain gauges for the stress sensor S have been shown as using metal resistance wire strain gauges, but the invention is not limited thereto and strain gauges based on piezoelectric effect, strain gauges based on crystalline structure, and semiconductor strain gauges are optionally used.  
         [0059]      FIG. 11  shows an example of the stress measuring device of the present invention applied to an automobile (structure) K, wherein a hole  3  is formed in an axle  2  in the X-axis direction which is the direction of travel of the vehicle and a stress composite sensor P* capable of measuring stresses in one direction alone or two or three directions is selectively mounted in said hole, thereby constituting the stress measuring device. In this case, the friction force F can be measured in the X-axis direction which is the direction of travel of the vehicle, the transverse force can be measured in the Y-axis direction which is the transverse direction, and the vertical reaction (vertical load) N can be measured in the Z-axis direction which is the vertical direction.  
         [0060]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of stress measuring means comprising a stress composite sensor P 1  installed in a hole  3  in an axle  2  for measuring stresses in one direction alone, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the stress composite sensor P 1  being embedded with the longitudinal edge of its base plate  1  brought into contact with the peripheral wall of the hole  3 . If necessary, a filler may be charged into the empty space to provide a waterproof construction.  
         [0061]     In this stress measuring device, each stress sensor S of a plurality of rows of equispaced coplanar sensor segments g effects sensing corresponding to shearing strains in the Xaxis direction alone produced in the axle  2  to deliver a stress signal; thus, the friction force F can be measured.  
         [0062]     Further, as shown in  FIG. 13 , a 1-direction stress composite sensor P may be made in the form of a disk and if it is installed in a hole  3  in an axle at right angles with the X-axis direction, it delivers a stress signal in the vertical direction alone to make it possible to measure the vertical load N.  
         [0063]      FIG. 14  shows an example of a stress measuring device comprising three 1-direction stress composite sensors P 1 , P 2  and P 3  installed at intervals in a hole  3  in an axle  2 . In this case, the main sensor P 1  and sub-sensors P 2  and P 3  effect sensing in the X-axis direction alone corresponding to shearing strains formed in axle  2  to deliver stress signals, of which 1-direction stress signals optimum for use as brake control parameters are selected to measure the friction force F.  
         [0064]     If the 2-direction stress composite sensor P shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is installed in the hole  3  in the axle  2  to constitute a stress measuring device, the stress sensors S of many sensor elements effect sensing to deliver stress signals corresponding to shearing strains produced in two directions, the X- and Z-axis directions, in the axle  2 , and selected out of said stress signals are those stress signals in the X- and Z-axis directions which are optimum for use as brake control parameters to enable measurement of the friction force F and vertical load N, and the road surface friction coefficient μ can be easily obtained by arithmetically processing their output values.  
         [0065]     If the 3-direction stress composite sensor P′″ shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  is installed in the hole  3  in the axle  2  to constitute a stress measuring device, the stress sensors S of many sensor elements effect sensing to deliver stress signals corresponding to shearing strains produced in three directions, the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions, in the axle  2 , and selected out of said stress signals are those stress signals in the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions which are optimum for use as brake control parameters to enable measurement of the friction force F, vertical load N and transverse force. Furthermore, stresses in particular directions can be measured, namely their directions and values can be measured by sorted stress signals in the X and Y-axis or X-, Y- and Z-axis directions, and the optimum road surface friction coefficient μ can be easily obtained by arithmetically processing the selected friction force F and vertical load N.  
         [0066]     In the case where the 1-, 2- or 3-direction stress composite sensor P is selected to constitute a stress measuring device, the 2-direction stress composite sensor P 2 , as shown in  FIG. 15 , may be installed in the hole  3  in the axle to selectively measure stress signals in the X- or Z-axis direction, or as shown in  FIG. 16 , the 1- and 2-direction stress composite sensors P 1  and P 2  may be installed in the hole  3  in the axle with a distance therebetween so that the 1-direction stress composite sensor P 1  is used to measure the friction force F which is associated with stress signals in the X-axis direction alone, while the 2-direction stress composite sensor P 2  is used to measure the load surface friction coefficient Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 17 , a 3-direction stress composite sensor P 3  may be installed in the hole  3  in the axle to separately or selectively use all or some of the stress signals in the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions so as to measure all or some of the friction force F, vertical load N and transverse force. Thus, 1-, 2- and 3-direction stress composite sensors P 1 , p 2  and P 3  may be used singly or in combination to constitute stress measuring means for obtaining stress signals. Stress composite sensors each obtained by forming into a single package a plurality of stress sensors capable of measuring stresses in one direction or a plurality of directions may be used singly or in combination to effect sensing by stress sensors of a plurality of selected sensor segments alone in the X-axis, X- and Y-axis and X-, Y- and Z-axis directions of the structure, the resulting stress signals being separated according to the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions, and the separated stress signals are respectively added to provide addition stress signals which are then used for comparative computation.  
         [0067]     In addition, the hole  3  in the axle may not necessarily be circular; it may be polygonal as shown in  FIG. 18 , in which case the contact between the stress composite sensor and the peripheral wall of the polygonal hole becomes more intimate, facilitating transfer of shearing strains produced in the axle to the stress composite sensor, ensuring accurate measurement of stresses.  
         [0068]     In addition, in the case where a stress composite sensor P is formed into a small-sized single package, as shown in  FIG. 19 , the stress composite sensor P is inserted in the hole  3  in the axle and fixed therein by charging filler H such as epoxy resin into the empty space, thus constituting a waterproof stress measuring device. Further, a hole  3  of different shape may be formed and a stress composite sensor P may be embedded in said hole in any desired posture to make it possible to measure stresses in a selected direction.  
         [0069]     Embodiments in which the stress composite sensor of the present invention is embedded in an axle of a vehicle have been described so far; however, the same functions and effects can be obtained when it is embedded in a strut portion of a vehicle. Further, the invention is not limited to vehicles and is applicable to other structures.  
         [0070]     According to the present invention, a stress composite sensor for measuring 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional stress directions and stress values can be realized by a single sensor, and when this stress composite sensor is embedded in a structure where 2-dimensionally or 3-dimensionally complicated stresses occur, necessary stress directions and stress values can be measured.  
         [0071]     Particularly, if the stress composite sensor according to the invention is applied to an axle where 3-dimensionally complicated stresses occur, it is possible to measure selected stresses not influenced by cross talks; thus, a highly safe brake control system can be provided.