Load sensing system including RFID tagged fasteners

• Main Authors: POTHIER STEPHEN G, SMITH J. DOUGLAS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.08.2008
• Subjects: BLASTING; DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS ORMACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS,CLIPS, WEDGES, JOINTS OR JOINTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MEASURING; MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER,MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PHYSICS; TESTING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A fastener or other structural component for wireless sensing of applied tensile load. The fastener includes an elongate body with a bore that extends within the body. A grounding pin is positioned within the bore and attached to the body within the bore. The fastener includes a wireless transponder, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder or tag, that is mounted on a head provided at the end of the body and exposed to the bore, such as by positioning the RFID tag in a recessed surface of the head or extending the bore through the head. The transponder generates a response signal with a unique identifier in response to a radio frequency signal from a transmitter. The grounding pin contacts and grounds the transponder to block transmittal of the response signal when a tensile load applied to the fastener is less than a minimum tensile load value.