Connecting Component, Combination of Connecting Components, Monitoring System and Manufacturing Method

Abstract

A connecting component includes a connecting component body, a sensor which is configured to convert a value of a sensor measured variable acting on the sensor into an electrical output variable, and a radio interface which is configured to communicate with a communication device by a radio signal on a basis of the electrical output variable. The sensor is configured to convert the value of the sensor measured variable into the electrical output variable in accordance with a continuous switching stage characteristic having a sensor measured variable threshold value.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A connecting component, comprising: a connecting component body; at least one sensor which is configured to convert a value of a sensor measured variable acting on the sensor into an electrical output variable; and a radio interface which is configured to communicate with a communication device by a radio signal on a basis of the electrical output variable; wherein the sensor is configured to convert the value of the sensor measured variable into the electrical output variable in accordance with a continuous switching stage characteristic having a sensor measured variable threshold value.

17. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the electrical output variable is an electrical resistance value, an electrical capacitance value, or an electrical inductance value.

18. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to convert a force acting on the connecting component and/or a force acting in the connecting component and/or a pressure, as the sensor measured variable, into the electrical output variable.

19. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor measured variable threshold value is chosen such that a proper use of the connecting component and/or of a component to be monitored is accompanied by the sensor measured variable either always exceeding or always being below the sensor measured variable threshold value.

20. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor is completely or at least partially embedded in the connecting component body.

21. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting component body is configured to limit the value of the sensor measured variable acting on the sensor to a minimum value and/or a maximum value.

22. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises a conductive polymer and/or an elastically deformable polymer.

23. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radio interface is an RFID tag or has an RFID tag or is a passive radio interface.

24. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor forms the radio interface or comprises a part of the radio interface.

25. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting component body is a bolt or is an anchor or is a washer or has a bolt or has an anchor or has a washer.

26. The connecting component as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting component has at least two sensors which are each configured to convert a value of a sensor measured variable acting on the respective sensor into an electrical output variable.

27. An apparatus, comprising: a first connecting component as claimed in claim 16; and a second connecting component as claimed in claim 16; wherein the sensor measured variable threshold value of the first connecting component differs from the sensor measured variable threshold value of the second connecting component.

28. A monitoring system, comprising: the connecting component as claimed in claim 16; and a communication device which is configured to communicate with the radio interface of the connecting component.

29. The monitoring system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the communication device or at least a part of the communication device is disposed on a mobile mode of transport or in the mobile mode of transport and wherein the mobile mode of transport is a vehicle or a flying object.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a connecting component in a plan view;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the connecting component;

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a basic circuit diagram of the connecting component;

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a graph of a characteristic curve for a sensor;

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a monitoring system; and

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for a manufacturing method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] To facilitate understanding, the same reference signs are used below for elements that are functionally equivalent.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a connecting component 10 in a plan view. The connecting component 10 has a connecting component body 12 in the form of a washer and a casing 14.

[0045] A sectional view of the connecting component 10 corresponding to the section line II is shown in FIG. 2.

[0046] The sectional view reveals that the connecting component body 12 is formed from two connecting component layers. A sensor 16 is arranged between these connecting component layers.

[0047] The sensor 16 is in the form of a pressure sensor. For this purpose, it is set up to convert a compressive force F acting on the connecting component 10, as sensor measured variable, into an electrical resistance value as electrical output variable. For this purpose, the sensor 16 has a sensor material consisting of an elastically deformable and electrically conductive polymer. The polymer is doped with a doping material, in particular with nanoparticles.

[0048] Depending on the acting compressive force F, the connecting component body 12 and thus also the sensor 16 are therefore pressed together. A stiff travel limiting element 18, which can be part of the connecting component body 12, limits the maximum possible compression of the sensor 16. The travel limiting element can therefore protect the sensor 16 from being overloaded by an excessively high compressive force F.

[0049] Electrodes 20 electrically connect the sensor 16 to a radio interface 22. The radio interface 22 is arranged in the casing 14. In order to allow the radio interface 22 to communicate with the surroundings, the casing 14 is in nonshielding form, at least with respect to the radio technology used in the radio interface 22.

[0050] The radio interface 22 is in the form of an RFID tag. It is set up for operation in an ultra-high-frequency (UHF) frequency range.

[0051] A basic circuit diagram of the connecting component 10 (FIG. 1) is shown in FIG. 3.

[0052] The radio interface 22 has, as indicated by a dashed rectangle in FIG. 3, an inductance L1 and an electrical capacitance C1. These components L1 and C1 form a resonant circuit. A variable resistor R1, which, here, is variable on the basis of the compressive force F (FIG. 2), is integrated in the resonant circuit. The resistor R1 corresponds to the sensor 16 (FIG. 2).

[0053] The resistor R1, i.e., the sensor 16, influences the quality and the impulse response of the resonant circuit and thus of the radio interface 22.

[0054] The inductance L1 is in the form of a magnetic antenna, as a result of which it can be used to couple a radio signal and thus in particular energy into the resonant circuit and to emit a radio signal.

[0055] A further dashed rectangle in FIG. 3 shows that the variable resistor R1, i.e., the sensor 16, can form a part of the inductance L1 or the entire inductance L1. For this purpose, the inductance L1 can be formed from the sensor material. It would also be conceivable for the sensor 16 to form a part of the capacitance C1 or the entire capacitance C1.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a graph of a characteristic curve for the sensor 16 (FIG. 2) in the form of a force F/resistance value R curve. The force F/resistance value R curve exhibits a continuous trend. It has a sigmoid trend with a sensor measured variable threshold value S1. The sensor measured variable threshold value S1 corresponds to the abscissa of the inflection point of the force F/resistance value R curve. The force F/resistance value R curve exhibits a steep trend. The sensor 16 thus essentially has two states, a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state with respect to the electrical output variable. The low-resistance state corresponds to compressive forces F below the sensor measured variable threshold value S1. The high-resistance state corresponds to compressive forces F above the sensor measured variable threshold value S1. The low-resistance state can correspond to resistance values R of, for example, 10.sup.0 ohm to 1×10.sup.7 ohms. The high-resistance state can correspond to resistance values R of, for example, 2×10.sup.7 ohms to 10.sup.9 ohms. For example, the sensor measured variable threshold value 51 can have an associated resistance value R of 20 Mohms. The sensor 16 can thus function in the manner of an electrical switch. The continuous trend nevertheless results in a defined, finite and non-negligibly low resistance value R at all times and in particular for every compressive force F acting on the sensor 16.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a monitoring system 24. It is necessary to monitor the proper seating of multiple anchors 26 intended to fix different components 28. The anchors 26 are each provided with connecting components 10 in the form of washers, which correspond to the connecting components 10 described above. Some of the anchors 26 have different sizes and require individually different, defined minimum tightening torques for proper seating. The connecting components 10 assigned to each of them have different sensor measured variable threshold values S1 (FIG. 4) adapted for the respectively required minimum tightening torques. The resonant frequencies of the resonant circuits formed by the respective inductances L1 and capacitances C1 (both FIG. 3) are chosen individually as identification codes for identifying the connecting components 10 and thus their associated anchors 26.

[0058] The connecting components 10 form a combination 30 of connecting components 10.

[0059] The monitoring system 24 also has a communication device 32. This has a display unit 34. The communication device 32 is set up to communicate with all connecting components 10 located within a specific transmission and reception area, here by way of example with all connecting components shown in FIG. 5. For this purpose, it emits a first radio signal, which is received by the connecting components 10 and supplies the electronic elements of the connecting components 10 with energy. Depending on the respective electrical output variable, i.e., depending on the electrical resistance value R (FIG. 4) of the sensor 16 and thus depending on the contact force that acts on the respective connecting component 10 and depending on the sensor variable threshold value 51, the connecting components 10 then emit response radio signals. One or more of the connecting components 10 can also be set up so that no or at least no valid response radio signal is emitted in the high-resistance state. The response radio signals are in turn received and evaluated by the communication device 32; in particular, the communication device identifies the respective transmitting connecting components 10, for example by analyzing the frequency spectra of the response radio signals. The communication device 32 can also be set up to detect the absence of a response radio signal from one or more of the connecting components 10.

[0060] The communication device 32 then presents the results of the evaluation on the display unit 34. In the example according to FIG. 5, the presentation in this regard shows that three of the four connecting components 10 are seated properly, but one is not.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for a manufacturing method 100 for manufacturing a connecting component 10 corresponding to the connecting components described above (FIG. 1). The manufacturing method 100 is explained in more detail by way of example with reference to the previously described connecting component 10 embodied in the form of a washer. The reference signs used hitherto continue to be used below to facilitate understanding.

[0062] In a first step 110 a setpoint value for the sensor measured variable of the sensor 16 is stipulated. The setpoint value defined in this exemplary embodiment, in which the sensor measured variable corresponds to the contact force F, is the minimum contact force required for proper seating of an anchor guided or to be guided through the connecting component body 12.

[0063] In a next step 112 the sensor measured variable threshold value 51 of the switching stage characteristic of the sensor 16 of the connecting component 10 is chosen on the basis of the setpoint value of the sensor measured variable. For this purpose, an electrically conductive and elastically deformable polymer doped with nanoparticles with a pres sure-dependent specific resistance value and a sigmoidal or at least essentially sigmoidal force F/resistance value R curve is selected as the sensor material and shaped to match the connecting component body 12. The type and density of the doping are chosen such that the sensor measured variable threshold value 51 corresponds to the setpoint value stipulated in step 110.

[0064] In a next step 114 the connecting component 10 is assembled. For this purpose, prefabricated individual parts of the connecting component body 12, the casing 14, the sensor 16, including the described sensor material, the travel limiting element 18, the electrodes 20 and the radio interface 22 are fitted together and, if necessary, electrically connected to one another. Designing the travel limiting element 18 involves ensuring that compression of the sensor 16 at least up to the force F corresponding to the sensor measured variable threshold value 51 remains possible.

[0065] In a concluding step 116 a final check on the connecting component 10 is performed by impressing forces F, subsequently reading the data via the radio interface 22 and comparing the data with the requirements according to the stipulated setpoint value. In particular, the sensor measured variable threshold value 51 obtained can be determined and checked in this step.

[0066] It is conceivable, for example in step 114, to additionally impress a specific identification code on the connecting component 10. It is then possible, for example in step 116, to additionally check whether the specific identification code can be queried and/or whether the queried identification code matches the determined sensor measured variable threshold value 51.