TRANSMISSION BELT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transmission belt providing a belt member, and at least one RFID tag attached to the belt member, the at least one RFID tag including an integrated circuit, and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit for transmitting a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt. The signal indicative of the state of the transmission belt is determined on the basis of a current deflection of the antenna.

Claims

1. A transmission belt comprising: a belt member, and at least one RFID tag attached to the belt member, the at least one RFID tag comprising: an integrated circuit, and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit for transmitting a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt, wherein the signal indicative of the state of the transmission belt is determined on the basis of a current deflection of the antenna.

2. The transmission belt according to claim 1, wherein the state is a state of elongation of the transmission belt.

3. The transmission belt according to claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID tag is configured to transmit the signal while the transmission belt is in operation.

4. The transmission belt according to claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID tag is a passive RFID tag.

5. The transmission belt according to claim 1, wherein the transmission belt further comprises a Bluetooth transmitter configured to transmit at least part of the signal wirelessly, and a battery configured to power the Bluetooth transmitter, and optionally configured to power the at least one RFID tag.

6. A condition monitoring arrangement for monitoring a state of a transmission belt, the arrangement comprising: a transmission belt having a belt member, and at least one RFID tag attached to the belt member, the at least one RFID tag comprising: an integrated circuit, and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit for transmitting a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt, wherein the signal indicative of the state of the transmission belt is determined on the basis of a current deflection of the antenna, wherein the arrangement further comprises at least one receiver for receiving the signal transmitted from the transmission belt.

7. A method for issuing a signal indicative of the state of a transmission belt, the belt providing a belt member, and at least one RFID tag attached to the belt member, the at least one RFID tag including an integrated circuit, and an antenna connected to the integrated circuit for transmitting a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt, the method comprising: determining the state of the transmission belt on the basis of a current deflection of the antenna, and issuing the signal.

8. The method for condition monitoring a transmission belt issuing a signal according to claim 7, the method comprising: receiving the signal by using a receiver, and comparing the signal with a predetermined signal set.

9. The method for condition monitoring a transmission belt according to claim 8, further comprising: notifying an operator if the signal is outside a predetermined signal set.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] At least one of the embodiments of the present invention is accurately represented by this application's drawings which are relied on to illustrate such embodiment(s) to scale and the drawings are relied on to illustrate the relative size, proportions, and positioning of the individual components of the present invention accurately relative to each other and relative to the overall embodiment(s). Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that the present invention is not limited to the scaled drawings and that the illustrated proportions, scale, and relative positioning can be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the broadest descriptions set forth in any portion of the originally filed specification and/or drawings. The present invention will hereinafter be further explained by means of non-limiting examples with reference to the appended schematic figures where;

[0044] FIG. 1a is a schematic view of a transmission belt according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] FIG. 1a is a schematic view of a transmission belt and a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a transmission belt and a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a transmission belt and a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a transmission belt and a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a transmission belt and a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a transmission belt and a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a condition monitoring arrangement according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention; and

[0055] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] It should be noted that the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale and that the dimensions of certain features may have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0057] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that when a range is provided such as (for example) an angle/distance/number/weight/volume/spacing being between one (1 of the appropriate unit) and ten (10 of the appropriate units) that specific support is provided by the specification to identify any number within the range as being disclosed for use with a preferred embodiment. For example, the recitation of a percentage of copper between one percent (1%) and twenty percent (20%) provides specific support for a preferred embodiment having two point three percent (2.3%) copper even if not separately listed herein and thus provides support for claiming a preferred embodiment having two point three percent (2.3%) copper. By way of an additional example, a recitation in the claims and/or in portions of an element moving along an arcuate path by at least twenty (20°) degrees, provides specific literal support for any angle greater than twenty (20°) degrees, such as twenty-three (23°) degrees, thirty (30°) degrees, thirty-three-point five (33.5°) degrees, forty-five (45°) degrees, fifty-two (52°) degrees, or the like and thus provides support for claiming a preferred embodiment with the element moving along the arcuate path thirty-three-point five (33.5°) degrees. FIG. 1a depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. The transmission belt 1 comprises a belt member 2, and at least one RFID tag 3 attached to the belt member 2. The at least one RFID tag 3 comprises an integrated circuit 5, and an antenna 4 connected to the integrated circuit 5 for transmitting a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt 1. The signal indicative of the state of the transmission belt 1 is determined on the basis of a current deflection of the antenna 4.

[0058] FIG. 1b depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 and a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, the transmission belt from FIG. 1.a is shown in combination with a receiver 13 for receiving a transmitted signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt 1. The transmission of the signal may be done by a physical connection or wirelessly.

[0059] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 and a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, the receiver 13 is connecting to the RFID-tag 3 in a physical manner to transfer the signal or any other data. For example, a wire from the receiver 13 may be connected to a socket of the transmission belt 1 with an electrical connection to the RFID tag 3. Such electrical connection to receive a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt 1 physically may be done in any other suitable way.

[0060] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 and a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, the transmission belt 1 can be seen further comprising a Bluetooth transmitter 6 configured to transmit at least part of the signal wirelessly, and a battery 7 configured to power the Bluetooth transmitter 6, and optionally configured to power the at least one RFID tag 3.

[0061] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 and a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, the condition monitoring arrangement 12 can be seen having, in addition to an RFID tag 3, an active RFID tag 11 and a battery 7 to power the active RFID tag 11. Further, the condition monitoring arrangement 12 has an RFID reader 14 to receive the signal, but it could also be a normal receiver. In an embodiment, the RFID tag 3 is a passive RFID tag 10, and the RFID reader 14 is used to power the passive RFID tag 10.

[0062] By active RFID tag is meant a RFID tag powered by a battery. By passive RFID tag is meant a RFID tag

[0063] FIG. 5 depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 and a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, the transmission belt 1 of FIG. 2 can be seen complemented with a separate integrated circuit 5. The integrated circuit 5 may be used for storing signal data in case the signal would not be able to be transmitted and/or received at some point. Then the signal and its related data may be stored and transmitted later upon a successful connection between the RFID tag 3 and the receiver 13.

[0064] FIG. 6 depicts a schematic view of a transmission belt 1 and a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, the transmission belt 1 can be seen comprising an active RFID tag 11, a passive RFID tag 10, an integrated circuit 5 similarly to the transmission belt 1 as explained for FIG. 5, a Bluetooth transmitter 6 and battery 7 to power at least the active RFID tag 11 and the Bluetooth transmitter 6. Further, the use of both a receiver 13 and a RFID reader 14 can be seen for receiving the signal indicative of the state of the transmission belt 1 as well a using the RFID reader 14 for powering the passive RFID tag 10.

[0065] FIG. 7 depicts a schematic view of a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. The condition monitoring arrangement 12 for monitoring a state of a transmission belt 1 comprises a transmission belt 1 according to any one of the embodiments as presented in the present disclosure. Here, a multi-belt application can be seen comprising a plurality of transmission belts 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention running over two pulleys 22. One of the pulleys may be a drive pulley connected to an engine or motor, and the other pulley may be a driven pulley connected to a vehicle or machinery. The arrangement 12 is further seen comprising at least one receiver 13 for receiving a signal transmitted from the transmission belt 1.

[0066] FIG. 8 depicts a schematic view of a condition monitoring arrangement 12 according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, a multi-belt application can be seen, similar to FIG. 7, here comprising the condition monitoring arrangement 12 of FIG. 6.

[0067] FIG. 9 depicts a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] The method is a method for issuing S2 a signal indicative of the state of a transmission belt 1. The belt 1 (not shown) comprises a belt member 2, and at least one RFID tag 3 attached to the belt member 2. The at least one RFID tag 3 comprises an integrated circuit 5, and an antenna 4 connected to the integrated circuit 5 for transmitting a signal indicative of a state of the transmission belt 1 (not shown). The method comprises determining S1 the state of the transmission belt 1 on the basis of a current deflection of the antenna 4 and issuing S2 the signal.

[0069] FIG. 10 depicts a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention. The method is a method for condition monitoring a transmission belt 1 issuing S2 a signal as described in FIG. 9. The method comprises receiving S3 the signal by using a receiver 13 (not shown) and comparing S4 the signal with a predetermined signal set. By comparing the signal with a predetermined signal set, a state of the transmission belt 1 can be determined. For instance, a state of elongation of the transmission belt 1 may be determined.

[0070] The flowchart of the method can be seen comprising a further optional step of notifying S5 an operator if the signal is outside a predetermined signal set. This way, the operator can analyse the situation and take suitable actions to maintain an efficient operation of the machinery, such as planning for servicing or replacing the transmission belt 1.

[0071] FIG. 11 depicts a flowchart of a method according to an example embodiment of the present invention. Here, a combination of the methods for issuing a signal as shown in FIG. 9 and for condition monitoring a transmission belt 1 as shown in FIG. 10 can be seen.

[0072] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.