Sensor sleeve for health monitoring an article

Abstract

A sensor sleeve ( 10 ) for use in detecting a failure in an article ( 18 ) (e.g., a hydraulic hose), the sensor sleeve includes an insulator layer ( 12 ) that separates two electrode layers ( 14, 16 ). As such, the electrode layers deform to contact each other, which changes the impedance as measured across the electrode layers. The sensor sleeve is designed to change electrical impedance (resistance) due to fluid pressure initiating a hole through the sensor itself. The sensor sleeve will detect the fluid leak when the hole penetrates the sensor and brings the two elastic electrodes in contact with each other and/or the fluid, which when the fluid is conductive fluid, creates a signal path between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, which also changes the impedance as measured across the electrode layers.

1 . A sensor sleeve for detecting damage to a surface of an article, the sensor sleeve comprising:
 a first electrode layer covering at least a portion of a surface of an article;   a dielectric layer covering a least a portion of the first electrode layer; and   a second electrode layer covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein damage to the surface of the article covered by the first electrode layer, the dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer causes the first electrode layer to contact the second electrode layer, thereby decreasing the impedance between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer includes one or more contacts, wherein the contacts are configured to puncture through the dielectric layer and make contact with the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a pressurized hose having at least one hose layer operable to transfer fluids from one place to another, wherein the hose layer has a circumferential surface; and the first electrode layer covers at least a portion of the circumferential surface of the hose layer. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are flexible. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer is discontinuous. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer contains one or more voids formed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer contains an auxetic material and a non-conductive material, wherein the auxetic material is spaced along the dielectric layer. 
     
     
         8 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer is layer of fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer includes a wire embedded in a in a conductive material. 
     
     
         10 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the dielectric layer have a combined mechanical impedance that matches mechanical impedance of the article. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more contacts are spaced apart a uniform distance or a non-uniform distance along the first electrode layer. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the contacts are configured to permanently affix to the second electrode layer when a damage condition occurs. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising a coupler having a first end coupled to first electrode layer and a second end coupled to the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 13 , wherein the coupler is configured to couple an associated measuring device to the sensor sleeve, wherein the associated measuring device is configured to measure impedance and/or capacitance across the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1  further comprising a protective layer that protects at least the second electrode layer from an environment in which the article is used. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor sleeve is integrally formed in the article. 
     
     
         17 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor sleeve is extruded over a portion of the article. 
     
     
         18 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor sleeve is slipped over the article. 
     
     
         19 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor sleeve is embedded in the article. 
     
     
         20 . A method for detecting failure of an article, the method comprising:
 monitoring impedance of an article, wherein the article includes a sensor sleeve including a first electrode layer covering at least a portion of a surface of the article; a dielectric layer covering a least a portion of the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein damage to the surface of the article covered by the first electrode layer, the dielectric layer and the second electrode layer causes the first electrode layer to contact the second electrode layer, wherein the impedance is measured between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and   detecting a failure in the article based at least in part on the monitored impedance across the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising comparing the impedance measured across the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer with a database of information including operation parameters associated with the article. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising terminating a fluid input to the article upon detecting the failure of the article. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising outputting a notification that the article has failed upon detecting the failure of the article. 
     
     
         24 . The method of any  claim 20 , wherein the step of detecting includes determining if one or more contacts in the first electrode layer is in contact with the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         25 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A sensor sleeve for detecting conductive fluid leakage in an article, the sensor sleeve comprising:
 a first electrode layer covering at least a portion of a surface of the article;   a dielectric layer covering a least a portion of the first electrode layer, wherein the dielectric layer is a porous and non-absorbent dielectric layer; and   a second electrode layer covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein fluid leakage from the article creates a conductive path through the dielectric layer and between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.   
     
     
         31 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the first electrode layer includes one or more contacts, wherein the contacts are configured to puncture through the dielectric layer and make contact with the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         32 . The sensor sleeve of any  claim 30 , wherein the article is a pressurized hose having at least one hose layer operable to transfer fluids from one place to another, wherein the hose layer has a circumferential surface; and the first electrode layer covers at least a portion of the circumferential surface of the hose layer. 
     
     
         33 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are flexible. 
     
     
         34 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the dielectric layer is discontinuous. 
     
     
         35 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the dielectric layer contains one or more voids formed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         36 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the dielectric layer is layer of fabric. 
     
     
         37 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the first electrode layer, the second electrode layer and the dielectric layer have a combined mechanical impedance that matches mechanical impedance of the article. 
     
     
         38 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more contacts are spaced apart a uniform distance or a non-uniform distance along the first electrode layer. 
     
     
         39 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the contacts are configured to permanently affix to the second electrode layer when a damage condition occurs. 
     
     
         40 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , further comprising a coupler having a first end coupled to first electrode layer and a second end coupled to the second electrode layer. 
     
     
         41 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor sleeve is integrally formed in the article. 
     
     
         44 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor sleeve is slipped over the article. 
     
     
         45 . The sensor sleeve of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor sleeve is embedded in the article. 
     
     
         46 . A method for detecting conductive fluid leaking in an article, the method comprising:
 monitoring impedance of an article, wherein the article includes a sensor sleeve including a first electrode layer covering at least a portion of a surface of the article; a dielectric layer covering a least a portion of the first electrode layer, wherein the dielectric layer is porous and non-conductive; and a second electrode layer covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein a leak of conductive fluid creates a conductive path through the dielectric layer and between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein the impedance is measured between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and   detecting the leak of conductive fluid in the article based at least in part on the monitored impedance across the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.   
     
     
         47 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A method for measuring pressure in an article, the sensor sleeve comprising:
 mounting a sensor sleeve on at least a portion of the article, wherein the sensor sleeve includes a first electrode layer covering at least a portion of a surface of the article; a dielectric layer covering a least a portion of the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer;   monitoring capacitance change and/or impedance change of the sensor sleeve due to deformation in the article caused by a change in pressure of fluid passing through the article, wherein the change in capacitance and/or the change in impedance is measured between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , further including detecting a failure in the article based at least in part on the monitored capacitance change and/or impedance change. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the change in capacitance and/or impedance is caused by an external force applied to the article. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , further including calculating an internal pressure of the article based on the monitored capacitance and/or impedance.