Sensor skin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017356883-A1
Application number	US-201715610567-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2017
Priority date	Jun 13, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure herein relates to a measuring system for determining damage to components including at least one fiber-reinforced plastics material, comprising sensors that can be or are arranged on a component to be mutually spaced, the sensors distributed over a curved surface of the component in the use position. In order provide a measuring system by which it is possible to obtain fiber-reinforced plastics components economically and with reasonable outlay, and by which process parameters and/or state variables can be reliably obtained during production and operation of the component, it is proposed to provide the component with a substrate that is different from the component and on which the sensors can be or are arranged, the substrate being flexible, and for the sensors arranged on the flexible substrate to form a measuring device.

First claim

1 . A measuring system for determining damage to components comprising at least one fiber-reinforced plastics material, comprising a plurality of sensors that can be or are arranged on a component so as to be mutually spaced, the sensors being distributed over a curved surface of the component in a use position, wherein the component is provided with a substrate that is different from the component and on which the sensors can be or are arranged, the substrate being flexible, and wherein the sensors arranged on the flexible substrate form a measuring device.

2 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate forms a material-uniting connection with a matrix of the component during production of the component.

3 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate is arranged inside the component or on the surface thereof.

4 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device monitors production of the component and/or operation of the component by the sensors thereof.

5 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors of the measuring device is formed on the flexible substrate as an ultrasonic transducer.

6 . The measuring system according to claim 5 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is formed as a micromachined capacitive ultrasonic transducer or as a piezoelectric thin film.

7 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device carries out a pulse-echo method.

8 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device carries out a capacitive measurement by the sensors.

9 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device forms, on the substrate in both planar extension directions thereof, a matrix of sensors that are in each case evenly spaced in the directions, in particular sensors having identical spacing in the directions.

10 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein conductive tracks, multiplexers or other electronic devices are applied to and integrated in the flexible substrate.

11 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate can be or is connected to the component by a co-bonding or co-curing process.

12 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate forms a film and is produced from a thermoplastic high-performance polymer.

13 . The measuring system according to claim 12 , wherein thermoplastic high-performance polymer is made of a polyimide, in particular polyetherimide, or a polysulfone, in particular polyethersulfone.

14 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein structures applied to the flexible substrate can be or are protected from their surroundings by at least one additionally arranged layer.

15 . The measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate and/or an additionally arranged layer is/are formed as liquid-crystal polymer (LCP).

16 . A method of using an arrangement of sensors on a curved surface of a fiber-reinforced plastics component on a curved component surface, wherein the sensor arrangement is formed on a flexible substrate made of a thermoplastic high-performance polymer that is connected to a matrix of the component during production of the component.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein one or more interposer structures are arranged on the substrate during production of the component, the structures being equipped with sensors after production of the component has been completed.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Friedberger Alois
• Helwig Andreas
• Buderath Matthias

Classifications

• B32B27/06

  as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)} · CPC title

• G01N29/2406

  Electrostatic or capacitive probes, e.g. electret or cMUT-probes · CPC title

• B32B2307/20

  having particular electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. piezoelectric · CPC title

• G01N2291/0231

  Composite or layered materials · CPC title

• B32B2379/08

  Polyimides · CPC title