Structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023157178-A1
Application number	US-202217985930-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2022
Priority date	Nov 15, 2021
Publication date	May 18, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A structure displacement self-powered sensor based on the post-buckling piezoelectric effect comprising an upper unit, a lower unit, a traction system and an information transmission system. The upper unit is slidably connected with the lower unit; the upper unit includes an upper deformable plate and an upper piezoelectric film bonded to the upper deformable plate; the lower unit comprises a lower deformable plate and a lower piezoelectric film bonded to the lower deformable plate; when the upper deformable plate and the lower deformable plate are deformed, a voltage signal is generated and transmitted to the information transmission system through the data acquisition unit. The present disclosure can monitor the settlement of the pier or the expansion or contraction in the expansion gap of the structure by monitoring the output voltage of the equipment. The present disclosure is self-powered and can work for a long time, normally with minimal maintenance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect, comprising an upper unit, a lower unit and an information transmission system, wherein the upper unit is slidably connected with the lower unit, the upper unit comprises an upper deformable plate and an upper piezoelectric film, and the upper piezoelectric film is bonded to the upper deformable plate; the lower unit comprises a lower deformable plate and a lower piezoelectric film, and the lower piezoelectric film is bonded to the lower deformable plate; and when the upper deformable plate and the lower deformable plate are deformed, a voltage signal is generated and transmitted to the information transmission system for data reading and recording.

2 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 1 , wherein an upper end surface of the upper unit is provided with an upper end connector, and the lower end surface of the lower unit is provided with a lower end connector; and the upper unit and the lower unit are installed between two parallel surfaces by the upper end connector and the lower end connector.

3 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 2 , wherein when the upper end connector and the lower end connector are perpendicular to the two parallel surfaces, a direct displacement is capable of being monitored, and when the upper end connector and the lower end connector are inclined to the two parallel surfaces, a shear displacement is capable being monitored.

4 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 1 , wherein the upper unit comprises an upper rigid constraint; the upper rigid constraint comprises two parallel rectangular plates, and the upper deformable plate is installed between the two parallel rectangular plates of the upper rigid constraint for fixing; the lower unit comprises a lower rigid constraint; the lower rigid constraint comprises two parallel rectangular plates each of which is provided with a sliding groove, and a size of the sliding groove matches the upper rigid constraint; the upper rigid constraint is inserted into the sliding groove of the lower rigid constraint for sliding connection; and the lower deformable plate is installed between the two parallel rectangular plates of the lower rigid constraint for fixing.

5 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an upper data acquisition unit configured to collect and store voltage data from the upper unit when the upper deformable plate and the upper piezoelectric film are deformed; and a lower data acquisition unit configured to store voltage data from the lower unit when the lower deformable plate and the lower piezoelectric film are deformed.

6 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 4 , wherein in addition to the traction rope and the deformable plate, the upper unit comprises an upper rigid unit, and wherein the upper rigid unit includes B-type traction rope holes and A-type traction rope holes that are configured for the traction rope to pass through.

7 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a traction system comprising a traction system anchor point, a B-type traction rope, an A-type traction rope and a traction rope connection point, wherein the traction system anchor point is connected to the upper deformable plate through the traction rope connection point; one end of the A-type traction rope is fixed to the traction system anchor point, and another end of the A-type traction rope passes through the traction rope connection point, enters from and leads out of a side of an upper data acquisition unit, and then is fixed to the upper data acquisition unit to stabilize upper structure of the structure displacement self-powered sensor in a vertical direction; one end of the B-type traction rope is fixed to the traction system anchor point, and another end of the B-type traction rope passes through the traction rope connection point, wind from a side of a vertical direction of the upper deformable plate to an opposite side of the vertical direction of the upper deformable plate, and then is connected to the traction rope connection point to stabilize the structure displacement self-powered sensor in a horizontal direction.

8 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 4 , wherein the lower deformable plate comprises four guide rods, and wherein the guide rods are inserted into four guide holes of the upper deformable plate, respectively, so that the upper deformable plate and the lower deformable plate are kept aligned with each other.

9 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 4 , wherein the upper rigid constraint comprises an outward protrusion configured to limit a displacement range.

10 . The structure displacement self-powered sensor based on post-buckling piezoelectric effect according to claim 1 , wherein the information transmission system comprises a diode bridge, a capacitor, a voltage stabilizer, a data recorder and a data reader, an electric signal generated by the upper deformable plate and the lower deformable plate under piezoelectric effect is rectified by the diode bridge and has charges stored by the capacitor, and then forms a stable voltage by the voltage stabilizer, so as to be supplies to the data recorder and the data reader to record and read monitoring data; and the information transmission system is powered by electrical energy generated under piezoelectric effect, so as to work without external power supply during a service life of the information transmission system.

Assignees

• Univ Zhejiang

Inventors

• Jiao Pengcheng
• King-James Egbe
• Li Wentao

Classifications

• H10N30/302 Primary

  Sensors · CPC title

• H02N2/181

  Circuits; Control arrangements or methods · CPC title

• H10N30/306

  Cantilevers · CPC title

• H02N2/18

  producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01) · CPC title

• G01B7/02 Primary

  for measuring length, width or thickness (G01B7/004, G01B7/12 take precedence) · CPC title