Smart lug system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9704373-B2
Application number	US-201514718209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A device includes a device body that further includes a first attachment mechanism for attaching to another object, structure, or item of equipment. The device also includes wireless communication circuitry affixed to the device body, and one or more sensor components affixed to the device body, coupled to the wireless communication circuitry, and configured to sense environmental parameters associated with the device or with the object, structure or item of equipment. The device may further include powering circuitry, affixed to the device body, and configured to provide electrical power to the wireless communication circuitry and/or the one or more sensor components. The device may include a lug, connector or terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a device body comprising:
a recess formed in an outer surface of the body, the recess having a depth that extends to a bottom of the recess;
a first attachment mechanism disposed at a first location on the body for attaching to a first object, structure, or item of equipment; and
a second attachment mechanism disposed at a second location on the body for attaching to a second object, structure, or item of the equipment, wherein the second object, structure, or item of equipment is different than the first object, structure, or item of equipment;

an insulating layer affixed to the body in the bottom of the recess;
wireless communication circuitry affixed to the device body in the bottom of the recess via the insulating layer; and
one or more sensor components affixed to the device body in the bottom of the recess via the insulating layer, coupled to the wireless communication circuitry, and configured to sense environmental parameters associated with the device or with the second object, structure, or item of equipment.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sealant layer formed over the wireless communication circuitry, and the one or more sensor components, within the recess.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the other object comprises a wire and wherein a color of the sealant layer is color-coded based on a gauge of the wire to which the device body is to be attached.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
powering circuitry, affixed to the device body, and configured to provide electrical power to at least one of the wireless communication circuitry or the one or more sensor components.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the other object, structure, or item of equipment comprises a motor or a cable.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a lug, and wherein the body includes a cut-out into which the first object, structure, or item of the equipment can be inserted,
wherein the first attachment mechanism comprises an attachment screw that can be tightened within the cut-out against the first object, structure, or item of the equipment to press the first object, structure, or item of the equipment against an opposite surface of the cut-out to affix the body of the lug to the inserted first object, structure, or item of the equipment, and
wherein the second attachment mechanism comprises an attachment hole through which a bolt or screw of other attaching means can be inserted to affix the body to the second object, structure, or item of the equipment.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to wirelessly communicate with an external wireless network access point connected to a network.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a lug and wherein the first object, structure, or item of the equipment comprises a wire,
wherein the body comprises a barrel, a neck, and a pad and wherein the barrel comprises the first attachment mechanism,
wherein the barrel includes a hollow inner diameter for receiving the wire to be affixed to the lug and wherein the pad has a length and a with and an attachment hole through which a bolt or screw of another attaching means can be inserted to affix the body to the second object, structure, or item of the equipment, and wherein the attachment hole comprises the second attachment mechanism, and
wherein the recess is disposed within the neck of the body of the lug.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental parameters sensed by the one or more sensor components comprise at least one of:
temperature, moisture, vibration, heat, impact force, compression force, velocity, or acceleration associated with the device or with the second object, structure or item of equipment.

10. The device of claim 4 , wherein the powering circuitry is configured to harvest waste energy from the device body; from the wireless communication circuitry, one or more sensor components, or the powering circuitry; or from the first object, structure or item of equipment.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the powering circuitry is configured to use a thermoelectric effect to generate a voltage to provide electrical power to the wireless communication circuitry and the one or more sensor components based on a temperature difference across the device body, or between the device and the second object, structure, or item of equipment.

12. The device of claim 6 , wherein the first object, structure, or item of the equipment comprises a cable, and
wherein the cut-out comprises a C-shaped cut-out into which the cable can be inserted and wherein the attachment screw can be tightened against the cable to affix the body of the lug to the inserted cable.

13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an odor emitting unit configured to emit one or more stored chemicals in a gaseous form.

14. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processing unit configured to generate a sensor report using the sensed environmental parameters,
wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to transmit the sensor report via a wireless mechanism.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the wireless mechanism comprises Wi-Fi, BlueTooth, cellular or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) communication circuitry.

16. The device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a geo-location unit configured to obtain a geo-location of the device,
wherein the processing is further configured to generate the sensor report using the obtained geo-location of the device.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to:
obtain an identifier for the device,
generate a signature based on the identifier,
obtain a current date and time, and
generate the sensor report using the identifier, the signature, and the current date and time.

18. A lug, comprising:
a body, comprising:
a C-shaped cut-out formed in the body into which a first object can be inserted,
a recess formed in the body,
a first attachment mechanism disposed at a first location on the body adjacent the C-shaped cut-out for attaching to the first object, wherein the first attachment mechanism comprises an attachment screw that can be tightened within the C-shaped cut-out, against the first object to press the first object against an opposite surface of the C-shaped cut-out, to affix the body of the lug to the inserted first object, and
a second attachment mechanism disposed at a second location on the body for attaching to a second object, wherein the second attachment mechanism comprises an attachment hole through which a bolt, screw or other attaching means can be inserted to affix the body to the second object;

an insulating layer affixed to the body within a bottom of the recess;
wireless communication circuitry affixed to the body within the recess via the insulating layer;
one or more sensor components affixed to the body within the recess via the insulating layer, coupled to the wireless communication circuitry, and configured to sense environmental parameters associated with the lug, or with the second object; and
a sealing layer formed over the wireless communication circuitry, and the one or more sensor components, within the recess of the body of the lug.

19. The lug of claim 18 , wherein the first object comprises a cable and wherein the second object comprises a motor.

20. The lug of claim 18 , wherein the sealing layer comprises an acrylic, polyurethane,

Assignees

• Thomas & Betts Int Llc
• Thomas & Betts Int Llc

Inventors

• De La Borbolla Ian Rubin
• Drane Mark R
• Dinh Cong Thanh
• Feudner Andrew J
• Burke Brian

Classifications

• H04W4/185

  by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01D11/16

  Elements for restraining, or preventing the movement of, parts, e.g. for zeroising (caging of moving parts when not in use G01D11/20) · CPC title

• G01D3/10

  with provision for switching-in of additional or auxiliary indicators or recorders · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title