Transducer assemblage for hand-held vibration meters

Claim 2

In a hand-held vibration sensor of a variety in which a sampling probe is manually positioned against a vibratory surface for effecting the transmission of vibratory phenomena, which phenomena are associated with said surface, to transducer conversion components from along a given axis for deriving select vibration parameter signals corresponding therewith, the improved probe comprising: a probe vibration transfer rod having one end connectable with said conversion components and extending along said axis to a curved vibration receiving surface; probe tip means having a substantially flat contact surface for manually positioning in abutting engagement with said vibratory surface and a curved vibration transfer surface spaced therefrom conforming with and intimately contacting said vibration receiving surface over a substantial surface area in slideably movable nesting relationship for transferring vibration phenomena experienced at said vibratory surface to said probe vibration transfer rod without substantial generation of localized resonances between said contact surface and said vibratory surface.

Claim 3

The improved probe of claim 1 in which said curved transfer surface and said curved vibration receiving surface are configured having substantially mutually contacting spherical areas for effecting said vibration phenomena transfer.

Claim 4

The improved probe of claim 1 including a thin, lubricant layer intermediate said vibration receiving surface and said transfer surface.

Claim 5

The improved probe of claim 3 in which said lubricant layer is silicon grease.

Claim 6

The improved probe of claim 3 in which said lubricant layer is polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 7

The improved probe of claim 1 in which said curved transfer surface and said curved vibration receiving surface are configurd as a ball and socket joint.

Claim 8

The improved probe of claim 6 in which said ball and socket joint is enclosed by a sheath of elastomeric polymeric filler material.

Claim 9

The probe of claim 7 including a thin, complaint, polymeric layer intermediate said vibration receiving surface and said transfer surface.

Claim 10

A hand-held meter for evaluating the vibration of a vibratory surface, comprising: a hand-held housing; transducer means mounted within said housing and including conversion components responsive to vibration applied thereto along a given axis for deriving vibration signals corresponding therewith; probe vibration transfer rod means aligned with said axis and extending from said housing to an end located externally of said housing for applying vibration to said transducer means conversion components; shock mounting means formed of an elastomeric damping material for mounting said vibration transfer rod means to said housing and damping vibration otherwise asserted from said rod means to said housing; means defining a curved vibration receiving surface located at said probe vibration transfer rod means end; probe tip means having a substantially flat contact surface for positioning in abutting contact with said vibratory surface and a curved vibration transfer surface spaced therefrom conforming with and intimately contacting said vibration receiving surface over a substantial surface area in slideably movable nesting relationship for transferring vibration experienced at said vibratory surface to said probe vibration transfer rod means; signal treatment means within said housing responsive to said vibration signals for deriving vibration parameter signals; and readout means mounted upon said housing, responsive to said vibration parameter signals for providing a perceptible readout corresponding therewith.

Claim 11

A hand-held meter for evaluating the vibration of a vibratory surface, comprising: a hand-held housing; transducer means mounted within said housing and including conversion components responsive to vibration applied thereto along a given axis for deriving vibration signals corresponding therewith; probe vibration transfer rod means aligned with said axis and extending from said housing to an end located externally of said housing for applying vibration to said transducer means conversion components; shock mounting means formed of an elastomeric damping material for mounting said vibration transfer rod means to said housing and damping vibration otherwise asserted from said rod means to said housing; means defining a curved vibration receiving surface located at said probe vibration transfer rod means end; probe tip means having a substantially flat contact surface for positioning in abutting contact with said vibratory surface and a curved vibration transfer surface spaced therefrom conforming with and intimately contacting said vibration receiving surface over a substantial surface area in slideably movable nesting relationship for transferring vibration experienced at said vibratory surface to said probe vibration transfer rod means; signal treatment means within said housing responsive to said vibration signals for deriving vibration parameter signals; and readout means mounted upon said housing, responsive to said vibration parameter signals for providing a perceptible readout corresponding therewith.

Claim 12

The hand-held meter of claim 9 which: said transducer means is an accelerometer and said conversion components include a predetermined mass and a piezoelectric crystal coupled for deriving said vibration signals in response to vibration transferred thereto from said vibration transfer rod means; and said signal treatment means includes an integrator stage for deriving said vibration parameter signals as vibration velocity signals.

Claim 13

The hand-held meter of claim 10 including a thin, lubricant layer intermediate said vibration receiving surface and said transfer surface.

Claim 14

The hand-held meter of claim 9 in which said curved transfer surface and said curved receiving surface are hemispherical and mutually configured as a ball and socket joint.

Claim 15

The hand-held meter of claim 12 which said ball and socket joint is enclosed by a sheath of elastomeric polymeric filler material.

Claim 16

The hand-held meter of claim 12 including a thin, compliant, polymeric layer intermediate said vibration receiving surface and said transfer surface.

Claim 17

The hand-held meter of claim 12 in which said probe tip means flat contact surface has an area of about 0.2 square inch.

Claim 18

An accelerometer assembly for evaluating the vibration characteristics of a vibratory surface, comprising: a housing; an accelerometer mounted within said housing, having conversion means including a predetermined mass and a piezoelectric crystal coupled for response to vibration applied along a given axis for deriving vibration signals corresponding therewith; vibration transfer rod means aligned with said axis, connected with said conversion means and extending from said housing to an end, for applying vibration to said accelerometer conversion means; means defining a curved vibration receiving surface located at said vibration transfer rod means end; and probe tip means having a substantially flat contact surface for manually positioning in abutting contact with said vibratory surface and a curved vibration transfer surface spaced therefrom conforming with and intimately contacting said vibration receiving surface over a substantial parallel surface area in slideably movable nesting relationship for transferring vibrationn experienced at said vibratory surface to said vibration transfer rod means.

Claim 19

An accelerometer assembly for evaluating the vibration characteristics of a vibratory surface, comprising: a housing; an accelerometer mounted within said housing, having conversion means including a predetermined mass and a piezoelectric crystal coupled for response to vibration applied along a given axis for deriving vibration signals corresponding therewith; vibration transfer rod means aligned with said axis, connected with said conversion means and extending from said housing to an end, for applying vibration to said accelerometer conversion means; means defining a curved vibration receiving surface located at said vibration transfer rod means end; and probe tip means having a substantially flat contact surface for manually positioning in abutting contact with said vibratory surface and a curved vibration transfer surface spaced therefrom conforming with and intimately contacting said vibration receiving surface over a substantial parallel surface area in slideably movable nesting relationship for transferring vibrationn experienced at said vibratory surface to said vibration transfer rod means.

Claim 20

The accelerometer assembly of claim 16 including a thin, lubricant layer intermediate said vibration receiving surface and said transfer surface.

Claim 21

The accelerometer of claim 16 in which said curved transfer surface and said curved receiving surface are hemispherical and mutually configured as a ball and socket joint.

Claim 22

The accelerometer of claim 18 in which said ball and socket joint is enclosed by a sheath of elastomeric polymeric filler material.

Claim 23

The accelerometer assembly of claim 18 including a thin, lubricant layer intermediate said vibration receiving surface and said transfer surface.

Claim 24

The accelerometer assembly of claim 16 in which said probe tip means flat contact surface has an area of about 0.2 square inch.