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BR-112025001284-B1 - CABLE, SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MOUNTING A SENSOR HOUSING

BR112025001284B1BR 112025001284 B1BR112025001284 B1BR 112025001284B1BR-112025001284-B1

Abstract

A cable system comprising in-line sensors. A cable having a sensor for measuring variables comprises an insulation displacement contact (IDC) that is at least partially enclosed within a sensor housing that has the sensor located therein. The IDC comprises one or more IDC sheath pins extending through an insulating sheath to the cable's conductive wire. The IDC extends continuously from a first longitudinal end of the IDC to a second longitudinal end of the IDC. The sensor housing comprises a first housing side and a second housing side. When the IDC is at least partially enclosed by the sensor housing, a first longitudinal end of the first housing side and a first longitudinal end of the second housing side are close to the first longitudinal end of the IDC, and a second longitudinal end of the first housing side and a second longitudinal end of the second housing side are close to the second longitudinal end of the IDC.

Inventors

  • Cole Fincham
  • Corey Barkhurst

Assignees

  • AGI Suretrack LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20221228
Priority Date
20220726

Claims (20)

  1. 1. Cable, characterized in that it comprises: a conductive wire (106a, 106b) encased in an insulating sheath; an insulation displacement contact, IDC, (156a, 156b) comprising one or more IDC sheath pins extending through the insulating sheath to the conductive wire, the IDC extending continuously from a first longitudinal end (158a) of the IDC to a second longitudinal end (160a) of the IDC; a sensor housing (108) that at least partially encloses the IDC, the sensor housing comprising a first housing side (110) configured to mate with a second housing side (112), the first housing side extending continuously from a first longitudinal end of the first housing side (114) to a second longitudinal end of the first housing side (116), the second housing side extending continuously from a first longitudinal end of the second housing side (136) to a second longitudinal end of the second housing side (138), wherein the first longitudinal end of the first housing side and the first longitudinal end of the second housing side are close to the first longitudinal end of the IDC and wherein the second longitudinal end of the first housing side and the second longitudinal end of the second housing side are close to the second longitudinal end of the IDC; and a sensor (174) located within the sensor housing and communicating with the IDC.
  2. 2. Cable, according to claim 1, characterized in that the IDC comprises a first flat portion of IDC (166a) located between the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the IDC, wherein a first IDC sheath pin (162a) of one or more IDC sheath pins curves away from the first flat portion of IDC at the first longitudinal end of the IDC, and a second IDC sheath pin (164a) of one or more IDC sheath pins curves away from the first flat portion of IDC at the second longitudinal end of the IDC.
  3. 3. Cable, according to claim 2, characterized in that the first housing side further comprises a first curved portion of the first housing side (124) and a second curved portion of the first housing side (126), wherein the first curved portion of the first housing side is congruent with at least one portion of the first IDC sheath pin that curves away from the first flat IDC portion and wherein the second curved portion of the first housing side is congruent with at least one portion of the second IDC sheath pin that curves away from the first flat IDC portion.
  4. 4. Cable, according to claim 3, characterized in that the one or more IDC sheath pins comprise a third IDC sheath pin (168a) and a fourth IDC sheath pin (170a), the third IDC sheath pin bends away from a second flat portion of IDC (172a) at the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the fourth IDC sheath pin bends away from the second flat portion of IDC at the second longitudinal end of the IDC, the second flat portion of IDC located between the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the IDC.
  5. 5. Cable, according to claim 4, characterized in that the second housing side further comprises a first curved portion of the second housing side (144) and a second curved portion of the second housing side (146), wherein the first curved portion of the second housing side is congruent with at least one portion of the third IDC sheath pin that curves away from the second flat IDC portion and wherein the second curved portion of the second housing side is congruent with at least one portion of the second IDC sheath pin that curves away from the second flat IDC portion.
  6. 6. Cable, according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor is in communication with the IDC by means of a conductive compression joint (176a, 176b), the conductive compression joint coming into contact with the IDC in a first flat portion of the IDC located between the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the IDC.
  7. 7. Cable, according to claim 1, characterized in that the first housing side couples to the second housing side at a first location corresponding to a first side of the first housing side (118) and a first side of the second housing side (140), and at a second location corresponding to a second side of the first housing side (120) and a second side of the second housing side (142).
  8. 8. Cable according to claim 7, characterized in that when the first housing side and the second housing side are coupled, the first outer surface of the first side of the first housing side is adjacent to a first inner surface of the first side of the second housing side, and a second outer surface of the second side of the first housing side is adjacent to a second inner surface of the second side of the second housing side.
  9. 9. Sensor system, characterized in that it comprises: an insulating displacement contact (IDC) comprising: a first IDC sheath pin at a first longitudinal end of the IDC and a second IDC sheath pin at a second longitudinal end of the IDC; a first flat portion of the IDC extending from the first IDC sheath pin to the second IDC sheath pin, wherein the first IDC sheath pin curves away from the first flat portion of the IDC at the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second IDC sheath pin curves away from the first flat portion of the IDC at the second longitudinal end of the IDC; a third IDC sheath pin at the first longitudinal end of the IDC and a fourth IDC sheath pin at the second longitudinal end of the IDC; a second flat portion of the IDC extending from the third IDC sheath pin to the fourth IDC sheath pin, wherein the third IDC sheath pin curves away from the second flat portion of the IDC at the first longitudinal end of the first IDC and the fourth pin of the IDC sheath curves away from the second flat portion of the IDC at the second longitudinal end of the IDC; and a sensor housing comprising: a first housing side extending from a first longitudinal end of the first housing side to a second longitudinal end of the first housing side, the first housing side comprising a first curved portion of the first housing side and a second curved portion of the first housing side, wherein the first curved portion of the first housing side is congruent with at least a portion of the first IDC sheath pin and wherein the second curved portion of the first housing side is congruent with at least a portion of the second IDC sheath pin; a second housing side extending from a first longitudinal end of the second housing side to a second longitudinal end of the second housing side, the second housing side comprising a first curved portion of the second housing side and a second curved portion of the second housing side, wherein the first curved portion of the second housing side is congruent with at least one portion of the third IDC sheath pin and the second curved portion of the second housing side is congruent with at least one portion of the fourth IDC sheath pin.
  10. 10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor located within the first side of the housing.
  11. 11. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor is in communication with the IDC by means of a conductive compression joint, the conductive compression joint making contact with the IDC on the first flat portion of the IDC.
  12. 12. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the first housing side is configured to couple to the second housing side.
  13. 13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the first housing side couples to the second housing side in a first location that corresponds to a first side of the first housing side and a first side of the second housing side, and in a second location that corresponds to a second side of the first housing side and a second side of the second housing side.
  14. 14. System according to claim 13, characterized in that, when the first housing side and the second housing side are coupled, a first outer surface of the first side of the first housing side is adjacent to a first inner surface of the first side of the second housing side, and a second outer surface of the second side of the first housing side is adjacent to a second inner surface of the second side of the second housing side.
  15. 15. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the IDC extends continuously from the first longitudinal end of the IDC to the second longitudinal end of the IDC, the first housing side extends continuously from the first longitudinal end of the first housing side to the second longitudinal end of the first housing side, and the second housing side extends continuously from the first longitudinal end of the second housing side to the second longitudinal end of the second housing side.
  16. 16. Method (700) for mounting a sensor housing, characterized in that it comprises: attaching (702) an insulation displacement contact (IDC) to a cable comprising a conductive wire wrapped in an insulating sheath, the IDC being attached to the conductive wire by penetrating the insulating sheath with one or more IDC sheath pins of the IDC, such that the one or more IDC sheath pins engage with the conductive wire, wherein the IDC extends continuously from a first longitudinal end of the IDC to a second longitudinal end of the IDC; (704) enclosing the IDC at least partially within a sensor housing by coupling a first side of the sensor housing to a second side of the sensor housing, the first side of the housing extending from a first longitudinal end of the first side of the housing to a second longitudinal end of the first side of the housing, the second side of the housing extending from a first longitudinal end of the second side of the housing to a second longitudinal end of the second side of the housing, and wherein, when the IDC is at least partially enclosed by the sensor housing, the first longitudinal end of the first side of the housing and the first longitudinal end of the second side of the housing are close to the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the first side of the housing and the second longitudinal end of the second side of the housing are close to the second longitudinal end of the IDC.
  17. 17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the sensor is in communication with the IDC by means of a conductive compression joint, the conductive compression joint contacting the IDC in a first flat portion of the IDC located between the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the IDC.
  18. 18. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the first housing side is coupled to the second housing side in a first location corresponding to the first side of the first housing side and the first side of the second housing side, and in a second location corresponding to the second side of the first housing side and the second side of the second housing side.
  19. 19. Method according to claim 18, characterized in that, when the first housing side and the second housing side are coupled, a first outer surface of the first side of the first housing side is adjacent to a first inner surface of the first side of the second housing side, and a second outer surface of the second side of the first housing side is adjacent to a second inner surface of the second side of the second housing side.
  20. 20. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that: the IDC further comprises: a first flat portion of the IDC located between the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the IDC; a first IDC sheath pin of one or more IDC sheath pins curving away from the first flat portion of the IDC at the first longitudinal end of the IDC; and a second IDC sheath pin of one or more IDC sheath pins curving away from the first flat portion of the IDC at the second longitudinal end of the IDC; and the first housing side further comprises: a first curved portion of the first housing side; and a second curved portion of the first side of the housing, wherein the first curved portion of the first side of the housing is congruent with at least one portion of the first IDC sheath pin that curves away from the first flat portion of the IDC, and wherein the second curved portion of the first side of the housing is congruent with at least one portion of the second IDC sheath pin that curves away from the first flat portion of the IDC.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [001] Grain silos allow for the storage of agricultural products such as wheat and corn. The temperature and humidity of the agricultural products in a grain silo are monitored and controlled to reduce spoilage and increase storage times. In-line cable sensors are used to monitor temperature and humidity levels at different vertical points within a grain silo. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [002] The present invention relates to a cable system that is suitable for use in measuring properties within a grain silo. A cable of the cable system includes a conductive wire encased in an insulating sheath. An Insulation Displacement Contact (IDC) is attached to the cable by means of one or more IDC sheath pins that extend through the insulating sheath to the conductive wire. One aspect of the IDC comprises the IDC extending continuously from a first longitudinal end of the IDC to a second longitudinal end of the IDC. [003] A sensor housing at least partially encloses the IDC. One aspect of the sensor housing includes a first housing side configured to mate with a second housing side, wherein the first housing side extends continuously from a first longitudinal end of the first housing side to a second longitudinal end of the first housing side and the second housing side extends continuously from a first longitudinal end of the second housing side to a second longitudinal end of the second housing side. The first housing side and the second housing side may be mated around the cable, wherein the first housing side engages with the second housing side at respective lateral ends of the first housing side and the second housing side. [004] When the first housing side and the second dishousing side are coupled, the first longitudinal end of the first housing side and the first longitudinal end of the second housing side are close to the first longitudinal end of the IDC and the second longitudinal end of the first housing side and the second longitudinal end of the second housing side are close to the second longitudinal end of the IDC. [005] A sensor can be placed inside the sensor housing and is in communication with the IDC. [006] This summary is intended to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form which is described in more detail in the Detailed Description section of the present invention. This summary is not intended to identify major or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Additional objectives, advantages and innovative features of the technology will be set forth, in part, in the following description and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art by examining the following or learning from practice of the technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [007] The present technology is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, where: Figure 1 illustrates a top perspective view of a cable system according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 2 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the cable system of Figure 1 according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 3 illustrates an exploded view of the cable system of Figure 1 according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 4A illustrates a side perspective view of a sensor housing of the cable system of Figure 1 that has an insulating sheath and a conductive wire of a cable removed according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 4B illustrates another side perspective view of the sensor housing of the cable system of Figure 1 that has the insulating sheath and the conductive wire of the cable removed according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 5 illustrates a longitudinal side view of the cable system of Figure 1 with a cross-section of the insulating sheath and the conductive wire according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 6 illustrates a cable system that has a series of sensors employed for use in a grain silo according to an aspect described in this document; Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary method of assembling a sensor housing according to an aspect described in this document. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [008] Cable systems are deployed in grain silos to measure properties at different vertical points within the grain silo. These cable systems can help monitor the moisture content of an agricultural product stored in the grain silo. Some systems, such as the BinManager® supplied by AGI SureTrack®, use cable sensors as part of an integrated grain monitoring system. In conventional monitoring systems, cable sensors measure temperature and humidity at different vertical points along the cable, allowing the calculation of derived information, such as the moisture content of the agricultural product as a function of depth. [009] The present application provides cable systems that can wi