Transducer mounting device and method

Abstract

A transducer mounting device comprised of a monolith of moldable material overlying and supporting a self-tapping screw at one end for coupling to a target such as a machine casing or bearing housing and a fabricated insert at an opposite end for mating with a monitoring transducer. In a further preferred form a transducer mounting device is comprised of a preform including an internal cavity overlying a magnetic component, an adhesive interposed between the magnetic component and a target such as a machine casing or bearing housing at one end for magnetically and adhesively bonding said preform to the target and a threaded member disposed at an opposite end of the preform for mating with a monitoring transducer.

I claim:  
     
         1 - A transducer mounting device, comprising in combination: 
 a first elongated shaft having a first threaded portion disposed thereon;    a second elongated shaft substantially axially aligned with said first elongated shaft and having a second threaded portion disposed thereon;    a monolith of moldable material overlying and supporting said first and said second elongated shaft wherein said first elongated shaft extends away from a first end of said monolith of moldable material and said second elongated shaft extends away from a second end of said monolith of moldable material opposite said first end.    
     
     
         2 - The device of  claim 1  further including a multi-faceted head surmounting said first elongated shaft and encapsulated within said monolith of moldable wherein said multi-faceted head precludes torsional shear from rotating said first elongated shaft substantially along a central long axis of said device.  
     
     
         3 - The device of  claim 2  further including a shoulder interposed between said head and said first elongated shaft and encapsulated within said monolith of moldable wherein said shoulder precludes axial shear from moving said first elongated shaft within and from said monolith of moldable material substantially along said central long axis of said device.  
     
     
         4 - The device of  claim 3  wherein said first threaded portion of said first elongated shaft extends from below said shoulder to a distal tapered pilot point for promoting fast starts when inserting said first elongated shaft into a hole disposed on a target to be monitored.  
     
     
         5 - The device of  claim 4  further including a multi-faceted extremity surmounting said second elongated shaft and encapsulated within said monolith of moldable wherein said multi-faceted extremity precludes torsional shear from rotating said second elongated shaft substantially along said central long axis of said device.  
     
     
         6 - The device of  claim 5  further including a neck interposed between said multi-faceted extremity and said second elongated shaft and encapsulated within said monolith of moldable material wherein said neck further includes at least one rib radially protruding from said neck and spaced from said faceted extremity and defining an annular groove between a lower surface of the said rib and an upper surface of said faceted extremity.  
     
     
         7 - The device of  claim 6  wherein said monolith of moldable includes an integrally formed interlocking means in the form of an extension of moldable material circumferentially extending into said annular groove for mechanically interlocking said monolith of moldable material between said faceted extremity and said rib.  
     
     
         8 - The device of  claim 1  further including a multi-faceted head surmounting said first elongated shaft and encapsulated by said monolith of moldable wherein said multi-faceted head precludes torsional shear from rotating said first elongated shaft within said monolith of moldable material and precludes axial shear from moving said first elongated shaft substantially along a central long axis of said device.  
     
     
         9 - The device of  claim 1  further including a multi-faceted extremity surmounting said second elongated shaft and encapsulated within said monolith of moldable material wherein said multi-faceted extremity precludes torsional shear from rotating said second elongated shaft within said monolith of moldable material and precludes axial shear from moving said second elongated shaft substantially along a central long axis of said device.  
     
     
         10 - The device of  claim 5  further including a neck interposed between said multi-faceted extremity and said second elongated shaft and encapsulated within said monolith of moldable material wherein said neck further includes a plurality of axially collocated ribs radially protruding from said neck and defining an annular groove between any two collocated ribs.  
     
     
         11 - The device of  claim 10  wherein said monolith of moldable includes an integrally formed interlocking means in the form of an extension of moldable material circumferentially extending into said annular groove between any two collocated ribs for mechanically interlocking said monolith of moldable material between said any two collocated ribs.  
     
     
         12 - A transducer mounting device, comprising in combination: 
 a self-tapping screw;    an insert having a threaded extremity, said insert substantially axially aligned with said self-tapping screw;    a plastic body overlying and supporting said self-tapping screw and said insert along a central long axis of said device wherein said self-tapping screw extends away from a first end of said plastic body and said insert extends away from a second end of said plastic body opposite said first end.    
     
     
         13 - A device of  claim 12  wherein said self-tapping screw is a thread rolling screw including a multi-faceted head surmounting a threaded shaft which extends below said head to a tapered pilot point wherein the tapered pilot point promotes the alignment of said screw within a hole disposed in a target to monitored and the threaded shaft provides means for forming a complemental thread pattern within the hole by compressing material around the threaded shaft during installation.  
     
     
         14 - A device of  claim 13  wherein said insert includes a multi-faceted extremity transitioning into an annular shaped neck, said neck including a plurality of radially extending collocated ribs which transition into an elongated shank supporting said threaded extremity, said threaded extremity capable of mating with a transducer monitoring status of the target.  
     
     
         15 - A transducer mounting device, comprising in combination: 
 a preform including an internal cavity    an elongated member surmounting said preform for receiving a transducer;    a magnetic component received within said internal cavity;    an adhesive interposed between said magnetic component and a target for magnetically and adhesively bonding said preform to the target for monitoring the target with the transducer.    
     
     
         16 - The device of  claim 15  wherein said elongated member is cylindrically shaped and incised with one or more threads at an end distal from said preform.  
     
     
         17 - The device of  claim 16  wherein said preform is a cylindrical shell including a top wall substantially perpendicularly transitioning into a cylindrically shaped sidewall which terminates at a bottom peripheral lip.  
     
     
         18 - The device of  claim 17  wherein said cylindrical shell includes said internal cavity having a top closed wall and sidewalls extending between said top closed wall and said bottom peripheral lip defining an opened bottom end of said cavity.  
     
     
         19 - The device of  claim 18  wherein said magnetic component is received within said internal cavity and includes an exposed area via said opened bottom end.  
     
     
         20 - The device of  claim 19  wherein said adhesive is directly applied to said exposed area of said magnetic such that said adhesive is interposed between said magnetic component and the target when said preform is placed on the target for magnetically and adhesively bonding said preform to the target.  
     
     
         21 - The device of  claim 15  wherein said magnet is a rare earth magnet.  
     
     
         22 - The device of  claim 21  wherein said rare earth magnet is a Neodymium rare earth magnet.  
     
     
         23 - The device of  claim 15  wherein said preform is a stainless steel preform having corrosion resistance to water, light acids and bases.