Tension monitoring arrangement and method

摘要

Tension monitoring is described using a sensor which may exhibit an offset for which compensation may be provided to produce a zero voltage amplified output or to increase dynamic range. An arrangement determines whether a power reset is responsive to a battery bounce such that an initially-measured system start-up parameter can be retained. The start-up parameter is automatically saved at start-up if the power reset is responsive to a start-up from a shut-down condition. The start-up parameter may be a zero tension amplified output responsive to the sensor offset at zero tension. Protection of a tension data set is provided such that no opportunity for altering the data set is presented prior to transfer of the data set. A housing configuration forms part of an electrical power circuit for providing electrical power to an electronics package from a battery.

主权项

1. In a system for installing an underground utility by retraction that is applied to a leading end of the utility to draw the utility through the ground such that the utility is subjected to a tension force during an installation time period, a tension monitoring apparatus, comprising:
a sensor for inground sensing of the tension force that is applied to the leading end of the utility to produce a sensor signal during said installation time period; a processor configured at least for storing an original digital data set responsive to said sensor signal during the installation time period and for copying the original data set to a different location to create a copied data set after said installation time period; and a user interface, in communication with the processor, to permit a user to instruct the processor to erase the original data set only after the original data set has been copied to the different location.