AN OPEN CIRCUIT WEAR SENSOR FOR USE WITH A CONDUCTIVE WEAR COUNTERFACE

摘要

A component including a surface subject to wear by an electrically conductive wear counterface (50). The component comprises a substrate (10); one or more material layers (32) overlying the substrate (10); a wear surface layer (16) overlying the one or more material layers (32); a first pair of spaced apart and electrically open wear sensor conductors (12/14) disposed in the substrate (10), in the one or more material layers (32), or in the wear surface layer (16); a first wear warning electrical circuit (68/69/70/74) for communicating with the first pair of conductors (12/14) for providing a first wear warning; and wherein when the wear counterface (50) has worn overlying layers, the wear counterface (50) interconnects the first pair of conductors (12/14) to activate the first wear warning circuit (68/69/70/74).