US Patent 10359387 Hydraulic hoses with life-sensing capability and methods therefor

A system and methods for predicting structural failure of at least a portion of a wall of a fluid containment vessel. The wall has an innermost layer for contact with a fluid contained by the vessel and an outermost layer parallel with the innermost layer. The system includes strain-sensing means within a portion of the wall and surrounded by the at least one reinforcement layer including at least one conductor parallel to the innermost layer of the wall. Changes are sensed in an electrical property associated with the at least one conductor resulting from distortion of the wall of the vessel causing distortion of the at least one conductor.