Optical Rotary Sensor
AssigneeOSI Optoelectronics, Inc.
InventorsJean-Pierre Maufras, Michael John Frick, Michel Chiasson, Teodor Petrea
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present specification provide an apparatus for detecting an angle of rotation of a rotating member. A light source emits light rays which are conditioned by a light conditioner to control a light beam geometry and emission pattern of the light rays. The conditioned rays are incident on an optical disk that emits refracted rays in form of a light spot on an optical detector. The optical disk rotates in synchronization with the rotating member. The optical detector uses position of the light spot to output an analog signal continuous and ratio-metric to the angle of rotation of the rotating member.
Claims24
An apparatus for detecting an angle of rotation of a rotating member, the apparatus comprising:
- a light source for emitting light rays;
- a light conditioner configured to receive and condition the light rays emitted by the light source in order to control an emission pattern of the light rays, wherein the light conditioner is further configured to emit the conditioned light rays;
- an optical transducer with at least one refractive surface, wherein the optical transducer is coupled to the rotating member, wherein the optical transducer is configured to receive the conditioned light rays emitted by the light conditioner through its at least one refractive surface and to emit refracted rays in form of a light spot, and wherein the at least one refractive surface has a varying dimension that corresponds with the angle of rotation of the rotating member;
- and
- an optical detector configured to receive the light spot emitted from the optical transducer, wherein the optical detector is configured to output an analog signal based on a position of the light spot and wherein the analog signal is indicative of the angle of rotation of the rotating member.
An apparatus for detecting an angle of rotation of a rotating member, the apparatus comprising:
- a light source for emitting light rays;
- a light conditioner configured to receive and condition the light rays emitted by the light source in order to control an emission pattern of the light rays, wherein the light conditioner is further configured to emit the conditioned light rays;
- an optical transducer with at least one refractive surface, wherein the optical transducer is coupled to the rotating member, wherein the optical transducer is configured to receive the conditioned light rays emitted by the light conditioner through its at least one refractive surface and to emit refracted rays in form of a light spot, and wherein the at least one refractive surface has a varying thickness that corresponds with the angle of rotation of the rotating member;
- an optical detector configured to receive the light spot emitted from the optical transducer, wherein the optical detector is configured to output an analog signal based on a position of the light spot, wherein the analog signal is continuous and ratio-metric to the angle of rotation of the rotating member;
- and
- signal circuitry in electrical communication with the optical detector, wherein the signal circuitry is configured to provide a continuous voltage output corresponding to the light spot received by the optical detector and wherein the voltage output is representative of the angular position of the rotating member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.