Angular position measuring apparatus
OwnerDick E. Johnstuninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Angular position measuring apparatus includes a prism mounted on a shaft whose angular position is to be determined, and a light source for directing a beam of light onto the prism. The prism is formed so that the light beam enters one surface of the prism and is refracted by another surface and caused to be directed in different directions as the prism, and thus the shaft, is rotated. Also included is an array of photo detectors positioned so that the refracted light impinges on various ones of the photo detectors depending upon the angular position of the shaft. The photo detector on which the light impinges is thereby caused to generate an electrical signal which is applied to utilization apparatus.
Claims9
Apparatus for indicating angular position of a rotatable device comprising
- a prism coupled to the device to rotate therewith,
- means disposed laterally of the axis of rotation of the device for directing a beam of light to said prism, said beam passing through the prism and being refracted thereby, and
- an array of photo detectors positioned about the prism so that the refracted beam of light will impinge on one of the photo detectors, the particular photo detector on which the refracted light impinges depending upon the angular position of the prism and thus of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.