Transducer for directly converting mechanical displacement to phase information
AssigneePneumo Corporation
InventorsDan O. Bauer, Michael A. Pauwels
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A linear variable phase transformer directly converts displacement to phase information. In one form the relationship of such displacement and such phase information is substantially linear or directly proportional. Moreover, a circuit is provided for directly converting such phase information to digital information which is preferably provided in a binary format.
Claims37
A displacement to phase transducor, comprising a plurality of primary means for producing in response to alternating current excitation at different respective phases alternating magnetic fluxes separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, combining means for combining such plural fluxes to produce an output flux having a phase dependent on those of such plural fluxes and the relative positions of said combining means and said primary means, said primary means and combining means being relatively movable, and output means for producing an output AC electrical signal having a phase corresponding to the phase of such output flux, said primary means comprising two primary electromagnetic coils each including winding means having a non linear distribution of turns which cause the phase of such output flux to vary substantially linearly with respect to relative linear displacement of said combining means and said primary coils.
A displacement to phase transducer, comprising a plurality of primary means for producing in response to alternating current excitation at different respective phases alternating magnetic fluxes separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, combining means for combining such plural fluxes to produce an output flux having a phase dependent on those of such plural fluxes and the relative positions of said combining means and said primary means, said primary means and combining means being relatively moveable, and output means for producing an output AC electrical signal having a phase corresponding to the phase of such output flux, said primary means comprising at least one pair of primary electromagnetic coils, said output means comprising at least one secondary electromagnetic coil, said coils being generally circumferentially wound about a common axis, said at least one secondary coil being located axially between said at least one pair of primary coils, and each primary coil having a non linear distribution of turns which causes the phase of said output flux to vary substantially linearly with the relative movement of said primary means and combining means.
A displacement to phase transducer, comprising a plurality of primary means for producing in response to alternating current excitation at different respective phases alternating magnetic fluxes separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, combining means for combining such plural fluxes to produce an output flux having a phase dependent on those of such plural fluxes and the relative positions of said combining means and said primary means, said primary means and combining means being relatively movable, and output means for producing an output AC electrical signal having a phase corresponding to the phase of such output flux, said primary means comprising respective primary electromagnetic coils, each being wound such that the phase of such output flux varies approximately linearly with respect to relative linear displacement of said combining means and said primary coils;
- means for generating a plurality of AC excitation signals having different respective phases separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, said means for generating also generating an AC reference signal having a phase that is different from the respective phases of such excitation signals, and means for coupling respective excitation signals to said respective primary means;
- and clock signal generating means for producing clock pulse signals, counter means for counting input signals thereto, and delivery means for delivering to said counter means as input signals thereto a number of such clock pulse signals dependent on the difference between the phase of such output AC electrical signal and the phase of such reference signal, said delivery means comprising logic circuit means for passing a burst of clock pulse signals to said counter means when the polarity of such output AC electrical signal and the polarity of such reference signal are different, means for setting said counter means to a predetermined count level prior to delivery of such burst of clock pulse signals thereto, and validating means responsive to such setting of said counter means and the completion of delivery of a burst of clock pulses to said counter means for producing a data valid signal indicative of the presence of a valid count level signal output from said counter means.
A displacement to phase transducer, comprising a plurality of primary means for producing in response to alternating current excitation at different respective phases alternating magnetic fluxes separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, combining means for combining such plural fluxes to produce an output flux having a phase dependent on those of such plural fluxes and the relative positions of said combining means and said primary means, said primary means and combining means being relatively movable, and output means for producing an output AC electrical signal having a phase corresponding to the phase such output flux, said primary means comprising respective primary electromagnetic coils, each being wound such that the phase of such output flux varies approximately linearly with respect to relative linear displacement of said combining means and said primary coils;
- means for generating a plurality of AC excitation signals having different respective phases separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, said means for generating also generating an AC reference signal having a phase that is different from the respective phases of such excitation signals, and means for coupling respective excitation signals to said respective primary means;
- and clock signal generating means for producing clock pulse signals, counter means for counting input signals thereto, and delivery means for delivering to said counter means as input signals thereto a number of such clock pulse signals dependent on the difference between the phase of such output AC electrical signal and the phase of such reference signal, said delivery means comprising logic circuit means for passing a burst of clock pulse signals to said counter means when the polarity of such output AC electrical signal and the polarity of such reference signal are different, and validating means responsive to the completion of delivery of a burst of clock pulses to said counter means for producing a data valid signal indicative of the presence of a valid count level signal output from said counter means.
A displacement to phase transducer, comprising a plurality of primary means for producing in response to alternating current excitation at different respective phases alternating magnetic fluxes separated by other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees, combining means for combining such plural fluxes to produce an output flux having a phase dependent on those of such plural fluxes and the relative positions of said combining means and said primary means, said primary means and combining means being relatively movable, and output means for producing an output AC electrical signal having a phase corresponding to the phase of such output flux, said primary means comprising respective primary electromagnetic coils, each including winding means for cooperating to cause the phase of such output flux to vary substantially linearly with respect to relative linear displacement of said combining means and said primary coils, said winding means of said primary coils including plural windings circumferentially wound about a common axis with the axial distribution of windings of each primary coil being non-linear, and said combining means comprising a magnetically permeable core within a volume generally circumscribed by said primary coils and relatively linearly movable with respect to said primary coils.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.