Wide angle intensity pickoff
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorAubrey Rodgers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wide angle light intensity pickoff system, having a very fine signal reution of less than a degree, provides a linear range of about .+-.35 degrees with a total range of .+-.90 degrees. The pickoff system can be used with any angular measurement system. In a gyro system all of the active circuit components, an offset optical source and a detector, are mounted on the unstabilized housing structure. Only a fiber optic bundle is required on the stabilized gimbal for coupling optical signals to the detector. There is no mechanical contact between the stabilized gimbal and the unstabilized housing structure. This prevents gimbal/housing coupling torques while providing a wide angle pickoff capability.
Claims12
A wide angle light intensity pickoff comprising:
- a light source, a light detector, and a light coupling means disposed between said light source and said light detector, said light source being adapted for movement with respect to said coupling means, said coupling means having a light receiving face adjacent to said light source and having a second or output face adjacent to and coaxial with said light detector, said light source being positioned for directing a light beam at an acute angle toward said receiving face for providing a variable light intensity on said face in response to movement of said light source with respect to said receiving face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.