Apparatus for detecting the position of a probe relative to a workpiece
AssigneeThe Valeron Corporation
InventorRichard O. Juengel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for detecting the position of a probe relative to a workpiece, for example probe contact with the workpiece, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a transducer for converting probe contact to an electrical signal and a plurality of light emitting semiconductors for wirelessly transmitting an indication of the occurrence of the signal via infrared radiation. The apparatus is capable of operation with either a mechanical switch type probe transducer or a current measuring transformer type probe transducer. The apparatus is easily adapted to transmit the occurrence of probe contact by either amplitude modulation or frequency modulation of the emitted infrared radiation.
Claims19
Apparatus for detecting a position of a probe relative to workpiece comprising:
- a probe body surface whose position relative to a workpiece is to detected;
- excitation means for generating an electrical signal at an output thereof;
- transducer means coupled to the output of the excitation means and to the probe body surface in a manner operative to alter the electrical impedance presented by the transducer means to the excitation means output whenever the probe body surface assumes said position and to present an indication of the alteration at a transducer means output;
- a source of optical radiation having a control input coupled to the excitation means, the source being operative to emit optical radiation having a characteristic determined by a corresponding characteristic of a signal presented to the control input by the excitation means;
- and
- modulation means coupled between the transducer means output and the control input for altering the corresponding characteristic of the signal presented to the control input by the excitation means whenever the indication is present at the transducer means output.
Apparatus for detecting probe contact with a workpiece comprising:
- a probe contact surface;
- oscillator means operative to generate an alternating current signal at an output thereof;
- amplifier means having an input coupled to the oscillator means output, operative to provide an excitation signal proportional to the alternating current signal at an output of the amplifier means;
- transducer means coupled between the probe contact surface and the amplifier means output, operative to alter the excitation signal whenever the probe contact surface contacts the workpiece and to present a signal proportional to the probe excitation signal at a transducer means output;
- detector means coupled for receipt of the proportional signal presented by the transducer means output and operative to generate an indicator signal at a detector means output whenever the proportional signal is received;
- a source of infrared radiation having a control input coupled to the oscillator means output, the source operative to emit infrared radiation at an amplitude and frequency related to that of the alternating current signal received at the control input;
- and
- means coupled between the detector means output and the control input for altering a predetermined characteristic of the alternating current signal whenever the indicator signal is generated by the detector means, whereby infrared radiation having a predetermined characteristic is transmitted by the source whenever the indicator signal is generated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.