Device for absolute displacement determination

A device for determining absolute displacement comprising:

• a revolution transmitter for generating a revolution signal including a predetermined number of voltage pulses having amplitudes independent of a velocity of rotation of said revolution transmitter, said revolution transmitter including signal generating means for generating said voltage pulses by making use of a Weingand or Large-Barkhausen effect;
• said revolution transmitter comprising a first sensor means, a second sensor means and a reference sensor means for generating corresponding first, second and reference pulses;
• a pulse evaluating circuit receiving said first, second and reference pulses and including first and second memory elements, each having a set and a reset state, said memory elements being reset by said reference signal, said first memory element being set by said first pulse to indicate a counterclockwise rotation, and said second memory element being set by said second pulse to indicate a clockwise rotation, and counting means including an up/down counter having an up-count input coupled to said first memory element and a down-count input connected to said second memory element for indicating a current number of full revolutions corresponding to a respective absolute displacement;
• a position transmitter rigidly coupled to said revolution transmitter which executes a plurality of revolutions over a given path for generating in each instance a position signal corresponding to its angular position, said position signal being generated independently of said revolution signal;
• and
• means for superimposing said revolution and position signals.