System for monitoring the gap between, and relative position of, relatively movable elements

Abstract

In accordance with this invention, a noncontacting sensing system (12) is disclosed for providing information regarding the gap between, and relative position of, two relatively movable elements such as a vehicle (14) and a guideway (16). As its main component, the system (12) includes an array (64) of four sensor assemblies (66). Each assembly (66) defines a target magnetic loop (T), which includes adjacent discrete pole pieces (28) in the guideway (16), and a separate reference magnetic loop (R). Hall-effect pickups (84) employed in the two loops (T and R) provide information regarding the relative magnetic intensity in the loops. A microprocessor (109) divides the output of the target loop pickups (88, 90, 92, and 94) by that of the reference loop pickup (96), in accordance with instructions provided in a read-only memory (ROM)(106). As a result, a corrected signal is produced for each assembly (66) independent of time-varying factors of the assembly (66). Microprocessor (104) further monitors these corrected signals by, for example, comparing the signals produced by all four assemblies (66). The maximum signal is representative of gap length, determined by reference to calibration data stored in ROM (106). The analysis of historical patterns in the corrected signals further allows the relative position of the vehicle (14) and guideway (16) to be determined. With an appropriate suspension and propulsion system (18) employed, a control system (20) responds to the output of system (12) by adjusting a variety of factors of vehicle performance including, for example, gap, position, speed, acceleration, pitch, and roll.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.