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US 5,049,827 AGranted
Non-contacting potentiometer
AssigneeJet Electronics & Technology Inc.
InventorJames D. Tasma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-contacting potentiometer includes a resistor and a movable probe which capacitively couples AC signals applied to the resistor to an output terminal. A closed loop control circuit is coupled to the resistor and the probe to compensate for variations in gap spacing between the probe and resistor.
Claims24
A non-contacting potentiometer comprising:
- an impedance element formed to extend along a predetermined physical path and having terminals at opposite ends thereof;
- means for applying an AC activating signal to said terminals;
- a movable probe mounted to extend in spaced relationship to said impedance element, said probe moving along said path and sensing the signal level at various locations along said impedance element;
- and
- circuit means coupled to said movable probe, said circuit means receiving the signal level on said probe for providing an output signal representative of the movement of said probe.
2 more elements
A motion detecting system for providing an electrical control signal representative of the position of a body comprising:
- a detector including an impedance element with a predetermined length and a movable probe adapted to be coupled to a body and mounted in spaced relationship to said impedance element and movable along said impedance element;
- and
- circuit means coupled to said impedance element for providing an AC signal to said impedance element which is capacitively coupled to said probe, said circuit means connected to said probe to receive a signal level on said probe, whereby said circuit means provides an output signal having an amplitude which represents the position of said probe.
A non-contacting potentiometer comprising:
- a potentiometer including a resistor and a rotary shaft having a probe mounted thereto which extends toward said resistor and in spaced relationship thereto said resistor including terminals at opposite ends thereof;
- means for applying AC activating signals of opposite phases to said terminals;
- and
- circuit means coupled to said terminals and said probe for providing an output signal representative of the rotation of said shaft.
1 more element
A non-contacting potentiometer comprising:
- a potentiometer including a resistor and a rotary shaft having a probe mounted thereto which extends toward said resistor and in spaced relationship thereto, said resistor including a first terminal at one end and a second terminal at the opposite end thereof;
- circuit means connected to said first and second terminals and said probe, said circuit means including means for generating first and second AC activating signals of opposite phases, and means for applying said first and second activating signals to said first and second terminals, respectively, said circuit means responsive to the signal level on said probe for providing an output signal representative of the rotation of said shaft and for adjusting said first and second AC activating signals applied to said first and second terminals as said probe moves along said resistor.
A non-contacting potentiometer comprising:
- an impedance element and a movable probe in spaced relationship thereto, said impedance element including terminals at opposite ends thereof;
- means for applying AC activating signals to said terminals;
- and
- circuit means coupled to said means for applying AC signals and said probe for providing an output signal representative of the movement of said probe, wherein said circuit means and said means for applying said AC activating signals provide a closed loop control circuit coupled to said terminals and to said probe and said activating signals supplied to said terminals are adjusted responsive to movement of said probe.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.