Optical transducer for measuring pressure
OwnerCharles A. Liucciinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Differential displacement is optically detected by independent movement of either a collimated light source or a dual element photosensitive detector. Relative movement between the detector or light source generates a signal proportional to the amount of light striking the photosensitive elements. This invention relates to improved devices for the transformation of physical forces into mechanical and electro-optical response, for measuring the forces involved, and, in particular for wet/wet liquid and gas differential, gage and absolute, pressure measurements.
Claims15
A differential position apparatus for detecting relative motion of a pair of movable member comprising:
- (a) a radiation collimator having an aperture, said collimator being attached to one of the relative moveable members, means directing a rectangular beam of light through the collimator apertures,
- (b) a pair of photosensitive radiation detectors with sensitive active areas producing an electrical signal proportional to the exposed radiation attached to the other of the relative moveable members, said light sensitive detectors or the collimated light beam being capable or intercepting the differential position of the light beam by perpendicular motion of either moving member bidirectional to where the radiation emitter and dectectors are attached, the relative movement between either changing the light striking one detector element and the light striking the other detector element, wherein said collimator beam is being supported for bidirectional longitudinal micrometer adjustment along an axis perpendicular to the beam to permit sensitive adjustment of the apparatus and means are provided for securely holding the collimator body in any adjusted position,
- (c) an optical feedback light sensitive detector located in the path of the said beam radiation pattern, sensitive to any quantum radiation fluctuation correlated to the ratio of measured to referenced radiation thereof, and,
- (d) means for changing the differential area between the radiation upon one light sensitive element by producing relative movement of other light sensitive area thus forming an optical bias and circuit means for producing a signal indicative of said differential bias.
Condition responsive apparatus comprising in combination:
- (a) a radiation collimator projecting a path of light condition responsive strut tube operative to initiate differential movement in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive and an optical radiation source attached thereto, adjustable for high or low sensitivity projected into the collimator light,
- a condition responsive apparatus strut tube operative to initiate differential movement in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive, and a dual photo-sensitive element mounted thereto with predetermined active areas, each element emitting in combination and electrical analog signal continuosly correlated to its relative active area exposed to the radiation,
- a condition responsive apparatus in which said collimator is moveable through its operating range within a portion of the radiation path projected toward one of said photo-sensitive elements in said detector tube and said means includes a circuit for sensitivity, null and gain adjustments indicative of differential movement of the collimator strut tube member and reference strut tube,
- Condition responsive apparatus in which said strut tube detector is moveable throughout its operating range within a portion of the radiation path projected toward other photo-sensitive element in said detector tube, with circuit to produce electrical signal indicative of differential movement of the detector tube member and reference tube,
- wherein said both moveable member strut tubes, said source and said element are transversely moveable bidirectionally by said conditions responsive through a differential operating range in said radiation path for relatively varying exposed areas of said elements and said correlated signal therefrom and analog circuit means operable to correlate signals from each of said elements to which radiations at any given position through range of said relative tube displacement under different applied forces.
Transducer apparatus comprising two identical strut tubes of substantially zero thermoedastic coefficient alloy material which undergoes increase or decrease differentially in length as a function of applied force which is detected by photo optical means and provides an electrical output with a simple sensitivity adjustment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.