Valve position sensor
AssigneeLucas Industries public limited company
InventorChristopher Wood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A position sensor for monitoring the position of the valve element of a valve is described. The sensor comprises reflector means associated with the valve element and arranged to reflect energy, for example visible light, from a suitable source such that when the valve element is in a first position the reflected energy is incident upon a detector. Movement of the valve element away from the first position results in the reflected light no longer being incident upon the detector. The invention further relates to a valve including such a position sensor.
Claims9
A position sensor for sensing the position of a valve element movable in a first direction between first and second positions, the position sensor comprising an energy source for emitting an energy beam in a direction parallel to the first direction, reflector means for reflecting the energy beam, the reflector means being movable with the valve element and inclined to the first direction, and detector means for detecting the position of the reflected energy beam, the detector means being located to sense the reflected energy beam when the valve element occupies its first position, the detector means being sensitive to the intensity of the reflected energy beam at that location.
A valve including a valve seat and a valve element engageable with the seat and moveable in a first direction between first and second positions, comprising a position sensor for sensing the position of the valve element, the position sensor comprising an energy source for emitting an energy beam in a direction parallel to the first direction, reflector means for reflecting the energy beam, the reflector means being moveable with the valve element and inclined to the first direction, and detector means for detecting the position of the reflected energy beam, the detector means being located to sense the reflected energy beam when the valve element occupies its first position, the detector means being sensitive to the intensity of the reflected energy beam at that location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.