Method and apparatus for a rotation angle sensor
AssigneeSimula, Inc.
InventorPhilip Schaefer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotation angle sensor has a fluid-filled container which houses a vane immersed in the fluid. The vane which rotates freely with respect to the container. The container is fixedly attached to a body for which rotation angle measurement is desired. When the body, and therefore container rotates, the fluid, and therefore vane tend to remain fixed with respect tot he rotation. The angle of rotation can therefore be measured by determining the amount the container has rotated with respect to the vane.
Claims38
A rotation angle sensor, comprising:
- (a) a fluid-filled container, having a top and a bottom;
- and
- (b) a vane connected to the top and bottom of said fluid-filled container via a shaft, so as to remain substantially fixed with respect to an axis of rotation and allowing the container to rotate freely about the vane, such that the vane remains substantially fixed as the container rotates about the vane.
An angular velocity sensor, comprising:
- a sealed fluid-filled container;
- and
- a cantilever having one end fixably attached to an inside surface of said container, so that a bend of the cantilever can be measured when the container is subjected to an angular velocity.
A method for determining angle of rotation, comprising the steps of:
- (a) connecting a vane in a fluid filled container having a top and a bottom via a shaft so that the vane remains substantially fixed with respect to an axis of rotation;
- (b) allowing the container to rotate freely about the vane, such that the vane remains substantially fixed as the container rotates about the vane;
- and
- (c) determining an angle of rotation of the cylinder from an initial point.
A method for determining angular velocity, comprising the steps of:
- (a) mounting a cantilever in a fluid-filled container;
- (b) measuring the amount of bend of said cantilever;
- and
- (c) determining the angular velocity in accordance with the amount of bend of said cantilever.
A rotation sensor for mounting in a vehicle to sense rotation of a vehicle about an axis, comprising:
- a container filled with a fluid that is sealed to prevent flow of the fluid through the container;
- a vane connected to a top and a bottom of the container so that the container can rotate freely about the vane via a shaft, the shaft defining an axis of rotation about which the rotation is sensed.
A method for sensing rotation of a vehicle about an axis, comprising the steps of:
- connecting a vane to a top and a bottom of a fluid-filled sealed container so that the container can rotate freely about the vane via a shaft, the shaft defining an axis of rotation about which the rotation is sensed;
- and
- mounting the vane to a vehicle such that the axis of rotation substantially aligns with an axis of rotation of the vehicle for which rotation is to be sensed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.