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US 6,445,193 B1Granted
Distance measuring device and method for determining a distance
AssigneesMikrowellen-Technologie und Sensoren GmbH, Festo AG & Co.
InventorsGunther Trummer, Armin Seitz, Alfred Neugobauer, Karl Forster
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A distance measuring device is capable of measuring a distance to a piston with a cylinder both discretely and continuously. The distance measuring device includes a coupling probe located axially symmetrically with respect to a piston rod within the cylinder. The coupling probe transmits a continuous wave electromagnetic signal into the cylinder and detects its reflection to measure the distance to the piston while the piston is moving.
Claims22
A distance-measuring device comprising:
- a conductive cylinder;
- a reflection means movably mounted within the cylinder for reflecting electromagnetic waves;
- a rod coupled to the reflection means for controlling movement of the reflection means;
- a sensor arrangement including a coupling probe located axially symmetrically with respect to the rod within the cylinder for feeding a continuous wave electromagnetic signal into the cylinder and for detecting a reflection of the continuous wave electromagnetic signal from the reflection means within the cylinder;
- high-frequency electronics coupled to the coupling probe for generating the continuous wave electromagnetic signal and receiving its reflection;
- and control and evaluation electronics coupled to the high frequency electronics for continuously determining the distance while the reflection means is moving based on the reflection.
3 more elements
A method for measuring a distance, the method comprising:
- (a) feeding a transmission signal into a conductive structure through a coupling probe located within the conductive structure to determine a static position of a reflection means located within the conductive structure for reflecting electromagnetic signals;
- (b) determining a distance between the reflection means and the coupling probe by detecting reflection of the transmission signal from the reflection means using the coupling probe;
- (c) feeding a continuous wave electromagnetic signal into the conductive structure using the coupling probe;
- (d) detecting, using the coupling probe, a standing wave formed by the continuous wave electrometric signal and a reflection of the continuous wave electromagnetic signal from the reflection means;
- and
- (e) continuously calculating a distance between the coupling probe and the reflection means while the reflection means is moving based on the standing wave.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.