Alignment detector
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorDavid H. Modro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alignment detector is disclosed that determines whether a first element has been moved to a predetermined position relative to a second element. The detector includes an emitter that is secured within a first optical chamber. A first detector is secured within a second optical chamber. The first optical chamber is optically connected to the second optical chamber such that a signal emitted from the emitter is detectable by the detector. An occluding element at least partially obstructs the signal when the first element has been moved to the predetermined position.
Claims18
An alignment detector assembly that determines whether a first element has been moved to a predetermined position relative to a second element, wherein the first element is rotatable relative to the second element, the detector comprising:
- an emitter that is secured within a first optical chamber;
- a first detector that is secured within a second optical chamber, wherein the first optical chamber is optically connected to the second optical chamber such that a signal emitted from the emitter is detectable by the detector;
- and
- an occluding element that at least partially obstructs the signal and at least partially prevents the signal from being detectable by the detector, when the first element has been moved to the predetermined position;
- wherein the first element is a rotatable portion of a combiner mechanism and the second element is a non-rotatable portion of the combiner mechanism.
A combiner assembly for a head-up display, comprising:
- a non-rotatable portion;
- a rotatable portion that is attached to the non-rotatable portion and is selectively rotated from a stowed position to an operating position;
- an alignment detector that detects whether the rotatable portion has been rotated into the operating position, wherein the alignment detector includes
- a detector housing that is secured to the non-rotatable portion of the combiner assembly,
- an emitter, secured within a first chamber of the housing, the emitter emitting a detectable signal,
- a first detector that is secured within a second chamber of the housing, wherein the first and second chambers are optically connected such that the detector detects the signal emitted from the emitter when the rotatable portion is not in the operating position, and
- an occluding element that is attached to the rotatable portion, wherein the occluding element at least partially occludes the optical connection between the first and second chambers when the rotatable portion is in the operating position.
A method of detecting whether a rotatable combiner for a head-up display is in a deployed position, comprising:
- emitting a signal through a first opening and a second opening;
- detecting the signal after the signal has passed through the first opening and the second openings;
- interrupting the signal between the first opening and the second opening when the combiner is in the deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.