Measuring device with magneto-resistive electrodes, and measuring method
AssigneeBrown & Sharpe TESA SA
InventorPascal Jordil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic circuit for dimension-measuring device with magneto-resistive electrodes supplying at least one feed voltage for feeding a network of magneto-resistive electrodes and a measuring circuit comprising two differential inputs connected to the network. The measuring circuit uses a rough counter and a fine interpolation circuit for determining from the two sinusoidal input signals received the position of the sensor along the scale. The feed circuit periodically reduces the supplied electric feed voltage so as to temporarily lessen the dissipation of energy in the magneto-resistive electrodes.
Claims22
Dimension-measuring device comprising:
- a scale provided with a series of magnetized areas,
- a sensor capable of being displaced parallel and opposite the scale and provided with a network of magneto-resistive electrodes connected so as to constitute at least one measuring bridge,
- a circuit for electrically feeding said at least one measuring bridge and to supply at least one value dependent on the at least one output signal to said at least one measuring bridge,
- said at least one measuring bridge being fed according to a first mode enabling the displacements of said sensor relative to said scale to be detected with a reduced electric consumption through said magneto-resistive electrodes, then according to at least a second mode enabling a finer measuring with a higher electric consumption in response to the detection of an action of said device,
- wherein the voltage applied to said at least one measuring bridge in said first mode is lower than the voltage applied to said at least one measuring bridge in said second mode, and the voltage applied to said at least one measuring bridge in said first mode is sufficient to allow displacement of said sensor with respect to said scale.
Device according to the preceding claim, wherein said first mode enables a rough determining of said sensor's position.
Dimension-measuring device comprising:
- a scale provided with a series of magnetized areas,
- a sensor capable of being displaced parallel and opposite the scale and provided with a network of magneto-resistive electrodes connected so as to constitute at least one measuring bridge,
- a circuit for electrically feeding said at least one measuring bridge and to supply at least one value dependent on the at least one output signal to said at least one measuring bridge,
- said at least one measuring bridge being fed according to a first mode enabling the displacements of said sensor relative to said scale to be detected with a reduced electric consumption through said magneto-resistive electrodes, then according to at least a second mode enabling a finer measuring with a higher electric consumption in response to the detection of an action of said device,
- wherein the voltage applied to said at least one measuring bridge in said first mode is lower than the voltage applied to said at least one measuring bridge in said second mode, and the voltage applied to said at least one measuring bridge in said first mode is sufficient to allow detecting a displacement of said sensor with respect to said scale,
- said circuit further comprising a trigger signal generator, for detecting an action on said dimension-measuring device when in said first mode,
- said circuit being arranged to switch to said second mode in response to a signal from said trigger signal generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.