US 7,078,676 B2Granted

Displacement sensor apparatus

AssigneeBed-Check Corporation

InventorsToby E. Smith, Craig L. Cooper

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Abstract

There is provided herein a sensor for determining relative displacement between two surfaces which utilizes two optically conductive members that have been mounted in proximity to each other, whereby the amount of displacement between the two surfaces may be determined by measurement of the magnitude of the intensity of light transmitted through them. The instant invention preferably utilizes two planar light transmitting surfaces—an emitter and a receiver—which are free to move laterally with respect to each other and are positioned so that when light is introduced into the emitter some proportion of that light falls on the receiver. By electronically monitoring the intensity of light impinging on the receiver an estimate of the amount of overlap between the two optical surfaces and, thus, an estimate of the relative displacement between them, may be obtained.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An optical displacement sensor, comprising:

(a) a first optical line, said first optical line being positionable to be in optical communication with an illumination source;
(b) a sensor emitter, said sensor emitter having at least one emitting surface,
(b1) wherein said sensor emitter is in optical communication with said first optical line,
(b2) wherein said sensor emitter is non-diffracting and optically conductive, and,
(b3) wherein at least a portion of any light originating from said illumination source is emitted from said at least one emitting surfaces;
(c) a sensor receiver, said sensor receiver having at least one receiving surface, said sensor receiver being positioned to be proximate to said sensor emitter and in optical communication therewith,
(c1) wherein said sensor receiver is non-diffracting and optically conductive,
(c2) wherein at least one of said receiving surfaces is in optical communication with at least one of said emitting surfaces,
(c3) wherein at least a portion of any light emitted from said emitting surface is received by said receiving surface, and,
(c4) wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are movable with respect to each other, wherein an amount of light received by said receiving surface varies with any such movement, and wherein said amount of light received by said receiving surface is representative of an amount of displacement between said emitting surface and said receiving surface;
and,
(d) a second optical line, said second optical line being in optical communication with said sensor receiver, said second optical line being at least for transmitting at least a portion of any light received by said receiving surface.

9 more elements

An optical displacement sensor, comprising:

(a) a first optical line, said first optical line being positionable to be in optical communication with at least one illumination source;
(b) a sensor emitter, said sensor emitter having at least one emitting surface,
(b1) wherein said sensor emitter is in optical communication with said first optical line,
(b2) wherein said sensor emitter is non-diffracting and optically conductive, and,
(b3) wherein at least a portion of any light originating from said illumination source is emitted from said at least one emitting surfaces;
(c) a sensor receiver, said sensor receiver having at least one receiving region, said sensor receiver being positioned to be proximate to said sensor emitter and in optical communication therewith,
(c1) wherein said sensor receiver is non-diffracting and optically conductive,
(c2) wherein at least one of said receiving regions is in optical communication with at least one of said emitting surfaces,
(c3) wherein at least a portion of any light emitted from said emitting surface is received by at least one of said receiving regions, and,
(c4) wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are movable with respect to each other, wherein an amount of light received by said receiving region varies with any such movement, and wherein said amount of light received by said receiving surface is representative of an amount of displacement between said emitting surface and said receiving surface;
and,
(d) at least one sensing optical line, said sensing optical line being in optical communication with said sensor receiver, said sensing optical line being at least for transmitting at least a portion of any light received by said receiving surface.

9 more elements

An optical displacement sensor, comprising:

(a) a first optical line, said first optical line being positionable to be in optical communication with an illumination source;
(b) a non-diffracting and substantially translucent sensor emitter, said sensor emitter having at least one emitting surface,
(b1) wherein said sensor emitter is in optical communication with said first optical line,
(b2) wherein said sensor emitter is optically conductive, and,
(b3) wherein at least a portion of any light originating from said illumination source is emitted from said at least one emitting surfaces;
(c) a non-diffracting and substantially translucent sensor receiver, said sensor receiver having at least one receiving surface, said sensor receiver being positioned to be proximate to said sensor emitter and in optical communication therewith,
(c1) wherein said sensor receiver is optically conductive,
(c2) wherein at least one of said receiving surfaces is in optical communication with at least one of said emitting surfaces,
(c3) wherein at least a portion of any light emitted from said emitting surface is received by said receiving surface, and,
(c4) wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are movable with respect to each other, wherein a magnitude of light received by said receiving surface varies with any such movement, and wherein said magnitude light received by said receiving surface is representative of an amount of displacement between said emitting surface and said receiving surface;
and,
(d) a second optical line, said second optical line being in optical communication with said sensor receiver, said second optical line being at least for transmitting at least a portion of any light received by said receiving surface.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/967,612Filed 18 Oct 2004 · us provisional application
Priority: 17 Oct 2003
Published: US 2005/0082466 A121 Apr 2005
Granted: 18 Jul 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01L 5/10
For measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands: using electrical means
G01B 11/16
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques: for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
B60R 21/0155
Detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment: sensing belt tension
G01L
Measuring force, stress, torque, work, mechanical power, mechanical efficiency, or fluid pressure

Family

Application60/512,042Us provisional application · filed 17 Oct 2003
Application60/524,978Us provisional application · filed 25 Nov 2003
US 2005/0082466 A1Pre-grant publication · published 21 Apr 2005
US 7,078,676 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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