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US 8,800,155 B2Granted
Displacement sensor with reduced hysteresis
OwnerJack A. Ekchianinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for reducing hysteresis in displacement sensors by reducing the resistance to motion between components in the sensing units that move relative to each other.
Claims19
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a base for placing said inclinometer against a surface of another object;
- a vessel attached to said base comprising, a first conductive wall segment with a dielectric coated surface, a second conductive wall segment, and a conductive flowable material that partially fills said vessel, wherein said material forms a variable capacitor with said first wall segment and is in conductive electrical communication with said second wall segment;
- wherein at least a portion of said conductive flowable material forms a contact angle, with at least a portion of a wall segment of said vessel, which is greater than 100 degrees.
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a base;
- a vessel attached to said base comprising, a first conductive wall segment with a dielectric coated surface, a second conductive wall segment, and a conductive flowable material that partially fills said vessel, wherein said material forms a variable capacitor with said first wall segment and is in conductive electrical communication with said second wall segment;
- wherein at least a portion of at least one wall segment is hydrophobic.
A method for measuring inclination, comprising:
- providing a base;
- attaching a vessel to said base wherein said vessel comprises a first conductive wall segment with a dielectric coated surface, a second conductive wall segment, and a conductive flowable material that partially fills said vessel, wherein at least a portion of at least one wall segment of said vessel has a hydrophobic surface;
- causing said flowable material to cover at least a portion of said dielectric coated surface of said first wall segment while said flowable material is in conductive electrical communication with said second wall segment, wherein the capacitance between said first wall segment and said second wall segment is proportional to said inclination;
- measuring said capacitance.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.