Patent · US Expired

Variable capacity proximity sensor

US4794321A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 27, 1987
Grant dateDec 27, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 27, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R27/2605
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A plurality of electrically conductive plates, preferably ring-shaped, are spaced from one another and electrically insulated from a conventional conductive probe rod, but movable therewith. The sizes and spacing of the plates are selected to provide a desired variation in capacitance between the plates and the object as the probe rod and the plates are moved toward the object. The capacitance between the probe rod and the object also increases as the probe rod moves toward the object. By appropriately combining these two capactiances, a nearly consant net capacitance occurs when the probe tip is very near a desired distance from the object, for a range of object sizes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.