Patent · US Expired

Polar co-ordinate digitizer

US4922618A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 1988
Grant dateMay 8, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/002
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved polar co-ordinate digitizer where a cord extensible from a base unit moves a cord guide to provide an angle measurement and is wrapped on a drum whose movement reflects a length measurement. Lateral pressure on the cord guide is minimized by a low mass pivot arm whose angle is sensed by optical photodetector techniques. In addition the length of the cord is also sensed by a similar photodetector both mounted for rotation about the origin axis of the polar co-ordinate system and utilizing a fixed reference photodetector all of which sense a continuously rotating disk with an index mark on it. Suitable calibration is provided for the system.

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