Rotary position sensor with reference and grey scales
US5773820A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 29, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 30, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 29, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01D5/34784
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A steering wheel shaft (103) position sensor includes a light emitter (110) fixed with respect to the shaft (103) and a pair of light detectors (111, 112) fixed with respect to the emitter (110). A disc (113) is mounted for rotation on the shaft (103) between the emitter (110) and the detectors (111, 112) and has a grey scale track extending circumferentially on the disc (113) between the emitter and one of the detectors (111), the grey scale varying from opaque to transparent to the light emitted by the emitter (110). A second, transparent track extends circumferentially on the disc (113) between the emitter and the other detector (112). The outputs of the two detectors (111, 112) are compared to provide an indication of the movement of the shaft (103).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.