Optical displacement sensor and torque sensor employing relatively movable slit patterns
US5841132A · kind A · utility
25Cited by
3References
29Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 24, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01L3/12
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical displacement sensor is used to measure the rotary displacement between two shafts which rotate together. By connecting the shafts together by means of a torsion bar, the sensor may be used to measure transmitted torque. The sensor comprises first and second coaxial discs mounted on the shafts and having slots formed therein. A light source directs light through the slots onto an array of photodetectors and a data processor determines the displacement or torque from the positions on the array of images of the slot edges.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.