Multi-fiber multi-cylinder position method and apparatus using time-of-flight technique
US6710327B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 4, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF15B15/2876
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hydraulic actuator is disclosed having a cylinder with a piston that is moved by hydraulic fluid. A laser diode emits a pulse or pulses of light that form laser light beam. These pulses are provided to two or more optical fibers that extend into two or more corresponding cylinders. For each of these cylinders, the optical fiber enters the cylinder at one end of the cylinder and directs a laser beam into the cylinder, and off the piston where the beam is reflected. The reflected beam then exits the cylinder through at least two corresponding optical fibers disposed on either side of the fiber that conducted the light into the cylinder. Each of the optical fibers that receives reflected light is joined together with the others of the optical fibers into one fiber that carries the reflected beam of light to a photo-diode located remote from the cylinder. Each of the photo diodes for each of the two or more cylinders has a corresponding photo diode amplifier. The output of these amplifiers are coupled together and provided to a pulse expansion circuit. The timing circuit that generates the pulse that triggers the laser diode also generates gate pulses for each of the photo diode ampl…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.