SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MOTION MEASUREMENT OF CO-EXISTING TILT AND HORIZONTAL ACCELERATION
First Claim
1. A motion-sensing device for sensing tilt and acceleration when one of tilt, horizontal acceleration, and tilt and horizontal acceleration acting concurrently, influence said device, the device comprising:
- a. a substrate having a vertical surface;
b. a first accelerometer fixed to said vertical surface of said substrate;
c. a pendulum flexibly coupled to said vertical surface of said substrate; and
d. a second accelerometer fixed to said pendulum.
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Abstract
A motion-sensing device for sensing tilt and acceleration when either tilt, horizontal acceleration, or tilt and horizontal acceleration acting concurrently, influence the device, including: a substrate having a vertical surface, a first accelerometer fixed to the vertical surface of the substrate; a pendulum flexibly coupled to the substrate proximate to the first accelerometer; and a second accelerometer fixed to the pendulum. The first and/or second accelerometers are preferably an accelerometer; a spring-mass system; and/or any tilt or accelerometer sensitive elements. The first accelerometer includes an accelerometer that measures tilt and linear acceleration in a first geometric plane, the pendulum is constrained to move in the first geometric plane, and the second accelerometer is operable to measure linear acceleration in the first geometric plane. The motion-sensing device or devices coupled to a machine, vehicle, and/or a control system. The pendulum is critically damped using a damping fluid.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A motion-sensing device for sensing tilt and acceleration when one of tilt, horizontal acceleration, and tilt and horizontal acceleration acting concurrently, influence said device, the device comprising:
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a. a substrate having a vertical surface; b. a first accelerometer fixed to said vertical surface of said substrate; c. a pendulum flexibly coupled to said vertical surface of said substrate; and d. a second accelerometer fixed to said pendulum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A motion-sensing device for sensing tilt and acceleration when one of tilt, horizontal acceleration, and tilt and horizontal acceleration acting concurrently, influence said device, the device comprising:
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a. a substrate having a vertical surface; b. a first accelerometer fixed to said vertical surface of said substrate; c. a pendulum flexibly coupled to said vertical surface of said substrate; i. via a supporting rod extending orthogonally from said vertical surface; and ii. proximate to said first accelerometer; d. a second accelerometer fixed to said pendulum; and e. a damping fluid at least partially immersing said pendulum, wherein the density, viscosity, and volume of said damping fluid is selected to substantially critically damp motion of said pendulum. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A motion-sensing device for sensing tilt and acceleration when one of tilt, horizontal acceleration, and tilt and horizontal acceleration acting concurrently, influence said device, the device comprising:
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a. a substrate having a vertical surface; b. a first accelerometer fixed to said vertical surface of said substrate, said first accelerometer operable to measure tilt and acceleration in a first vertical geometric plane parallel to said vertical surface; c. a pendulum flexibly coupled to said vertical surface of said substrate; i. via a supporting rod extending orthogonally from said vertical surface; and ii. proximate to said first accelerometer, wherein said pendulum is constrained to move in said first geometric plane; d. a second accelerometer fixed to said pendulum, said second accelerometer operable to measure acceleration in said first geometric plane, wherein at least one of said first and second accelerometers comprises at least one of; i. a tilt sensor; ii. a spring-mass system; and iii. an accelerometer; and e. a damping fluid at least partially immersing said pendulum, wherein the density, viscosity, and volume of said damping fluid is selected to substantially critically damp motion of said pendulum; and f. a logic operable to determine linear acceleration and tilt from said first and second accelerometer outputs, wherein i. said determination of linear acceleration is made according to one of; 1. a=g tan[arc sin(a370/g)], wherein; a. g is gravitational acceleration; b. a370 is the output of said second accelerometer expressed in the same units as g; and c. a is linear acceleration; and 2. a≅
a370, wherein;a. a370 is the output of said second accelerometer; and b. a is linear acceleration; and ii. said determination of tilt angle is made according to a=arc sin(a/k)−
arc sin(a310/k), wherein;1. α
is tilt angle;2. a is linear acceleration; 3. a310 is the output of said first accelerometer; and 4. k=√
{square root over (a2+g2)}, wherein g is gravitational acceleration. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification