Multiple sensing device and sensing devices therefore

• US 4,311,046 A
• Filed: 06/25/1979
• Issued: 01/19/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Devices Corporation
• Original Assignee: Applied Devices Corporation
• Inventors: Pittman, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Gill, James J.
• Application Number:
  US06/051,924
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 73/504, 73/505, 73/509, 73/510, 73/511, 73/517 R, 73/517 A, 73/178 R, 73/189, 73/228
• US Class Current: 73/178.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/09 by piezoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/12 Measuring electrostatic fields or voltage-potential
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/16 Measuring atmospheric potential differences, e.g. due to electrical charges in clouds measuring potentiels in general G01R

Abstract

A multiple sensing device has sensors, mounted on a common rotatable shaft, for sensing magnetic field, electric field, gas flow, angular acceleration and linear acceleration. The latter three of the sensing devices employ piezo electric crystals as the sensors, while the magnetic field sensor employs a pair of rotating coils and the electric sensing device employs a pair of rotating electrodes.

Claims

1. A multiple sensing device comprising a rotatable shaft, first piezoelectric crystal sensing means mounted for rotation with said shaft for producing an output voltage responsive to angular acceleration about an axis normal to said shaft, and second piezoelectric crystal sensing means mounted for rotation with said shaft for producing an output voltage responsive to linear acceleration of said shaft in a direction normal to the axis of the said shaft, said piezoelectric crystal means being mounted independently of one another to extend in mutually orthogonal planes which intersect the axis of said shaft, further including third sensing means for producing an output voltage responsive to the flow of gas externally of said device, said third sensing means comprising a piezoelectric crystal in the form of a plate mounted at an end of said shaft, the plane of said plate extending parallel to the axis of said shaft, and longitudinally from the end of said shaft.

2. The multiple sensing device of claim 1 further comprising fourth and fifth sensing means mounted for rotation with said shaft for sensing magnetic and electric fields in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft.

3. A multiple sensing device comprising a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in and extending through said housing, a first pair of bender piezoelectric crystals rotatable with said shaft within said housing and mounted on opposite sides of said shaft with their bending axes normal to said shaft, a second pair of bender piezoelectric crystals rotatable with said shaft within said housing and mounted on opposite sides of said shaft with their bending axes parallel to said shaft, said shaft having one end extending outside said housing, a further bender piezoelectric crystal mounted on said one end of said shaft and extending therefrom axially of said shaft, magnetic field sensing means mounted for rotation with said shaft within said housing, and electric field sensing means mounted for rotation with said shaft between said housing, and said last mentioned crystal.

4. The multiple sensing device of claim 3, further comprising means for rotating said shaft including an annular member mounted to said shaft and having gas driving vane members at its periphery, said annular member having a central recess within which said first and second pairs of crystals are mounted.

5. A multiple sensing device comprising a housing, a shaft rotably mounted in said housing, an annular member affixed to said shaft and having gas drive slots at its periphery, said housing having apertures therein for directing a supply of gas to said gas drive slots, said annular member also including means for inductively rotating said shaft, a plurality of piezoelectric crystals mounted with different orientations for rotation with said shaft, whereby voltages corresponding to different parameters are generated by said crystals, computer means connected to said crystals to enable the coupling of said voltages from said device, and means for sensing the position of the shaft.