Electronic levelling cell
First Claim
1. A device for detecting deviation of a plane from level position, including a conductive gravity-levelled reference element defining a horizontal reference surface, at least one pair of conductive, rigidly mounted sensing electrode members jointly defining said plane and disposed adjacent the reference surface in confronting relation therewith, a dielectric fluid separating the reference surface from the sensing electrode members, the reference element, the pair of sensing electrode members and the dielectric fluid forming a pair of capacitors the capacitances of which vary oppositely in response to deviation of said plane from parallelism of the reference surface and a line joining the pair of electrode members, and means for detecting variations of the capacitances of the pair of capacitors, characterized in that the detecting means includes an alternating current source connected to the pair of capacitors and for applying oppositely phased first and second alternating voltages to respective ones of the capacitors, the product of the capacitance and the applied voltage being equal for both capacitors when the reference surface and said line are parallel, and an inverting amplifier including a feed-back capacitor and having its input connected to the gravity-levelled element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic level includes a conductive gravity-levelled reference element (33) and one or more pairs of sensing electrode members (A1-D1) supported in spaced confronting relation to the reference element on a flat rigid support (37) which is movable relative to the reference element. A dielectric fluid separates the reference element (2) from the sensing electrode members so that at least one pair of capacitors is formed the capacitances of which capacitors vary oppositely in response to deviation from level position of a line joining the pair of sensing electrode members and the consequent loss of parallelism of that line with the reference element. Alternating voltages are applied to the capacitors such that the product of the capacitance and the applied voltage is equal for both capacitors when parallelism exists. A detecting means senses variations of the capacitances and provides an indication of any deviation from level position of the flat support (37). The detecting means comprises an inverting amplifier including a feed-back capacitor formed by the reference element (33) and an additional electrode member (E1) disposed symmetrically with respect to the sensing electrode members (A1-D1) on the support (37).
25 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A device for detecting deviation of a plane from level position, including a conductive gravity-levelled reference element defining a horizontal reference surface, at least one pair of conductive, rigidly mounted sensing electrode members jointly defining said plane and disposed adjacent the reference surface in confronting relation therewith, a dielectric fluid separating the reference surface from the sensing electrode members, the reference element, the pair of sensing electrode members and the dielectric fluid forming a pair of capacitors the capacitances of which vary oppositely in response to deviation of said plane from parallelism of the reference surface and a line joining the pair of electrode members, and means for detecting variations of the capacitances of the pair of capacitors, characterized in that the detecting means includes an alternating current source connected to the pair of capacitors and for applying oppositely phased first and second alternating voltages to respective ones of the capacitors, the product of the capacitance and the applied voltage being equal for both capacitors when the reference surface and said line are parallel, and an inverting amplifier including a feed-back capacitor and having its input connected to the gravity-levelled element.
Specification