Position detector
First Claim
1. A position detector comprising:
- a plurality of magnetostriction propagating media extending substantially in parallel with one another;
first coils wound around said plurality of magnetostriction propagating media at respective one ends thereof, said one ends defining first regions of said media;
second coils wound around said plurality of magnetostriction propagating media over respective extents thereof;
position indicator means for generating steady magnetic fields located at detected positions of said respective extents defining second regions of said media;
means for applying a current pulse to one of said first coils or second coils to generate magnetostrictive oscillation waves in the corresponding one of said regions of the associated magnetostriction propagating media;
measuring means for measuring the time lapse between the point in time at which said magnetostrictive oscillation wave is generated and the point in time at which said magnetostrictive oscillation wave reaches the other one of said regions after propagation through said media;
processing means responsive to said determined time lapse for determining said positions of said position indicator means; and
wherein adjacent two of said plurality of magnetostriction media are respectively paired, said respective pairs of magnetostriction propagating media being individually wound with said first coils and said second coils so as to simultaneously generate said magnetostrictive oscillation waves in said respective pairs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A position detector comprising a plurality of magnetostriction propagating media extending substantially in parallel with one another and having first coils wound about the media at respective first ends thereof and second coils wound around the media over respective lengths thereof. A current pulse is applied to each of the first coils to generate magnetostrictive oscillation waves in the regions of the mediae around which the first coils are wound. The waves propagate through the media and cause an induced voltage to be generated in the respective second coils at the position where position indicators generate a steady magnetic field. The position of the position indicators is determined by measuring the time that elapses between generating the oscillating waves and receiving the induced voltages. Adjacent two of the plurality of magnetotriction propagating media are respectively paired and each of the magnetostriction propagating media of the respective pairs are individually wound with first coils that are connected together and second coils that are connected together so as to generate a magnetostrictive oscillating wave in the respective pairs. The plurality of magnetositriction propagating media may be evenly spaced or may be irregularly arranged with media that separate pairs being closer together than the media that comprise a pair. In one embodiment the current pulse is applied to the second coils to generate magnetostrictive oscillation waves at the position of the position indicators. In this embodiment the waves propagate through the mediae and cause an induced voltage to be generated in the respective first coil.
22 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A position detector comprising:
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a plurality of magnetostriction propagating media extending substantially in parallel with one another; first coils wound around said plurality of magnetostriction propagating media at respective one ends thereof, said one ends defining first regions of said media; second coils wound around said plurality of magnetostriction propagating media over respective extents thereof; position indicator means for generating steady magnetic fields located at detected positions of said respective extents defining second regions of said media; means for applying a current pulse to one of said first coils or second coils to generate magnetostrictive oscillation waves in the corresponding one of said regions of the associated magnetostriction propagating media; measuring means for measuring the time lapse between the point in time at which said magnetostrictive oscillation wave is generated and the point in time at which said magnetostrictive oscillation wave reaches the other one of said regions after propagation through said media; processing means responsive to said determined time lapse for determining said positions of said position indicator means; and wherein adjacent two of said plurality of magnetostriction media are respectively paired, said respective pairs of magnetostriction propagating media being individually wound with said first coils and said second coils so as to simultaneously generate said magnetostrictive oscillation waves in said respective pairs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification