System for determining position of an internal, movable conductive element
First Claim
1. A system for detecting the position of an element movably enclosed in a housing, the system comprising:
- first energy transmitting means positioned with respect to the housing and the element for transmitting energy to the element, the energy being perturbed by impingement upon the element, the perturbation of the energy varying with varying position of the element within the housing;
detector means positioned for detecting energy transmitted by the first energy transmitting means after perturbation by the movable element, the detected first means energy having an unperturbed component and a superimposed, perturbed component;
second energy transmitting means separated from the first energy transmitting means for transmitting energy also detected by the detector means, the detected second means energy having at least an unperturbed component; and
control means for adjusting the energy transmitted by at least one of the first and second energy transmitting means to at least partially cancel the unperturbed components of the first and second means energies detected by the detector means.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system to determine the position of an electrically conductive element movably positioned in a housing, like a metal disc in a check valve, with greater accuracy and resolution than single magnet systems includes first and second A.C. electromagnets positioned in close proximity to the element on opposing sides of the housing. The magnets are excited with A.C. currents to generate magnetic fields which penetrate the housing and the element. The magnetic fields are sensed by a magnetic field sensor. A control portion of the system includes a microprocessor configured to allow an operator to adjustably select and set a common frequency, individual amplitudes and a phase difference between the two currents supplied to the two magnets so that the currents might be adjusted to cause the magnets to generate magnetic fields at least partially and preferably essentially cancelling one another at the sensor. The sensor senses essentially only a net perturbation in a magnetic field caused by movement of the electrically conductive member.
67 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for detecting the position of an element movably enclosed in a housing, the system comprising:
-
first energy transmitting means positioned with respect to the housing and the element for transmitting energy to the element, the energy being perturbed by impingement upon the element, the perturbation of the energy varying with varying position of the element within the housing; detector means positioned for detecting energy transmitted by the first energy transmitting means after perturbation by the movable element, the detected first means energy having an unperturbed component and a superimposed, perturbed component; second energy transmitting means separated from the first energy transmitting means for transmitting energy also detected by the detector means, the detected second means energy having at least an unperturbed component; and control means for adjusting the energy transmitted by at least one of the first and second energy transmitting means to at least partially cancel the unperturbed components of the first and second means energies detected by the detector means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A system for detecting the position of an element movably enclosed in a housing, the system comprising:
-
first field generating means positioned for generating a first energy field within the housing perturbed by changes in position of the element within the housing; detector means positioned for detecting the first energy field after perturbation by the movable element, the detected first energy field having an unperturbed component and a superimposed, perturbed component; second energy field generating means positioned for generating a second energy field detected by the detector means, the detected second energy field having at least an unperturbed component; and control means for adjusting the energy field generated by at least one of the first and second energy field generating means to at least partially cancel the unperturbed components of the first and second energy fields detected by the detector means.
-
Specification