Capacitive turn angle indicator

• US 5,315,865 A
• Filed: 07/08/1992
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valeo Borg Instruments Verwaltung GmbH
• Original Assignee: Borg Instruments Verwaltung GmbH, Diehl GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Barth, Manfred, Hornfeck, Rudiger, Nagler, Josef, Bar, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): MYRACLE, JERRY
• Application Number:
  US07/910,776
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 73/118.1, 73/116, 73/119 R, 33/1 PT, 341/15, 361/287, 340/870.37, 318/662
• US Class Current: 73/114.36
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/30 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2415 adapted for encoders

Abstract

A turn angle indicator or angular displacement indicator and, more particularly, relates to a capacitive turn angle indicator, especially a positioning sensor for a flap or throttle valve, including a supporting plate fastened to the apparatus at a close narrow distance in front of a further supporting plate which is rotatable planar-parallel relative thereto and which is utilized for a mutually oppositely located narrow spoke or sector-shaped electrode pattern, and with a bearing structure for the rotatable supporting plate and which is fastened to the apparatus. The supporting plates are guided relative to each other through the intermediary of compressively-loaded distance spacers which are arranged in the region of the outer edges of the plates which extend in parallel with the axis of rotation of the rotatable plate.

Claims

1. Capacitive angular displacement or turn angle indicator, comprising a stationary supporting plate fastened to an apparatus;

a movable supporting plate which is rotatable in plan-parallel relationship with said stationary supporting plate being a close spacing therefrom, said plates including oppositely located narrow sector-shaped electrode pattern;

a bearing means for the rotatable supporting plate being fastened to the apparatus; and

compressively-stressed spacer retainer means in the region of the outer rims of said supporting plates and extending in parallel with the axis of rotation for said movable supporting plate guiding said plates relative to each other.

2. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spacer retainer means comprises a bearing spacer ring located intermediate said supporting plates.

3. An indicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the space between said supporting plates within the confines of the spacer ring are filled with a dielectric medium serving as a lubricant.

4. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spacer retainer means comprises a foil which is arranged intermediate the carrier plates.

5. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spacer retainer means comprises roller members arranged in the edge region of said plates either directly or indirectly between the supporting plates.

6. An indicator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the roller members are radially guided within running grooves.

7. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein radial friction or roller bearing means offset from the radial position of the spacer retainer means towards the center of said indicator support a rotor which is equipped with said rotatable supporting plate.

8. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a combined radial-axial roller bearing is radially outwardly offset relative to the axis of rotation.

9. An indicator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the combined radial-axial roller bearing is configured as a grooved-tapered ball bearing having a minimal axial play.

10. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the two supporting plates which are supported against each other has a surface configuration forming said spacer retainer means such that the required spacing between said plates is directly implemented through the application of a force.

11. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, mounted as a setting sensor for a flap valve.

12. An indicator as claimed in claim 1, mounted as a setting sensor for a throttle valve.