Positioning apparatus for inertial sensors
First Claim
1. An inertial sensor, comprising:
- a housing;
a flexible pendulum;
a rigid support structure having a base portion and a pendulum mount portion pivotally attached to said base portion by a torsionally flexible structure, said base portion being secured at a fixed location and at a fixed attitude relative to said housing, said pendulum being attached at one end to said pendulum mount portion, another end of said pendulum being free to move in response to inertial forces; and
a pendulum attitude adjustment assembly which permits precise adjustment of the verticality of said pendulum, said adjustment assembly including an adjustment shaft operably coupled to said pendulum mount portion at a point spaced from said torsionally flexible structure to achieve rotation of said pendulum mount portion with respect to said base portion by torsionally flexing said member through a first angle when said adjustment shaft is rotated through an angle greater than said first angle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inertial sensor of the type having an inertially responsive pendulum and a rigid support structure for operatively supporting the pendulum, includes an improved pendulum attitude adjustment assembly which allows precise adjustment of the verticality of the pendulum. The rigid support structure includes a base portion and a pendulum mount portion which is pivotally attached to the base portion. The base is secured at a fixed location and at a fixed attitude relative to the housing. The pendulum is attached at one end to the pendulum mount portion and another end of the pendulum is free to move in response to inertial forces. The attitude adjustment assembly includes an adjustment shaft which is operably coupled to the pendulum mount portion to achieve rotation of the pendulum mount portion with respect to the base portion through a first angle when the adjustment shaft is rotated through an angle greater than the first angle. The pendulum mount portion is preferably rotatable with respect to the base portion through an angle in excess of ninety degrees, and the adjustment shaft has a threaded coupling arrangement which preferably requires rotation of the shaft through a number of degrees in order to rotate the pendulum mount portion a single degree relative to the base portion, thereby providing a desirably high order of resolution while also achieving ease and convenience of operation.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An inertial sensor, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible pendulum; a rigid support structure having a base portion and a pendulum mount portion pivotally attached to said base portion by a torsionally flexible structure, said base portion being secured at a fixed location and at a fixed attitude relative to said housing, said pendulum being attached at one end to said pendulum mount portion, another end of said pendulum being free to move in response to inertial forces; and a pendulum attitude adjustment assembly which permits precise adjustment of the verticality of said pendulum, said adjustment assembly including an adjustment shaft operably coupled to said pendulum mount portion at a point spaced from said torsionally flexible structure to achieve rotation of said pendulum mount portion with respect to said base portion by torsionally flexing said member through a first angle when said adjustment shaft is rotated through an angle greater than said first angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An inertial sensor, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible pendulum; a rigid support structure having a base portion and a pendulum mount portion pivotally attached to said base portion, said base portion being secured at a fixed location and at a fixed attitude relative to said housing, said pendulum being attached at one end to said pendulum mount portion, another end of said pendulum being free to move in response to inertial forces; and a pendulum attitude adjustment assembly which permits precise adjustment of the verticality of said pendulum, said adjustment assembly including an adjustment shaft operably coupled to said pendulum mount portion to achieve rotation of said pendulum mount portion with respect to said base portion through a first angle when said adjustment shaft is rotated through an angle greater than said first angle said adjustment shaft being threaded and engaging a complementary threaded member which is retained at a substantially fixed position with respect to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An inertial sensor, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible pendulum; a rigid support structure having a base portion and a pendulum mount portion pivotally attached to said base portion through a living hinge, said base portion being secured at a fixed location and at a fixed attitude relative to said housing, said pendulum being attached at one end to said pendulum mount portion, another end of said pendulum being free to move in response to inertial forces; and a pendulum attitude adjustment assembly including an externally threaded adjustment shaft having a head portion, an internally threaded member which is retained at a substantially stationary position with respect to said housing, and an arm connecting said adjustment shaft with said pendulum mount portion, said external thread of said adjustment shaft engaging said internal thread of said internally threaded member, said arm including a slot for receiving said head portion of said adjustment shaft and an axle which is pivotally attached to said pendulum mount portion, rotation of said adjustment shaft causing rotation of said pendulum mount portion with respect to said base portion, the ratio of the angular displacement of said adjustment shaft to the angular displacement of said pendulum mount portion with respect to said base portion being greater than one. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification