Electronic wall-stud sensor with three capacitive elements
First Claim
1. A method of locating an object positioned behind or within a volume of material, the method comprising:
- positioning first, second, and third capacitive elements adjacent first, second, and third regions on a surface of the material wherein the second capacitive element is located between the first and third capacitive elements;
comparing a change of the relative capacitances of the first to that of the second capacitive element, and comparing a change of the relative capacitance of the second to that of the third capacitive element; and
including moving the first, second, and third elements along the surface while comparing the relative capacitances of the first, second, and third capacitive elements.
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Abstract
A device for locating the edges of wall studs includes a comparison circuit connected to each of three capacitive elements. As the device is moved along a wall, the comparison circuit monitors the relative charge time associated with each capacitive element, the charge times providing an indication of the relative capacitances of the three capacitive elements. Changes in the relative capacitances of the three elements as the device is moved along a wall are due to a change in the dielectric constant of the wall, which normally results from the presence of a wall stud behind the surface over which the device is moved. The comparison circuit uses differences in the measured relative capacitances of the first, second, and third capacitive elements to locate the edges of the stud.
105 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of locating an object positioned behind or within a volume of material, the method comprising:
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positioning first, second, and third capacitive elements adjacent first, second, and third regions on a surface of the material wherein the second capacitive element is located between the first and third capacitive elements; comparing a change of the relative capacitances of the first to that of the second capacitive element, and comparing a change of the relative capacitance of the second to that of the third capacitive element; and including moving the first, second, and third elements along the surface while comparing the relative capacitances of the first, second, and third capacitive elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11)
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8. A device for locating an object positioned behind or within a volume of material, comprising:
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first, second, and third capacitive elements arranged to be co-planar, the second capacitive element being located between the first and third capacitive elements; a comparison circuit having first, second and third terminals coupled to respectively the first, second and third capacitive elements, wherein the comparison circuit compares a change of the capacitance of the first capacitive element to that of the second capacitive element, and compares a change of the capacitance of the second capacitive element to that of the third capacitive element by moving the first, second, and third elements along the surface while comparing the relative capacitances of the first, second, and third capacitive elements, thereby to determine a location of the object. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification