Arrangement for the detection of relative movements of two objects

• US 6,928,886 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Original Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Gombert, Bernd, Meusel, Peter, Dietrich, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Octavia
• Application Number:
  US10/234,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 73862041-862046, 738/623.24, 738/626.28, 738/623.81, 738/654, 738/626.42, 738/624.4, 344/20, 250/229, 250/221, 250/208.6, 414/5, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158
• US Class Current: 73/862.324
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/16 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/166 using photoelectric means

Abstract

An arrangement for the detection of relative movements of two objects with four measuring cells as vertical measuring device for the detection of a relative movement perpendicular to an imaginary plane, with the measuring cells being arranged in such a manner that their vertical projections onto the plane are arranged at an identical angular distance from each other about a centre. Further, a force and/or moment sensor with a first board and a second board which are elastically connected with each other and movable relative to one another.

Claims

1. An arrangement (10) for the detection of relative movements of two objects comprising:

four measuring cells (20) as vertical measuring means for a detection of a relative movement perpendicular to an imaginary plane (24), with the measuring cells (20) being arranged in such a manner that their vertical projections onto the plane (24) are arranged at an identical angular distance from each other about a centre (26);

four measuring cells (22) as horizontal measuring means for the detection of a relative movement in the imaginary plane (24), with the measuring cells (22) being arranged in such a manner that their vertical projections onto the plane (24) are arranged at an identical angular distance from each other about a centre (28);

wherein at least one privileged direction of the horizontal measuring means includes an angle between 14° and

15°

with at least one privileged direction of the vertical measuring means.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one privileged direction of the horizontal measuring means includes an angle of 14.4°

with at least one privileged direction of the vertical measuring means.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the vertical projections of the measuring cells (20, 22) of the horizontal and the vertical measuring means in the plane lie on a circumference (34) of a circle at an identical angular distance from each other with respect to the centre of the circle.

4. The arrangement (10) according to claim 1, wherein the measuring cells (20, 22) for the detection of relative movements vertical or horizontal, respectively, to the imaginary plane (24) are optoelectronic arrangements, each of which comprises:

a position sensitive detector (42) arranged in the beam path of a light emitting means (40) as a first element, as well as

a slit diaphragm (44, 46) arranged in the beam path of the light emitting means (40) between the light emitting means (40) and the position sensitive detector (42) as a second element,

with a detector axis of the position sensitive detector (42) being oriented perpendicular to a slit means of the slit diaphragm (44, 46), and a element of the system consisting of light emitting means (40), slit diaphragm (44, 46), and detector (42) being movable relative to the other two elements.

5. The arrangement (10) according to claim 4, wherein each measuring cell (20, 22) is assigned an own light emitting means (40).

6. The arrangement (10) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein in each measuring cell (20, 22) the slit diaphragm (44, 46) is movable relative to the position sensitive detector (42) and the light emitting means (40).

7. The arrangement (10) according to claim 4, wherein the position sensitive detectors (42) and the light emitting means (40) of at least one measuring cell (20, 22) are commonly arranged on a printed board (60).

8. A force and/or moment sensor (50), comprising:

a first board (60); and

a second board (62), with the first board (60) and the second board (62) being elastically connected with each other and movable relative to one another, and including a means for the detection of movements of the second board (62) relative to the first board (60) according to claim 1.

9. The force and/or moment sensor (50) according to claim 8, wherein the first and second board (60, 62) are connected with each other via at least one spring means or spring and damping means.

10. The force and/or moment sensor (50) according to one of claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one spring means or spring and damping means comprises one of the following components or combinations therefrom:

helical spring (72), spring assembly, elastomer, cast resin.

11. The force end/or moment sensor (50) according to claim 8, wherein the first and the second board (60, 62) are elastically connected with each other by means of four or a multiple of four spring means or spring and damping means which are arranged rotation sym-metrically by 90°

or 180°

.

12. The force and/or moment sensor (50) according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the spring means or spring and damping means comprises at least one helical spring (72) which is securely connected with the first and second board (60, 62) by soldering.

13. The force and/or moment sensor (50) according to claim 4, including a means for detecting a failure of the spring means or of the spring and damping means, which detects an interruption of a current flow through the spring means or the spring and damping means if a failure of the spring means or of the spring and damping means occurs.

14. The force and/or moment sensor (50) according to claim 8, including at least one stop means (80) which limits the relative movement in the plane (24).

15. The force and/or moment sensor (50) according to claim 8, including at least one stop means (80) which limits the relative movement perpendicular to the plane (24).

16. The force and/or moment sensor according to claim 8, including a basic board on which a digital unit for data conversion and/or a power supply unit for the voltage supply is arranged, and at least one measuring module which comprises at least one measuring board, one measuring cell (20, 22), and one spring means or spring and damping means.