Non-contact sensor system and method for position determination
First Claim
1. A non-contact sensor system, comprising:
- a first sensor element disposed on an outside surface of a chamber comprising an inside surface for receiving a piston shaft,wherein the piston shaft is configured to move over a displacement value X within the chamber without physically contacting the first sensor element; and
a rotational member including a rotational sensor element disposed on the rotational member and separated from the first sensor element by a wall of the chamber,wherein the rotational sensor element rotates about an axis Y in accordance with translation of the piston shaft about displacement value X,wherein the first sensor element and the rotational sensor element are operatively coupled to facilitate sensing the displacement value X, wherein the displacement value X represents displacement parallel with the axis Y.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-contact sensor system is provided that comprises a first sensor element disposed on an outside surface of a chamber. The chamber comprises an inside surface configured to receive a piston, and the piston is configured to move a value X within the chamber without physically contacting the first sensor element. The non-contact sensor system further comprises a second sensor element disposed on the piston and separated from the first sensor element by a wall of the chamber. The first sensor element and the second sensor element are operatively coupled to facilitate sensing the value X. The non-contact sensor system may be configured to sense velocity, acceleration, volume, and other values.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A non-contact sensor system, comprising:
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a first sensor element disposed on an outside surface of a chamber comprising an inside surface for receiving a piston shaft, wherein the piston shaft is configured to move over a displacement value X within the chamber without physically contacting the first sensor element; and a rotational member including a rotational sensor element disposed on the rotational member and separated from the first sensor element by a wall of the chamber, wherein the rotational sensor element rotates about an axis Y in accordance with translation of the piston shaft about displacement value X, wherein the first sensor element and the rotational sensor element are operatively coupled to facilitate sensing the displacement value X, wherein the displacement value X represents displacement parallel with the axis Y. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A control unit for a non-contact sensor system, comprising:
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a sensor configured to sense an electromagnetic field in a sensing circuit in a first sensor element, wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by a rotational sensor element operatively coupled to the first sensor element without physically contacting the first sensor element; and a calculator configured to determine a displacement value X in response to the electromagnetic field, wherein the first sensor element is disposed on an outside surface of a chamber that comprises an inside surface configured to receive a piston shaft, wherein the piston shaft is configured to move the displacement value X within the chamber without physically contacting the first sensor element, wherein the rotational sensor element rotates about an axis Y in accordance with translation of the piston shaft about displacement value X, wherein the displacement value X represents displacement parallel with the axis Y. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions comprising:
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instructions to sense an electromagnetic field in a sensing circuit in a first sensor element, wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by a rotational sensor element operatively coupled to the first sensor element without physically contacting the first sensor element; and instructions to determine a displacement value X in response to the electromagnetic field, wherein, the first sensor element is disposed on an outside surface of a chamber that comprises an inside surface configured to receive a piston shaft, wherein the piston shaft moves the displacement value X within the chamber without physically contacting the first sensor element, and wherein the rotational sensor element is disposed on the piston shaft and separated from the first sensor element by a wall of the chamber, wherein the rotational sensor element rotates about an axis Y in accordance with translation of the piston shaft about displacement value X, wherein the displacement value X represents displacement parallel with the axis Y.
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20. A method comprising:
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sensing an electromagnetic field in a sensing circuit in a first sensor element, wherein the electromagnetic field is generated by a rotational sensor element operatively coupled to the first sensor element without physically contacting the first sensor element; and determining a displacement value X in response to the electromagnetic field, wherein the first sensor element is disposed on an outside surface of a chamber that comprises an inside surface configured to receive a piston shaft, wherein the piston shaft moves the displacement value X within the chamber without physically contacting the first sensor element, and wherein the rotational sensor element is disposed on the piston shaft and separated from the first sensor element by a wall of the chamber, wherein the rotational sensor element rotates about an axis Y in accordance with translation of the piston shaft about displacement value X, wherein the displacement value X represents displacement parallel with the axis Y.
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Specification