Rotation detector

• US 8,436,606 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Shuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Huy Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANG XUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/883,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 324/207.11, 324/207.21, 324/207.23, 324/207.25, 324/173, 324/166, 356/602, 356/601, 338/32.R, 338/32.H
• US Class Current: 324/207.25
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24476 Signal processing G01D5/2448 - G01D5/24495 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2448 Correction of gain, threshold, offset or phase control

Abstract

A rotation detector includes a first distance sensor disposed to face a rotating body with a gear portion formed non-parallel to a rotation axis for continuously measuring a distance from the gear portion during rotation of the rotating body, a second distance sensor disposed at a position different from the first distance sensor in a direction of the rotation axis for continuously measuring a distance from the gear portion during rotation of the rotating body, and an axis shift detecting portion for detecting an axis shift of the rotation axis based on a variation in the distance measured by at least one of the first and second distance sensors.

Claims

1. A rotation detector, comprising:

a first distance sensor disposed to face a body that rotates about an axis with a gear portion formed non-parallel to a rotation axis for continuously measuring a distance from the gear portion during rotation of the rotating body;

a second distance sensor disposed at a position different from the first distance sensor along a direction parallel to the rotation axis for continuously measuring a distance from the gear portion during rotation of the rotating body; and

an axis shift detecting portion for detecting an axis shift of the rotation axis based on a variation in the distance measured by at least one of the first and second distance sensors,

wherein the axis shift detecting portion detects axis shifts along an x-axis, a y-axis and a z-axis as well as angular shifts of the axis of rotation.

2. The rotation detector according to claim 1, wherein the axis shift detecting portion detects the shift of the rotation axis based on an increase, a decrease or a combination thereof in the distance measured by at least one of the first and second distance sensors.

3. The rotation detector according to claim 1, wherein the axis shift detecting portion detects the shift of the rotation axis based on a difference of timing to measure the distance that is measured by at least one of the first and second distance sensors.

4. The rotation detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation detecting portion for correcting the distance measured by the first or second distance sensor based on the shift of the rotation axis detected by the axis shift detecting portion and detecting the number of revolutions of the gear portion.

5. The rotation detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

an abnormal condition detecting portion for detecting an abnormal condition of the rotating body based on the shift of the rotation axis detected by the axis shift detecting portion.

8. The rotation detector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second distance sensors comprise a magnetic or optical distance sensor.

6. A rotation detector, comprising:

a first distance sensor disposed to face a body that rotates about an axis with a gear portion formed non-parallel to a rotation axis for continuously measuring a distance from the gear portion during rotation of the rotating body;

a second distance sensor disposed at a position different from the first distance sensor along a direction parallel to the rotation axis for continuously measuring a distance from the gear portion during rotation of the rotating body, and

an axis shift detecting portion for detecting an axis shift of the rotation axis based on a variation in the distance measured by at least one of the first and second distance sensors,

wherein the first and second distance sensors are disposed at positions to provide the same argument on an x-y plane centered around the rotation axis.

7. The rotation detector according to claim 6, wherein the first and second distance sensors are disposed directly above end portions of the gear portion in the direction of the rotation axis.