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Digital compass

  • US 4,341,023 A
  • Filed: 01/25/1980
  • Issued: 07/27/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A magnetically responsive sensor for use in a compass system for a vehicle comprising:

  • a base;

    a light source mounted to said base;

    a cup-shaped opaque encoder disc including a permanent magnet, said disc freely and rotatably mounted to said base so as to move with respect thereto permitting alignment with a magnetic field, said disc including a plurality of slots permitting the selective transmission of light through said disc as a function of the position of said disc with respect to said base;

    an opaque diffusion cover including a hemispherical recess for enclosing said encoder disc, said diffusion cover mounted to said base and including a plurality of recessed apertures defining receptacles for receiving a plurality of light detectors, said receptacles positioned opposite one side of said encoder disc and said light source positioned opposite the other side of said encoder disc;

    circuit means coupled to said light detectors for providing direction indicating signals in response to the sensing of light by said light detectors; and

    display means coupled to said circuit means and responsive to signals therefrom for displaying the direction of orientation of said disc with respect to said base.

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