Self-powered electro-optic rotational position sensor with magnetic pickup

• US 5,384,534 A
• Filed: 10/21/1992
• Issued: 01/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Bjork, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/964,228
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 324/96, 324/160, 324/162, 324/163, 324/166, 324/173, 324/174, 324/175, 324/207.15, 324/207.16, 324/207.25, 324/207.21, 328/5, 359/184-186
• US Class Current: 324/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/486 delivered by photo-electric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/488 delivered by variable reluctance detectors

Abstract

An indicating system for measuring movement of a material, having a magnetic pickup device, waveform conditioning circuit and light signal emitter functioning under the system'"'"'s own self-made power, having a light waveguide or optic fiber connecting the light signal emitter to a light signal receiver which in turn is connected to a signal processor for outputting information such as speed, acceleration and/or position of the material.

Claims

1. A self-powered variable reluctance sensor system comprising:

a coil of wire, having first and second terminals, wherein the coil is proximate to a rotatable material a rotation of the rotatable material causing a magnetic flux to cut through the coil and generate in the coil voltage signals at the first and second terminals;

a first transistor having a first terminal connected to the first terminal of said coil, and having second and third terminals;

a second transistor having a first terminal connected to the first terminal of said coil, having a second terminal connected to the second terminal of said first transistor, and having a third terminal;

a first capacitor having a first terminal connected to the third terminal of said first transistor and having a second terminal connected to the second terminal of said coil;

a second capacitor having a first terminal connected to the third terminal of said second transistor and having a second terminal connected to the second terminal of said coil;

a third capacitor having a first terminal connected to the third terminal of said first transistor and having a second terminal connected to the third terminal of said second transistor;

a retriggerable monostable multivibrator having a first input connected to the second terminal of said first transistor, having a second input terminal, a clear terminal and a voltage terminal connected to the third terminal of said first transistor, having a reference terminal connected to the third terminal of said second transistor, having an external resistor terminal, having an external capacitor terminal and having an output terminal;

a first resistor having a first terminal connected to the external resistor terminal of said multivibrator and having a second terminal connected to the voltage terminal of said multivibrator; and

a fourth capacitor having a first terminal connected to the external capacitor terminal of said multivibrator and having a second terminal connected to the external resistor terminal of said multivibrator.

2. The self-powered sensor system of claim 1 further comprising a light emitting device having a first terminal connected to the output terminal of said multivibrator and having a second terminal connected to the reference terminal of said multivibrator.

3. The self-powered sensor of claim 2 further comprising:

a light waveguide connected to said light emitting device; and

a light detecting device connected to said light waveguide.

4. The self-powered sensor of claim 3 further comprising:

a counter connected to said light detecting device; and

processing means, connected to said counter, for determining rotational parameters of the rotatable material.

5. The self-powered sensor of claim 4 wherein the voltage signals at the first and second terminals contain positional information about the rotatable material.