Patent US5796624A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0190832A2
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Inclinometers
Assignee: Lucas Sensing Systems Inc
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Filing: 1986-01-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-01-16
Abstract
Abstract An inclinometer includes two coplanar electrodes (22, 23) positioned within a container (14) of a metallic housing (12, 13) containing a high relative dielectric constant fluid (15) and a gas. With the inclinometer positioned on a level surface, equal areas of the two electrodes (22, 23) are immersed in the dielectric fluid creating two equal capacitors formed by the electrodes and the metallic housing. When the inclinometer is rotated through an inclination angle, unequal areas of the electrodes (22, 23) are immersed in the fluid (15) causing a capacitance differential that is a measure of the inclination angle.
Inventors
- 👤 Jane Elizabeth Anderson
- 👤 Harold Lee Swartz
- 👤 Mario Dimarco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:07
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C9/00; G01C9/02; G01C9/06; G01C9/18; G01C9/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
An inclinometer comprising a metallic housing (12, 13) having a fluid container (14) therewithin, characterised in that the inclinometer further comprises first and second coplanar metallic sensor plates (22, 23) positioned in the fluid container (14), a fluid (15), having a preselected dielectric constant, contained in the fluid container at a predetermined level so as partially to immerse the first and second metallic sensor plates therein, and a gas filling the remainder of the fluid container and having a dielectric constant less than the preselected dielectric constant of the fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
An inclinometer comprising a metallic housing (12, 13) having a fluid container (14) therewithin, characterised in that the inclinometer further comprises first and second coplanar metallic sensor plates (22, 23) positioned in the fluid container (14), a fluid (15), having a preselected dielectric constant, contained in the fluid container at a predetermined level so as partially to immerse the first and second metallic sensor plates therein, and a gas filling the remainder of the fluid container and having a dielectric constant less than the preselected dielectric constant of the fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An inclinometer in.accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the first and second coplanar metallic sensor plates (22, 23) are positioned between first and second sheets (21, 24) of a dielectric material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
An inclinometer in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the dielectric material is polyester.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An inclinometer in accordance with claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the first and second dielectric sheets (21, 24) contain holes to provide passages for the fluid (15) and the gas to equalise gas and fluid pressure within the fluid container (14).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An inclinometer in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further includes a metallic partition (31) positioned between the first and second metallic sensor plates (22, 23) to provide electrical isolation therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An inclinometer in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas is nitrogen and the fluid comprises a mixture of a hydrocarbon and an alcohol.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An inclinometer in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the metallic sensor plates (22, 23) are contained wholly within the perimeter of the dielectric sheets (21, 24).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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