Position-measuring transducer comprising a stator and relatively movable flux-altering member

Claim 2

A position-measuring transducer comprising: a. a stator having electrically conducting material out of which is printed a pattern adapted to form at least an even number of pairs of electrical poles at least one of which, upon the application of electrical power, generates a magnetic field exhibiting flux, said flux inducing a voltage proportional thereto in each of said poles, said pattern having a characteristic periodicity; b. a first means moveable relative to said stator and separated therefrom by a gap, said first means having a surface adjacent to and opposite said poles of said stator, said surface being divided into at least a first section and a second section, said first section comprising flux-altering material of a first class and said second section comprising flux-altering material of a second class which alters said flux in a manner which differs from that of said first class of material, wherein the shape and position of said sections are such as to result in a characteristic periodicity equal to the periodicity of said stator pattern; c. power means for energizing said stator poles; d. means for moving said surface of said first means relative to said stator pattern, thereby altering the flux of said magnetic field as a function of said movement; and e. second means coupled to said stator poles for measuring the difference between the voltages induced in those of said poles whose flux is altered by said first class of said first means material and those whose flux is altered by said second class of said first means material.

Claim 3

The transducer of claim 1 wherein one half of said pole pairs being arranged in space quadrature relative to the second half of said pole pairs.

Claim 4

The transducer of claim 2 wherein said stator comprises one surface coated with said conducting material and wherein both said first half and said second half of said pole pairs are printed in said surface.

Claim 5

The transducer of claim 2 wherein said stator comprises a first surface and a second surface, said second surface located opposite to said first surface, both of said surfaces coated with said conducting material, and further comprises electrically insulating material separating said two surfaces, and wherein said first half of said pole pairs is printed on said first surface and said second half of said pole pairs is printed on said second surface.

Claim 6

The transducer of claim 1 wherein said flux-altering material of said first class enhances said flux and said flux-altering material of said second class attenuates said flux.

Claim 7

The transducer Of claim 5 wherein said flux-enhancement material is high-permeability material and wherein said flux-attenuation material is low-resistivity material.

Claim 8

The transducer of claim 5 wherein said flux-enhancement material is high-permeability material and wherein said flux-attenuation material is low-permeability material.

Claim 9

The transducer of claim 5 wherein said flux-enhancement material is high-resistivity material and wherein said flux-attenuation material is low-resistivity material.

Claim 10

The transducer of claim 1 wherein said flux-altering material alters the phase of said flux.

Claim 11

The transducer of claim 1 wherein said first means is a rotor and wherein said movement of said rotor relative to said stator is angular.

Claim 12

The transducer of claim 10 wherein said stator and said rotor are configured as discs coaxially mounted with respect to each other.

Claim 13

The transducer of claim 10 wherein said stator and said rotor are configured as cylinders.

Claim 14

The transducer of claim 1 wherein said stator and said first means are configured as bands and wherein said movement of said first means relative to said stator is linear.

Claim 15

A position measuring transducer comprising: a. a stator having electrically conducting material out of which is printed a pattern adapted to form n pairs of identically configured, electrical poles, n being an even-numbered integer from two to infinity, wherein the first half of said pole pairs are arranged on said stator in space quadrature relative to the second half of said pole pairs, and wherein the application of electrical power to said poles generates a magnetic field exhibiting flux, said flux inducing a voltage proportional thereto in each of said poles, said pattern having a characteristic periodicity; b. a first means moveable relative to said stator and separated therefrom by a gap, said first means having a surface adjacent to and opposite said stator pole pairs, said surface being coated with at least one pair of alternately arranged sections of flux-enhancement and flux-attenuation material, wherein the number of said pairs of said sections corresponds to n/2 of said stator pole pairs, and wherein said sections are shaped and positioned such as to result in a characteristic periodicity identical to the periodicity of said stator pattern; c. electrical power means for energizing said stator poles; d. means for moving said surface of said first means relative to said stator poles, thereby varying the flux of the magnetic field of each of said stator poles as a function of said movement; e. second means coupled to said first half of said pole pairs for measuring the difference between the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is enhanced and the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is attenuated; and f. third means coupled to said second half of said pole pairs for measuring the difference between the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is enhanced and the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is attenuated.

Claim 16

A position measuring transducer comprising: a. a stator having electrically conducting material out of which is printed a pattern adapted to form n pairs of identically configured, electrical poles, n being an even-numbered integer from two to infinity, wherein the first half of said pole pairs are arranged on said stator in space quadrature relative to the second half of said pole pairs, and wherein the application of electrical power to said poles generates a magnetic field exhibiting flux, said flux inducing a voltage proportional thereto in each of said poles, said pattern having a characteristic periodicity; b. a first means moveable relative to said stator and separated therefrom by a gap, said first means having a surface adjacent to and opposite said stator pole pairs, said surface being coated with at least one pair of alternately arranged sections of flux-enhancement and flux-attenuation material, wherein the number of said pairs of said sections corresponds to n/2 of said stator pole pairs, and wherein said sections are shaped and positioned such as to result in a characteristic periodicity identical to the periodicity of said stator pattern; c. electrical power means for energizing said stator poles; d. means for moving said surface of said first means relative to said stator poles, thereby varying the flux of the magnetic field of each of said stator poles as a function of said movement; e. second means coupled to said first half of said pole pairs for measuring the difference between the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is enhanced and the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is attenuated; and f. third means coupled to said second half of said pole pairs for measuring the difference between the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is enhanced and the voltage induced in those of said poles whose flux is attenuated.

Claim 17

The transducer of claim 14 wherein said first means is a rotor and further wherein said stator and said rotor are configured as discs coaxially mounted with respect to each other, and wherein said movement of said rotor relative to said stator is angular.

Claim 18

The transducer of claim 14 wherein said stator and said first means are configured as bands, and wherein said movement of said first means relative to said stator is linear.

Claim 19

The transducer of claim 14 wherein said stator and said first means are configured as cylinders.

Claim 20

The transducer of claim 14 wherein said electrical power means is a voltage source.

Claim 21

The transducer of claim 14 wherein both said second means and said third means are bridge circuits.

Claim 22

A position measuring transducer comprising: a. stator having electrically conducting material out of which is printed a pattern adapted to form at least an even Number of pairs of electrical poles at least one of which, upon the application of electrical power, generates a magnetic field exhibiting flux, said flux inducing a voltage proportional thereto in each of said poles, said pattern having a characteristic periodicity; b. a first means moveable relative to said stator and separated therefrom by a gap, said first means having a surface adjacent to and opposite said poles of said stator, said surface being divided into at least first section and a second section, said first section comprising flux-altering material of a first class and said second section comprising flux-altering material of a second class which alters said flux in a manner which differs from that of said first class of material, wherein the shape and position of said sections are such as to result in a characteristic periodicity equal to the periodicity of said stator pattern; c. power means for energizing said stator poles; d. means for moving said surface of said first means relative to said stator pattern, thereby altering the flux of said magnetic field as a function of said movement; and e. second means coupled to said stator poles for measuring the voltages induced in those of said poles whose flux is altered by said first class of said first means material and those whose flux is altered by said second class of said first means material.

Claim 23

A position measuring transducer comprising: a. stator having electrically conducting material out of which is printed a pattern adapted to form at least an even Number of pairs of electrical poles at least one of which, upon the application of electrical power, generates a magnetic field exhibiting flux, said flux inducing a voltage proportional thereto in each of said poles, said pattern having a characteristic periodicity; b. a first means moveable relative to said stator and separated therefrom by a gap, said first means having a surface adjacent to and opposite said poles of said stator, said surface being divided into at least first section and a second section, said first section comprising flux-altering material of a first class and said second section comprising flux-altering material of a second class which alters said flux in a manner which differs from that of said first class of material, wherein the shape and position of said sections are such as to result in a characteristic periodicity equal to the periodicity of said stator pattern; c. power means for energizing said stator poles; d. means for moving said surface of said first means relative to said stator pattern, thereby altering the flux of said magnetic field as a function of said movement; and e. second means coupled to said stator poles for measuring the voltages induced in those of said poles whose flux is altered by said first class of said first means material and those whose flux is altered by said second class of said first means material.