US3678485A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shaft angle transducers
Assignee: TECHNOLOGY UK
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Filing: 1969-10-06
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Granted: 1972-07-18
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Expires: 1989-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A continuously rotatable and reversible shaft angle transducer on a wind-vane shaft is a rotary potentiometer which in one form has a pair of spaced gaps respectively bridged by a pair of diodes passing current around in only one direction; D.C. supply is connected across one gap by bi-stable switching means which, when the potentiometer brush reaches that gap, transfer the supply connections to the other gap but which restore the first connection when the brush is at said other gap. The output, which is taken - from the brush by a lead and from a point between the gaps another by lead - to a voltmeter, varies over one or other of two ranges according to the position of the bi-stable switching means. The bi-stable switching means can comprise a combination of a relay with a biassed reed switch triggered by a magnet on the shaft. Alternatively the bridging of the first gap by the brush triggers a pair of transistors to reverse the polarity of D.C. supply to the gaps, whereupon supply to the first gap is blocked by diodes but is admitted to the other gap by other diodes; the bridging of the second gap by the brush reverses this action. In a modification the gaps are located adjacent one another and the D.C. supply is connected to the remote ends of the gaps through resistors; the output is taken from the potentiometer brush by leads, to which one or other pole of the D.C. supply is connected by the bi-stable biassed reed switch triggered by a magnet on the shaft. Alternatively the reversal of supply connections to the common junction of the gaps is by bi-stable combination of a pair of transistors triggered by the bridging of one or the other said gaps. The potentiometer comprises a continuous resistor engaged by a rotary brush, or resistor sections connected to studs engaged by a rotary brush, or resistor sections connected in circuit by magnetic reed switches or by light-sensitive switches.
Inventors
- 👤 John Ivor Parry Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P13/00; G01P13/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
An angular position transducer of the rotary potentiometer type comprising a potentiometer resistor, a rotor for making a tapping connection to said resistor, a first output connection making said tapping connection to said resistor in accordance with the position of said rotor, said resistor having two gaps therein, a fixed tapping point between said gaps, a second output connection connected to said fixed tapping point, positive and negative power supply connections, bistable switching means operable in one of its two states to connect said power supply connections across one of the two gaps in said resistor and simultaneously to make an electrically conducting connection across the other of said gaps, and operable in the other of its two states to connect said power supply connections across said other of the two gaps in said resistor and simultaneously to make an electrically conducting connection across said one of the two gaps, and means responsive to the angular position of said rotor for switching said switching means to one of its states when said rotor is in a first predetermined angular position with respect to said gaps and for switching said switching means to the other of its states when said rotor is in a second predetermined angular position with respect to said gaps.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
An angular position transducer of the rotary potentiometer type comprising a potentiometer resistor, a rotor for making a tapping connection to said resistor, a first output connection making said tapping connection to said resistor in accordance with the position of said rotor, said resistor having two gaps therein, a fixed tapping point between said gaps, a second output connection connected to said fixed tapping point, positive and negative power supply connections, bistable switching means operable in one of its two states to connect said power supply connections across one of the two gaps in said resistor and simultaneously to make an electrically conducting connection across the other of said gaps, and operable in the other of its two states to connect said power supply connections across said other of the two gaps in said resistor and simultaneously to make an electrically conducting connection across said one of the two gaps, and means responsive to the angular position of said rotor for switching said switching means to one of its states when said rotor is in a first predetermined angular position with respect to said gaps and for switching said switching means to the other of its states when said rotor is in a second predetermined angular position with respect to said gaps.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 1 in which said two gaps are directly adjacent one another, said fixed tapping point being an isolated tapping point located immediately between said two gaps, the positive and negative power supply connections being connected respectively to the ends of said resistor next to said gaps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 2 wherein the switching means is operated by movement of said rotor such that when said rotor moves across said gap from the positive end of said resistor to said isolated tapping point said switching means connects said positive supply connection to said isolated tapping point, and when said rotor moves across said gap from the negative end of said resistor to said isolated tapping point said switching means connects said negative supply connection to said isolated tapping point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
An angular-position transducer according to claim 2 wherein said bi-stable switching means comprises an electronic bi-stable device triggered to one state when said rotor bridges one of said gaps and said isolated tapping point, and triggered to its opposite state when said rotor bridges the other of said gaps and said isolated tapping point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The angular position transducer of claim 1 including a voltmeter connected to said first and second output connections.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of magnetic reed switches connected on one side thereof to successive points on said resistor and connected on the other side thereof to said first output connection, said rotor including a magnet for operating said switches arranged so that as the rotor rotates each switch is closed in sequence by proximity of said magnet thereto thereby to connect said first output connection sequentially to successive points on said resistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 1 wherein said last-named means comprises a magnetically biassed reed switch co-acting with a magnet carried by said rotor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 1 coMprising a light source, a plurality of photoelectric devices connected on one side thereof to successive points on said resistor and connected on the other side thereof to said first output connection, said rotor including a slotted drum co-acting with said light source whereby, when said rotor rotates, light is directed onto said photo-electric devices successively to operate said photo-electric devices thereby to connect said first output connection sequentially to successive points on said resistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 1 including a pair of unidirectional conducting devices connected across said pair of gaps respectively and arranged in said potentiometer resistor so that current can flow in only one direction through said resistor, said bi-stable switching means being operable in response to movement of said rotor past either gap in said potentiometer resistor to disconnect the power supply connections across the unidirectional conducting device associated with that gap and to connect the power supply connections across the other of said devices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The angular position transducer of claim 9 including a voltmeter connected to said first and second output connections.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 9 in which said unidirectional conducting devices are solid-state devices.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 9 comprising a plurality of magnetic reed switches connected on one side thereof to successive points on said resistor and connected on the other side thereof to said first output connection, said rotor including a magnet for operating said reed switches, arranged so that, as the rotor rotates, each reed switch is closed in sequence by proximity of said magnet thereto thereby to connect said first output connection sequentially to successive points on said resistor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 9 wherein said bi-stable switching means comprises a magnetically biassed reed switch co-acting with a magnet carried by said rotor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
An angular position transducer according to claim 9 comprising a light source, a plurality of photo-electric devices connected on one side thereof to successive points on said resistor and connected on the other side thereof to said first output connection, said rotor including a slotted drum co-acting with said light source whereby, when said rotor rotates, light is directed onto said photo-electric devices successively to operate said photo-electric devices so that said first output connection is connected sequentially to successive points on said resistor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A transducer according to claim 9 wherein said bi-stable switching means comprises an electronic bi-stable device triggered from one to the other of its states when said rotor bridges one or the other of said pair of gaps respectively.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-18 | 1976-01-17 | 1976-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-18 | 1980-01-17 | 1980-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-18 | 1984-01-17 | 1984-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |