US3732739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Monitoring of gyroscope rotation
Assignee: Allard Way Holdings Ltd
•
Filing: 1971-07-21
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Granted: 1973-05-15
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Expires: 1991-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A gyroscope system including an arrangement for monitoring the rotation of the gyroscope rotor comprising sensing means which produces an output signal corresponding to an optically coded band on the rotor. The sensing means is suitably a lightsensitive device responsive to light reflected from the coded band.
Inventors
- 👤 J Catford
- 👤 J Brotton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 01:25
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/02; G01C19/04; G01C19/28; G01C19/06; G01C19/065; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/12; Y10T74/1261
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A gyroscope system comprising: A. a rotor having a gimbal and a normal axis of spin; B. an optically coded band extending around the rotor and having i. at least one light reflective area and ii. at least one substantially non-reflective area; C. a light source; D. a collimating means for directing light from said source onto the coded band; E. a light sensing means positioned to receive light reflected from the coded band and produce from the light energy received an output electric signal corresponding to the coding on said band; F. an electric circuit means for processing said signal to determine the condition of the gyroscope; and G. a pair of collimating slits positioned between the coded band and the light sensing means, i. one slit being fixed with respect to the light sensing means and ii. the other slit being mounted on the gimbal, iii. the slits being aligned to allow the light sensing means to receive light reflected from the coded band only when the rotor is rotating about its normal axis of spin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
A gyroscope system comprising: A. a rotor having a gimbal and a normal axis of spin; B. an optically coded band extending around the rotor and having i. at least one light reflective area and ii. at least one substantially non-reflective area; C. a light source; D. a collimating means for directing light from said source onto the coded band; E. a light sensing means positioned to receive light reflected from the coded band and produce from the light energy received an output electric signal corresponding to the coding on said band; F. an electric circuit means for processing said signal to determine the condition of the gyroscope; and G. a pair of collimating slits positioned between the coded band and the light sensing means, i. one slit being fixed with respect to the light sensing means and ii. the other slit being mounted on the gimbal, iii. the slits being aligned to allow the light sensing means to receive light reflected from the coded band only when the rotor is rotating about its normal axis of spin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
163 words
A gyroscope system according to claim 1 A. wherein the coding on the band is such that the output of the sensing means when the rotor is rotating in the normal direction is a long pulse followed by a short pulse, the delay between each short pulse and the preceding long pulse being shorter than the delay between each long pulse and the preceding short pulse; B. and wherein said circuit means comprises: i. differentiating means; ii. means for supplying the output of the sensing means to the differentiating means to produce at the output of the differentiating means narrow pulses corresponding to the leading edges of the pulses in the sensing means output; iii. integrating means; iv. means for applying the output of the sensing means to the integrating means; v. gating means connected with the outputs of said differentiating means and integrating means to provide at the output of the gating means a signal indicative of the condition of the gyroscope.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A circuit according to claim 2 wherein the gating means passes only the narrow pulses corresponding to the leading edges of the shorter pulses when the rotor is rotating in the normal direction, and blocks all the narrow pulses when the rotor is rotating in the opposite direction.
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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) | 1976-05-14 | 1976-11-13 | 1977-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-14 | 1980-11-13 | 1981-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-14 | 1984-11-13 | 1985-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |