US3787726A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conductive line following device for steering a vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-22
•
Granted: 1974-01-22
•
Expires: 1991-10-22
Abstract
Abstract An electronic regulating arrangement in which an analog signal generator is either inductively or capacitatively coupled with an electrically conductive element having an edge displaceable with respect to a centerline of the active operating zone of the signal generator. When the edge is displaced with respect to the centerline of the active zone, when the edge is projected in the plane of the active zone, the generator emits a voltage proportional to the projected displacement of the edge relative to the centerline. The voltage increases positively or negatively in proportion to the displacement of the edge from the centerline, and dependent upon the direction of the displacement. A zero output voltage is obtained when the edge coincides, when projected, onto the centerline of the generator''s active zone.
Inventors
- 👤 W Krapp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:45
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/021; G05D1/0259; G05D1/0265
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
333 words
An arrangement for detecting the position of a laterally movable body, comprising in combination a passive component capable of conducting electric current but physically unconnectEd to a source of current and defining a fixed reference relative to which said body can move laterally; field-generating means mounted on said body for lateral movement therewith spaced from said passive component and operative for establishing a field oriented to intersect said component to an extent dependent upon the lateral deviation of said body from said reference, so that the strength of the field established by said field-generating means will vary in dependence upon the extent to which said passive component is intersected by said field and thereby in dependence upon said lateral deviation; and signal-generating means electrically connected to said gield-generating means and operative for monitoring said lateral deviation by monitoring the changes in the strength of the field established by said fieldgenerating means such as are due to changes in the extent to which said passive component is intersected by said field and thereby such as are due to changes in said lateral deviation, said field-generating means comprising field-generating inductor means mounted on said body for lateral movement therewith spaced from said passive component, energizing means connected to said inductor means for establishing a flow of periodic magnetizing current through said inductor means, said inductor means being so positioned and oriented that the magnetic field established by said inductor means is oriented to intersect said component to an extent dependent upon the lateral deviation of said body from said reference, so that the strength of said magnetic field will vary in dependence upon said lateral deviation and react back upon said inductor means to affect the latter, and said signalgenerating means comprising means electrically connected to said inductor means and operative for monitoring said lateral deviation by monitoring the effect upon said inductor means of changes in the strength of the magnetic field established by said inductor means due to changes in said lateral deviation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
333 words
An arrangement for detecting the position of a laterally movable body, comprising in combination a passive component capable of conducting electric current but physically unconnectEd to a source of current and defining a fixed reference relative to which said body can move laterally; field-generating means mounted on said body for lateral movement therewith spaced from said passive component and operative for establishing a field oriented to intersect said component to an extent dependent upon the lateral deviation of said body from said reference, so that the strength of the field established by said field-generating means will vary in dependence upon the extent to which said passive component is intersected by said field and thereby in dependence upon said lateral deviation; and signal-generating means electrically connected to said gield-generating means and operative for monitoring said lateral deviation by monitoring the changes in the strength of the field established by said fieldgenerating means such as are due to changes in the extent to which said passive component is intersected by said field and thereby such as are due to changes in said lateral deviation, said field-generating means comprising field-generating inductor means mounted on said body for lateral movement therewith spaced from said passive component, energizing means connected to said inductor means for establishing a flow of periodic magnetizing current through said inductor means, said inductor means being so positioned and oriented that the magnetic field established by said inductor means is oriented to intersect said component to an extent dependent upon the lateral deviation of said body from said reference, so that the strength of said magnetic field will vary in dependence upon said lateral deviation and react back upon said inductor means to affect the latter, and said signalgenerating means comprising means electrically connected to said inductor means and operative for monitoring said lateral deviation by monitoring the effect upon said inductor means of changes in the strength of the magnetic field established by said inductor means due to changes in said lateral deviation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
145 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said field-generating means comprises field-generating inductor means mounted on said body spaced from said passive component, energizing means connected to said inductor means for establishing a flow of periodic magnetizing current through said inductor means, said inductor means being so positioned and oriented that the magnetic field established by said inductor means is oriented to intersect said component to an extent dependent upon the lateral deviation of said body from said reference, so that the strength of said magnetic field will vary in dependence upon said lateral deviation and react back upon said inductor means to vary the voltage across said inductor means in dependence upon said lateral deviation, and wherein said signal-generating means comprises means electrically connected to said inductor means and operative for monitoring said lateral deviation by monitoring the voltage across said inductor means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said signal-generating means comprises means operative for generating a signal whose magnitude varies in dependence upon said lateral deviation and whose sign is indicative of the direction of such deviation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said signal-generating means comprises means operative for generating a signal whose magnitude varies proportionally to said lateral deviation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, further including a vehicle, said field-generating means and said signal-generating means being mounted on said vehicle, and said passive component being an elongated path-defining strip of electrically conductive material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further including a servo positioning system having an input connected to said signal-generating means for moving said body to reduce said deviation to zero.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said field is an A.C. field and wherein the amplitude of said fielD varies in dependence upon the lateral deviation of said body from said reference.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said path-defining strip has an adhesive face to facilitate laying.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein said strip comprises aluminum foil.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein said field-generating means includes a field-generating component and a transistor oscillator connected to said field-generating component, and wherein said signal-generating means includes rectifying means connected to said field-generating component for furnishing a rectified signal whose amplitude varies in dependence upon said lateral deviation and also includes filter means for filtering said rectified signal to produce a steady-value D.C. signal varying in dependence upon said lateral deviation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said field is a magnetic field and wherein said field-generating means is inductively coupled with said passive component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said field-generating means is capacitatively coupled with said passive component.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3021463A
Cited
US3008532A
Cited
US3033305A
Cited
US3037575A
Cited
US2946939A
Cited
US3250983A
Cited
US3156989A
Cited
US3231839A
Cited
US3217308A
Cited
US3431996A
Cited
US3482644A
Cited
US3614990A
Cited
US3556244A
Cited
US3612206A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-21 | 1977-07-23 | 1978-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-21 | 1981-07-23 | 1982-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-21 | 1985-07-23 | 1986-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |