US4530161A — Caliper tool using magnetostrictive displacement …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 194 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system comprising: a linear wire including a plurality of magnets located along said wire, each magnet at least partially surrounding the circumference of said wire; a pulse generator means attached to an end of said wire for transmitting the pulse into the wire in response to a control signal; sensing means attached at the end of said wire for providing a sense output signal indicating a rotation of said wire at the attached end in response to said pulse interacting with the magnetic field of one of the plurality of magnets; receiver means for receiving the pulse from said pulse generation means and further receiving a plurality of said sense output signals, each corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets from said end and providing therefrom a plurality of distance output signals, each signal indicating a location of one of the plurality of magnets; and control means for initally providing said control signal to said pulse generation means and thereafter providing said control signal upon receiving the sense output signal from said sensing means which represents the distance of the furtherest magnet from the attached end.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 194 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system comprising: a linear wire including a plurality of magnets located along said wire, each magnet at least partially surrounding the circumference of said wire; a pulse generator means attached to an end of said wire for transmitting the pulse into the wire in response to a control signal; sensing means attached at the end of said wire for providing a sense output signal indicating a rotation of said wire at the attached end in response to said pulse interacting with the magnetic field of one of the plurality of magnets; receiver means for receiving the pulse from said pulse generation means and further receiving a plurality of said sense output signals, each corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets from said end and providing therefrom a plurality of distance output signals, each signal indicating a location of one of the plurality of magnets; and control means for initally providing said control signal to said pulse generation means and thereafter providing said control signal upon receiving the sense output signal from said sensing means which represents the distance of the furtherest magnet from the attached end.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means further includes a pluarlity of divide by counters, each divide by counter for providing the sense output signal corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

A magnetostictive displacement transducer system according to claim 2 wherein said sensing means further including a plurality of latches, each latch connected to a respective divide by counter for storing the occurrence of said output signal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 3 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of filter circuits, each filter circuit respectively connected to a latch to provide one of said plurality of distance output signals.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a clock oscillator connected to a clock counter for outputting to said pulse generator means a first frequency signal.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 5 wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of divide by counters, each divide by counter for providing the sense output signal corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 6 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of latches with each latch connected to a respective divide by counter for storing the occurrence of said sense output signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 50 words

A sensing means according to claim 7 wherein said magnetostrictive displacement transducer system further includes each latch connected to a plurality of counters, each counter to count a number of time intervals between an initiating signal received from said clock oscillator and the occurrence of the respective distance output signal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 8 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of output latches, each output connected to a respective counter, said output latch for outputting a digital signal representing the respective magnet distance.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 151 words

A caliper tool for measuring internal dimensions of an enclosure, said tool comprising: a tool housing sized to be placed inside said enclosure; control means attached to said housing for controlling the location of said tool housing within said enclosure; a plurality of feeler arms, each feeler arm rotatably attached within said tool housing and extending outwardly to engage an interior surface of said enclosure; mechanical means attached to said feeler arms for translating rotational positions of said feeler arms into linear displacement positions; magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer means attached to said mechanical means for converting said linear displacement positions into electrical signals in response thereto; interface means located external to said enclosure and connected to said control means and transducer for providing input signals to said transducer and receiving output signals from said transducer and for displaying said output signals as visible indicia of the internal dimensions of said enclosure.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 151 words

A caliper tool for measuring internal dimensions of an enclosure, said tool comprising: a tool housing sized to be placed inside said enclosure; control means attached to said housing for controlling the location of said tool housing within said enclosure; a plurality of feeler arms, each feeler arm rotatably attached within said tool housing and extending outwardly to engage an interior surface of said enclosure; mechanical means attached to said feeler arms for translating rotational positions of said feeler arms into linear displacement positions; magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer means attached to said mechanical means for converting said linear displacement positions into electrical signals in response thereto; interface means located external to said enclosure and connected to said control means and transducer for providing input signals to said transducer and receiving output signals from said transducer and for displaying said output signals as visible indicia of the internal dimensions of said enclosure.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 204 words

A caliper tool according to claim 10 wherein said magnetostrictive linear said displacement transducer means includes a linear wire including a plurality of magnets located along said wire, each magnet at least partially surrounding the circumference of said wire; a pulse generator means attached to an end of said wire for transmitting the pulse into the wire in response to a control signal; sensing means attached at the end of said wire for providing a sense output signal indicating a rotation of said wire at the attached end in response to said pulse interacting with the magnetic field of one of the plurality of magnets; receiver means for receiving the pulse from said pulse generation means and further receiving a plurality of said sense output signals, each corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets from said end and providing therefrom a plurality of distance output signals, each signal indicating a location of one of the plurality of magnets; and control means for initially providing said control signal to said pulse generation means and thereafter providing said control signal upon receiving the sense output signal from said sensing means which represents the distance of the furtherest magnet from the attached end.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 42 words

A magnetostrictive displacement transducer system according to claim 11 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of divide by counters, each divide by counter for providing the sense output signal corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

A caliper tool according to claim 12 wherein said sensing means further including a plurality of latches, each latch connected to a respective divide by counter for storing the occurrence of said output signal.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

A caliper tool according to claim 13 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of filter circuits, each filter circuit respectively connected to a latch to provide one of said plurality of distance output signals.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

A caliper tool according to claim 11 wherein said control means includes a clock oscillator connected to a clock counter for outputting to said pulse generator means a first frequency signal.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 39 words

A caliper tool according to claim 14 wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of divide by counters, each divide by counter for providing the sense output signal corresponding to the distance of one of said plurality of magnets.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 36 words

A caliper tool according to claim 16 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of latches with each latch connected to a respective divide by counter for storing the occurrence of said sense output signal.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 48 words

A caliper tool according to claim 17 wherein said sensing means further includes each latch connected to a plurality of counters, each counter to count a number of time intervals between an initiating signal received from said clock oscillator and the occurrence of the respective distance output signal.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 38 words

A caliper tool according to claim 18 wherein said sensing means further includes a plurality of output latches, each output connected to a respective counter, said output latch for outputting a digital signal representing the respective magnet distance.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-07-22	1989-01-21	1989-07-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-07-22	1993-01-21	1993-07-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-07-22	1997-01-21	1997-07-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Caliper tool using magnetostrictive displacement transducer

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag