Attitude indicator device utilizing capacitance measurement

Claim 2

An attitude sensor device for sensing deviations from a reference orientation, said sensor device comprising: a capacitor having two electrodes spaced apart from one another; a damped dielectric fluid disposed between said electrodes, said damped dielectric fluid having a bubble of a different dielectric constant and density than said fluid, disposed therein, a nonconductive sealed enclosure for containing said damped dielectric fluid, means defining an upper surface of said enclosure and having tapered sides, such that said bubble is substantially centrally disposed between said electrodes when said sensor device is in said reference orientation; means for detecting a capacitance change when said sensor device is altered from said reference orientation; and means for outputting a warning signal when said capacitance change is detected.

Claim 3

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said two electrodes is disposed within a nonconductive housing, said nonconductive housing being sandwiched between said one electrode and said damped dielectric fluid, thereby electrically isolating said electrode from said damped dielectric fluid.

Claim 4

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a vertical cross section of said nonconductive sealed enclosure is substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.

Claim 5

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a vertical cross section of nonconductive sealed enclosure is substantially in the shape of a cone.

Claim 6

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for detecting a capacitance change comprises: a first oscillator circuit including said capacitor of said sensor device; a second oscillator circuit, being substantially similar to said first oscillator circuit and including a reference capacitor; and means for comparing an output signal of said first oscillator circuit with a corresponding output signal of said second oscillator circuit.

Claim 7

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 further including a coaxial cable having an inner conductor electrically connected to one of said electrodes and an outer shield electrically connected to the other of said electrodes.

Claim 8

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for outputting a warning signal includes a speaker and means for driving said speaker.

Claim 9

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for outputting a warning signal includes a light emitting diode.

Claim 10

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor device is mounted to a human head piece.

Claim 11

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor device is strapped directly to the human body.

Claim 12

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dielectric fluid is a mixture of water and ethylene.

Claim 13

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said bubble is a stable gas.

Claim 14

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bubble is air.

Claim 15

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dielectric fluid is a mixture of water and propylene glycol.

Claim 16

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said bubble is a stable gas.

Claim 17

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said bubble is air.

Claim 18

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bubble is a stable gas.

Claim 19

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising recording means for recording the timing of all warning signals and storage means for storing said recording.

Claim 20

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 further including means for controlling the sensitivity of said sensor device.

Claim 21

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor device is mounted on a gyroscope for sensing movement in one dimension while ignoring movement in either of the other two dimensions.

Claim 22

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 20 wherein said sensor device can sense rotational motion.

Claim 23

An attitude sensor device mountable to an object or human for sensing deviations from a reference orientation, said device comprising: a capacitor having two electrodes spaced apart from one another; a damped dielectric fluid disposed between said electrodes having a bubble therein of a different dielectric constant and density than said fluid, a nonconductive sealed enclosure for containing said damp dielectric fluid, a vertical cross-section of said nonconductive sealed enclosure having an upper surface with tapered sides for reducing the height of said sealed enclosure thereat, wherein the position of said bubble within said fluid is altered upon a deviation of said sensor device from said reference orientation thereby changing the capacitance of said capacitor; means for detecting a capacitance change; and means for outputting a warning signal when said capacitance change is detected.

Claim 24

An attitude sensor device mountable to an object or human for sensing deviations from a reference orientation, said device comprising: a capacitor having two electrodes spaced apart from one another; a damped dielectric fluid disposed between said electrodes having a bubble therein of a different dielectric constant and density than said fluid, a nonconductive sealed enclosure for containing said damp dielectric fluid, a vertical cross-section of said nonconductive sealed enclosure having an upper surface with tapered sides for reducing the height of said sealed enclosure thereat, wherein the position of said bubble within said fluid is altered upon a deviation of said sensor device from said reference orientation thereby changing the capacitance of said capacitor; means for detecting a capacitance change; and means for outputting a warning signal when said capacitance change is detected.

Claim 25

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 22 wherein one of said two electrodes is disposed within a nonconductive housing, said nonconductive housing being sandwiched between said one electrode and said damped dielectric fluid, thereby electrically isolating said one electrode from said damped dielectric fluid.

Claim 26

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said means for detecting a capacitance change comprises: a first oscillator circuit including said capacitor of said sensor device; a second oscillator circuit being substantially similar to said first oscillator circuit and including a reference capacitor; and means for comparing an output signal of said first oscillator circuit with a corresponding output signal of said second oscillator circuit.

Claim 27

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 22 further including means for controlling the sensitivity of said sensor device.

Claim 28

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 22 wherein said sensor device is mounted on a gyroscope for sensing movement in one dimension and ignoring movement in either of the other two dimensions.

Claim 29

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 26 wherein said sensor device can sense rotational motion.

Claim 30

An attitude sensor device for sensing deviations in one dimension from a reference orientation, said device comprising: a gyroscope having an outer housing mountable to an object or human and an inner housing spaced apart from said outer housing on a set of substantially perpendicular gimbal mounting means; a sensor device being mounted to said inner housing of said gyroscope and comprising: a capacitor having two electrodes spaced apart from one another; a damped dielectric fluid disposed between said electrodes having a bubble therein; a nonconductive sealed enclosure for containing said damp dielectric fluid, means defining an upper surface of said enclosure and having tapered sides, such that said bubble is substantially centrally disposed between said electrodes when said sensor device is in said reference orientation; means for detecting a capacitance change; when said sensor device is altered from said reference orientation; and means for outputting a warning signal when said capacitance change is detected.

Claim 31

An attitude sensor device for sensing deviations in one dimension from a reference orientation, said device comprising: a gyroscope having an outer housing mountable to an object or human and an inner housing spaced apart from said outer housing on a set of substantially perpendicular gimbal mounting means; a sensor device being mounted to said inner housing of said gyroscope and comprising: a capacitor having two electrodes spaced apart from one another; a damped dielectric fluid disposed between said electrodes having a bubble therein; a nonconductive sealed enclosure for containing said damp dielectric fluid, means defining an upper surface of said enclosure and having tapered sides, such that said bubble is substantially centrally disposed between said electrodes when said sensor device is in said reference orientation; means for detecting a capacitance change; when said sensor device is altered from said reference orientation; and means for outputting a warning signal when said capacitance change is detected.

Claim 32

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 wherein said bubble has a different dielectric constant and density than said damped dielectric fluid, and wherein the position of said bubble within said fluid is altered upon a deviation of said sensor device from said reference orientation, thereby changing the capacitance of said capacitor.

Claim 33

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 wherein the orientation of said substantially perpendicular gimbal mounting means are chosen such that said inner housing will maintain its spacial orientation when said outer housing is moved in either of two allowable dimensions and will alter its spacial orientation when said outer housing is moved in the third undesired dimension, thereby triggering the means for detecting of the sensor device.

Claim 34

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 wherein one of said two electrodes is attached to said nonconductive sealed enclosure, said nonconductive sealed enclosure being sandwiched between said one electrode and said damped dielectric fluid, thereby electrically isolating said one electrode from said damped dielectric fluid.

Claim 35

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 wherein said means for detecting a capacitance change comprises: a first oscillator circuit including said capacitor of said sensor device; a second oscillator circuit, being substantially similar to said first oscillator circuit, and including a reference capacitor; and means for comparing an output signal of said first oscillator circuit with a corresponding output signal of said second oscillator circuit.

Claim 36

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 wherein said device is used to detect rotational movement.

Claim 37

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 further comprising recording means for recording the timing of all warning signals, and storage means for storing said recording.

Claim 38

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 28 further including means for controlling the sensitivity of said attitude sensor device.

Claim 39

An attitude sensor device for sensing deviations from a reference orientation, said sensor device comprising: a housing having a bottom side; a pair of electrodes including an upper electrode and a lower electrode; means disposing the lower electrode in a sealed manner at the bottom side of the housing; an electrically non-conductive support member disposed in said housing above said lower electrode and for supporting said upper electrode; said support member and said lower electrode defining therebetween a sensing chamber; a damped dielectric fluid disposed within said sensing chamber, said damped dielectric fluid having a bubble of a different dielectric constant and density than said fluid disposed therein; means for detecting a change in capacitance between said pair of electrodes; and means for outputting a warning signal upon detecting a predetermined change in capacitance.

Claim 40

An attitude sensor device for sensing deviations from a reference orientation, said sensor device comprising: a housing having a bottom side; a pair of electrodes including an upper electrode and a lower electrode; means disposing the lower electrode in a sealed manner at the bottom side of the housing; an electrically non-conductive support member disposed in said housing above said lower electrode and for supporting said upper electrode; said support member and said lower electrode defining therebetween a sensing chamber; a damped dielectric fluid disposed within said sensing chamber, said damped dielectric fluid having a bubble of a different dielectric constant and density than said fluid disposed therein; means for detecting a change in capacitance between said pair of electrodes; and means for outputting a warning signal upon detecting a predetermined change in capacitance.

Claim 41

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 36 wherein said housing is an outer housing constructed of metal and including means forming a weld between the base electrode and the housing.

Claim 42

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 36 wherein said support member is a cup-shaped member having a base wall for supporting said upper electrode.

Claim 43

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 38 wherein said base wall has a bottom surface, said bottom surface tapers at its periphery to reduce the height of the sensing chamber thereat.

Claim 44

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 39 wherein said base wall bottom surface has a substantially trapezoidal cross section.

Claim 45

An attidue sensor device as set forth in claim 39 wherein said base wall bottom surface has a substantially conical cross section.

Claim 46

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 39 wherein said cup-shaped support member has O-ring means for sealing said support member.

Claim 47

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 39 wherein said base wall supports the tope electrode so that the top electrode is oriented in a direction traverse to the bottom surface of the base wall of the cup-shaped support member.

Claim 48

An attitude sensor device as set forth in claim 43 including a securing bolt for securing a wire conductor to the top of the top electrode, said securing bolt disposed within said cup-shaped support member.