Patent classifications
G01B7/30
INDUCTIVE ANGULAR-POSITION SENSORS, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
Examples disclosed herein relate generally to inductive angular-position sensors. An example apparatus may include a support structure, a first inductive angular-position sensor, a second inductive angular-position sensor, and a shield. The first inductive angular-position sensor may include a respective first sense coil arranged at a first portion of the support structure. The respective first sense coil may at least partially circumscribe an axis. The second inductive angular-position sensor may include a respective first sense coil arranged opposite the first sense coil of the first inductive angular-position sensor at a second portion of the support structure. The first sense coil of the first inductive angular-position sensor may at least partially circumscribe the axis. The shield may be arranged between the first sense coil of the first inductive angular-position sensor and the first sense coil of the second inductive angular-position sensor.
Blade angle position feedback system with offset sensors
A blade angle feedback assembly for an aircraft-bladed rotor, the rotor rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle, is provided. The assembly comprises a feedback device coupled to rotate with the rotor and to move along the longitudinal axis with adjustment of the blade pitch angle, the feedback device comprising a plurality of position markers circumferentially spaced around the feedback device, a plurality of sensors positioned adjacent the feedback device and each configured for producing a sensor signal in response to detecting passage of the position markers as the feedback device rotates about the longitudinal axis, the sensors circumferentially spaced around the feedback device and axially offset along the longitudinal axis, and a control unit communicatively coupled to the sensors and configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of the blade pitch angle in response to the sensor signals received from the sensors.
Blade angle position feedback system with offset sensors
A blade angle feedback assembly for an aircraft-bladed rotor, the rotor rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle, is provided. The assembly comprises a feedback device coupled to rotate with the rotor and to move along the longitudinal axis with adjustment of the blade pitch angle, the feedback device comprising a plurality of position markers circumferentially spaced around the feedback device, a plurality of sensors positioned adjacent the feedback device and each configured for producing a sensor signal in response to detecting passage of the position markers as the feedback device rotates about the longitudinal axis, the sensors circumferentially spaced around the feedback device and axially offset along the longitudinal axis, and a control unit communicatively coupled to the sensors and configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of the blade pitch angle in response to the sensor signals received from the sensors.
Device having two mutually spaced sensor loops for determining the angle of a rotating component
A device having two mutually spaced sensor loops is provided. The device includes a magnetostrictive sensor structure coupled to a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers, and along which a magnet that is secured to the rotating component moves. Each sensor loop has a shape corresponding to a rotating direction of the rotating component. Two saturation zones are in both sensor loops. Each transmitting element is provided for simultaneously coupling two current pulses in opposite direction into one respective sensor loop. Each receiving element is positioned to receive a reflected pulse by the magnet at the respective saturation zone. The receiving elements are connected to evaluation electronics configured to for determine an angular position of the rotating component based on transit times for the current pulse to travel along the respective sensor loop from the respective transmitting element to the respective saturation zone and for each reflected pulse to travel along the respective sensor loop from the respective saturation zone to the respective receiving element.
Device having two mutually spaced sensor loops for determining the angle of a rotating component
A device having two mutually spaced sensor loops is provided. The device includes a magnetostrictive sensor structure coupled to a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers, and along which a magnet that is secured to the rotating component moves. Each sensor loop has a shape corresponding to a rotating direction of the rotating component. Two saturation zones are in both sensor loops. Each transmitting element is provided for simultaneously coupling two current pulses in opposite direction into one respective sensor loop. Each receiving element is positioned to receive a reflected pulse by the magnet at the respective saturation zone. The receiving elements are connected to evaluation electronics configured to for determine an angular position of the rotating component based on transit times for the current pulse to travel along the respective sensor loop from the respective transmitting element to the respective saturation zone and for each reflected pulse to travel along the respective sensor loop from the respective saturation zone to the respective receiving element.
Measurement system
A measurement system for performing measurements. The measurement system includes a positioning system for positioning at least one device to be positioned. The positioning system includes at least two rotational positioner modules configured to perform a rotational movement, thereby rotating the device to be positioned, as well as at least one linear positioner module configured to perform a linear movement, thereby translationally moving the device to be positioned. The linear positioner module includes a mounting interface for the device to be positioned. The rotational positioner modules and the linear positioner module together are configured to move the device to be positioned from a starting point of the movement. The rotational positioner modules are configured to set the starting point. The linear positioner module is configured to move the mounting interface relative to the starting point.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING ANGULAR POSITION OF A TARGET HAVING VARIABLE TARGET FEATURES
A method includes receiving a signal that is generated at least in part by one or more magnetic field sensing elements in response to a magnetic field associated with a rotating target, the rotating target a changing feature that changes with target rotation angle, the one or more magnetic field sensing elements being part of a sensor; detecting a current value of the signal; and identifying a current angular position of the rotating target relative to the sensor based on: (i) the current value of the signal and (ii) a map that maps each of a plurality of values of the signal to a different respective angular position of the rotating target.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING ANGULAR POSITION OF A TARGET HAVING VARIABLE TARGET FEATURES
A method includes receiving a signal that is generated at least in part by one or more magnetic field sensing elements in response to a magnetic field associated with a rotating target, the rotating target a changing feature that changes with target rotation angle, the one or more magnetic field sensing elements being part of a sensor; detecting a current value of the signal; and identifying a current angular position of the rotating target relative to the sensor based on: (i) the current value of the signal and (ii) a map that maps each of a plurality of values of the signal to a different respective angular position of the rotating target.
Systems and methods for estimating angular position
A system for estimating the angular position of a rotating shaft in an aircraft, the system including at least three electromagnetic effect sensors. The system including a flight controller that runs a voting algorithm, wherein the voting algorithm computes an output datum based on shaft position datum that qualify as both active and admissible. Furthermore, system may include, as a component of the voting algorithm, a banning process where sensors that repeatedly return datum that are either not active or not admissible can be banned.
Systems and methods for estimating angular position
A system for estimating the angular position of a rotating shaft in an aircraft, the system including at least three electromagnetic effect sensors. The system including a flight controller that runs a voting algorithm, wherein the voting algorithm computes an output datum based on shaft position datum that qualify as both active and admissible. Furthermore, system may include, as a component of the voting algorithm, a banning process where sensors that repeatedly return datum that are either not active or not admissible can be banned.