Brunson Instrument Company

Deighton E Brunson

Amber N Brunson

Walter W Ray, Jr

A multiple sensor inclination measuring system includes a plurality of single and dual axis inclination sensors, each sensor including a bridge circuit for generating a signal or pair of signals, each signal having a voltage which is proportional to the degree of inclination of the sensor, and an analog-to-digital converter to convert the signal to a digital word having a binary value representative of the tilt of the sensor. Each sensor is connected to a support unit which includes a microprocessor, memory, and data communication capabilities. Each support unit may include a look-up table which calibrates the unit specifically to the sensor used. The support units all communicate with a main processing unit which synchronizes the digital conversions of the electrical signals and which has the capability of averaging the angle readings of selected sensors over various lengths of time, determining the difference between angle readings of selected sensors, comparing the rates of inclination of selected sensors, and displaying angle readings, average readings, difference readings, and rates of inclination. The main unit may be connected to a printer for printing hard copies of the angle readings as a function of time.

Multiple sensor inclination measuring system

A dual axis inclination measuring system includes a sensor unit for placement on a surface to determine the inclination of the surface with respect to two mutually perpendicular horizontal axes and an indicator unit connected to the sensor unit and operative to process signals generated by the sensor unit to determine and indicate the inclination of the test surface. The sensor unit includes a dual axis sensor element which cooperates with circuits for generating signals having voltage levels proportional to the inclination of the sensor. The indicator unit includes an analog-to-digital converter operative to convert the voltage levels to digital words and a digital computer operative to calculate angle readings from the digital words. The computer includes a look-up table of a plurality of the digital words stored in a memory of the computer and is calibrated exclusively to the particular sensor with which the computer is used, thereby providing great accuracy.

Dual axis inclination measuring apparatus and method

A dual axis capacitive inclination sensor includes a flat cylindrical vial defined by a lower conductive half and an upper dielectric half with a chamber therebetween containing a dielectric liquid with a bubble therein. A top surface of the upper half has two pairs of axis capacitor plates positioned thereon in spaced relation to two mutually perpendicular horizontal inclination axes, and each of the axis plates forms a capacitor in cooperation with the lower half which functions as a common capacitor plate. Inclination of the vial about one or both of the inclination axes causes a change in the position of the bubble with respect to the capacitive system, thereby changing the capacitance between the plates. Each of the axis capacitor plates has a shape defined by a circumferentially extending web portion having inwardly directed radial portions connected at the opposite ends of the web. The radial portions are tapered in the direction toward the center of the vial in order to maximize the linearity of response of the sensor.

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Independence, MO, United States of America

Deighton E Brunson