Parker-hannifin Corporation

James Cirillo

Hung Phi Nguyen

Matthew Brian Dubin

Robert Joseph Pagano

David Bina

Laird Daubenspeck

John Hartzell

Dustin Hromyak

David B Crowley

Michael A Laurich

A piston-cylinder actuator includes a unique mount for an absolute-position sensor. The mount is made from a bearing material provides a flexible connection between the sensor mount and the cylinder housing. This flexible connection allows the piston rod to deflect naturally, under its own weight or under other laterally-directed forces, while maintaining the distance and perpendicularity between the sensor and the rod surface, within acceptable limits. The sensor mount is made from a bearing material that will allow it to float directly on the rod surface without scuffing or otherwise damaging the rod surface, particularly the markings or other indicia on that surface. Due to the flexible connection between the sensor mount and the cylinder housing, the proper distance between the sensor and the rod surface can be maintained at all times.

Floating optical sensor mount

A sensor includes an enclosure having a housing and a lower cassette that cooperate to provide a sealed volume in which an optical sensor assembly is enclosed and protected. The optical sensor assembly includes a circuit board with a light source and a light detector. The sensor assembly further includes a light pipe that guides light from the sensor onto a target and a lens guides reflected light from the target onto the light detector. Lower ends of the light pipe and the lens are supported by a recess in the lower cassette. Upper ends of the light pipe and the lens are supported by an upper cassette. The upper cassette is positively located and mounted to the circuit board and received in an internal receptacle in the lower cassette. Mounting the lower cassette to the housing encloses the optical sensor assembly in the proper alignment.

Optical sensor and mounting interface

A probe for determining an absolute position of a rod relative to a cylinder with the rod having an associated pattern for indicating position includes a light source for emitting light. The probe further includes a light pipe for directing light emitted by the light source onto the pattern of the rod. A detector of the probe detects light and provides a signal indicative of the detected light. A lens produces an image of a portion of the pattern illuminated by the light on the detector and a controller is responsive to the signal from the detector for determining an absolute position of the rod relative to the cylinder.

Probe for determining an absolute position of a rod of a cylinder

Growing community of inventors

Cleveland Heights, OH, United States of America

James Cirillo