Fe Technical Services, Inc.

Other

Wabash Technologies, Inc.

Tt Electronics Plc

Kenneth A Brown

Jeffry Tola

Robert Herman Luetzow

Michael Dale Brown

A method of sensing absolute position of a structure includes: generating a signal pattern to repetitively provide a changing voltage to each of two or more tracks of a sensor, capacitively coupling an electrode of the sensor to the tracks to determine a first electrode position along the tracks by detecting a first group of signals emitted in response to the signal pattern, moving at least one of the electrode and the tracks relative to another of the electrode and the tracks to result in a second electrode position along the tracks different from the first electrode position, and detecting a second group of signals emitted in response to the signal pattern with the electrode capacitively coupled to the tracks to determine the second electrode position.

Method of sensing absolute position of a structure using a capacitively coupled position encoder

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a sensor with a face having several tracks spaced apart from one another. One of these tracks has a first electrode and a second electrode separated by an electrically nonconductive gap. Also included is a detection device extending across the tracks to receive signals by capacitive coupling. Sensor circuitry electrically coupled to the tracks and the detection device is structured to generate a first number of bits from a sequential signal pattern applied to the tracks in accordance with an established sequence. The circuitry is also structured to generate a second number of bits as a function of a first signal and a second signal. The first bits and second bits represent a position of the detection device along the tracks with the first bits being more numerically significant than the second bits.

Capacitive sensing techniques that include determing rotational position of one electrode relative to other electrodes separated by an electrically nonconductive gap

One embodiment of the present invention includes a sensor with a face having several tracks spaced apart from one another. One of these tracks has a first electrode and a second electrode separated by an electrically nonconductive gap. Also included is a detection device extending across the tracks to receive signals by capacitive coupling. Sensor circuitry electrically coupled to the tracks and the detection device is structured to generate a first number of bits from a sequential signal pattern applied to the tracks in accordance with an established sequence. The circuitry is also structured to generate a second number of bits as a function of a first signal and a second signal. The first bits and second bits represent a position of the detection device along the tracks with the first bits being more numerically significant than the second bits.

Capacitively coupled position encoder

Encoding techniques for a capacitance-based sensor

A magnetic incremental motion detection system ( ) for outputting a plurality of voltage and/or current signals in digital form wherein the voltage and/or current signals are a collective representation of any incremental rotational, linear, or pivotal movement of an object. A target ( ) of the system ( ) is adjoined to an object to synchronously move with the object. A plurality of indications ( ) are adjoined to the target ( ), and uniformly and serially disposed along an area ( ) of a surface ( ) of the target ( ). The system further comprises one or more magnetic sensors ( ) spatially positioned from the area of the surface to define air gap areas therebetween. Each of the magnetic sensors ( ) are operable to output an analog signal in response to a synchronous movement of the target with the object, and one of two digital circuits ( ) output a digital signal in response to the analog signal. The circuitry includes means for compensating for offset in the output signals of the magnetic sensors.

Magnetic sensing device with offset compensation

A magnetic incremental motion detection system for outputting a plurality of voltage and/or current signals in digital form wherein the voltage and/or current signals are a collective representation of any incremental rotational, linear, or pivotal movement of an object. A target of the system is adjoined to an object to synchronously move with the object. A plurality of indications are adjoined to the target, and uniformly and serially disposed along an area of a surface of the target. The system further comprises one or more magnetic sensing devices spatially positioned from the area of the surface to define air gap areas therebetween. Each of the magnetic sensing devices are operable to output a digital signal in response to a synchronous movement of the target with the object. The outputted digital signals have the same duty cycle, and are consistently out of phase with each other by the same degree.

Magnetic incremental motion detection system and method

The present invention relates to an inflatable crib formed by an inflatable base portion, a plurality of independently inflatable sidewalls, and a screen-like webbing connecting each sidewall to the base portion. The crib further includes a support frame and a sleeve attached to each sidewall for receiving a component of the frame.

Inflatable crib

Apparatus for facilitating the insertion of a cylindrical frame into a filter bag used for collecting airborne particulate matter is disclosed. A cylindrical member is provided which has an axial discontinuity in its sidewalls. The outer diameter of the cylindrical member is at least equal to the inner diameter of the mouth of the bag. The inner diameter of the cylindrical member is no less than the outer diameter of the frame. A device is provided for drawing the sidewalls of the cylindrical member together at the discontinuity so that the outer diameter of the cylindrical member is decreased to slightly less than the inner diameter of the mouth of the bag. The mouth of the bag is then inserted over the end of the cylindrical member, which is released to capture the mouth of the bag. With the mouth of the bag held open by the apparatus of the present invention, the frame can readily be inserted through the other end of the cylindrical member.

Growing community of inventors

Banning, CA, United States of America

Kenneth A Brown