Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Thomas A Fletcher

Wayne L Ehlers

Lyle D Johnsen

Mark L Coleman

Paul M Astrachan

Timothy S Whalen

Kenneth L Eichholz, Jr

Timothy A Christensen

A sensor is provided for changing an operational characteristic of a circuit within a housing structure of the sensor to a preselected stimulus. The circuit within the housing structure is provided with magnetically sensitive components to change an operational parameter thereof. An object is provided to change the status of the magnetically sensitive component. The present invention incorporates a Hall effect element within the housing structure that is placed proximate a permanent magnet. Between the magnet and the Hall effect element a depression is formed to permit the insertion of a magnetically permeable object to change the magnetic field. The change in the magnetic field creates a change in the status of the Hall effect element and permits the circuit to change its operational characteristic.

Magnetic sensor with characteristics that are changeable by an external

An enclosure sensing apparatus is provided which monitors the movement of a key structure relative to a housing structure. The purpose of the device is to determine that a moveable object has moved into an appropriate position relative to a stationary object. First, second and third magnetically sensitive devices are provided within a housing structure. First and second magnets are attached to a key structure that is moveable relative to the housing structure and a third magnet is provided within the housing structure to advantageously affect the operation of the second magnetically sensitive device. Several positions of the key structure can be specifically identified as the key structure passes through a path provided within the housing structure. In addition, a latching mechanism is provided to lock the relative position of the key structure and the housing structure when the key structure has reached a preselect position relative to the housing structure.

Apparatus for sensing the closure of a door

A monitoring device is provided for use in association with a limit switch or similar mechanically actuated device in order to permit its end of life to be predicted. The system uses nonvolatile random access memory to store a count which represents the number of occurrences of one of two alternative events. The first event is the occurrence of a number of switch actuations and the second event is the lapse of a predetermined period of time. When either of these two events occurs, a microprocessor increments a count in the nonvolatile memory unit and clears both the clock and the volatile memory parameter. When the number stored in the nonvolatile memory represents a number of actuations estimated to be appropriately equal to the total life of the switch, this condition can be signaled to a sensor bus by a communication circuit. Alternatively, a light emitting diode can be alternately energized and de-energized to represent the number of actuations having exceeded the predicted end of life total.

Switch with end of life prediction capability

A high pressure proximity sensor for high pressure environments uses a balanced bridge variable inductance magnetic core structure to detect the presence of a external ferrous object by a change in inductance. The sensor magnetic flux path is defined by the sensor's specific geometry which includes core windings on the core and a sensor housing. The core includes a center post of a nonmagnetic material to transfer stress from a housing sensor face to the core's symmetric axis to cancel the effect of an external pressure induced stress on the sensor. The center post is encircled by an elastomer barrier between the housing sensor face and an adjacent end of the internal core to prevent migration of an internal potting compound between the core end and the sensor face. This structure provides satisfactory sensor operation in environments imposing shock and vibration on the sensor as well as high external pressures.

Inductive proximity sensor with force transferring support post for use

A sealed focusing assembly for an industrial vision system according to the present invention is comprised of a main housing in threaded contact with an adjustment ring, and in rotatable contact with a lens sleeve. An O-ring functions to frictionally prevent the lens sleeve from rotating as the assembly is focused by rotation of the adjustment ring and the lens sleeve is axially advanced. The O-ring also functions to form a gaseous-tight seal within the focusing assembly. The use of an additional O-ring provides the assembly with superior seal integrity.

Sealed focusing assembly for an industrial vision system

A colorimeter provides compensation for changes in the color signature of an object due to lamp aging, stand off distance and view angle changes. The colorimeter senses and stores values indicative of a sample object. In use, the colorimeter senses and creates values indicative of an object. The colorimeter includes a processor which then creates an average ratio wherein the stored values and corresponding sensed values are placed in a ratio, all of the ratios are then summed, and the total is divided by the number of values. Finally, the processor compares the sensed values with corresponding stored values, wherein one of the two values is adjusted by the average ratio.

Industrial colorimeter having light intensity compensation means

A colorimeter for characterizing the color of an object is placed in an environmentally sealed enclosure for use in industrial environments. In order to maintain an acceptable operating temperature for the colorimeter's electronics and lamp, a heat shield is placed around the lamp to substantially isolate it from the electronics. The heat shield and the environmentally sealed enclosure are made of a highly heat conductive material such as aluminum. The heat shield is thermally coupled to the environmentally sealed enclosure.

Environmentally sealed colorimeter for industrial environments

A colorimeter provides compensation for changes in the color signature of an object due to lamp aging. A current measuring circuit measures current to the lamp during an initial training of the colorimeter and stores a value I.sub.T indicative of the lamp current at training. When an object is scanned by the colorimeter, lamp current is again sensed and assigned a value I.sub.S. Comparison between a sensed color signature and a stored color signature then occurs. Compensation is accomplished by modifying one of the two signatures by a ratio including I.sub.S and I.sub.T.

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Freeport, IL, United States of America

Thomas A Fletcher