The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 22, 1986
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1984
Wayne T Wiblin, Ashtabula, OH (US);
Ronald D Surma, Madison, OH (US);
Grant C Melocik, Chardon, OH (US);
Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Mentor, OH (US);
Abstract
Information related to the position of a control member of a vehicle is required for control of power delivered to the vehicle motors. Available linear position encoders are expensive and prone to damage in an industrial environment. The instant apparatus provides a simple and durable linear position encoder having a piston adapted to move within a housing. A plurality of sensors are each positioned along a different housing pathway and a plurality of sensible members are each positioned along a different piston pathway. In response to movement of the piston within the housing the sensors deliver respective position signals to an electric circuit means, which, in turn, delivers respective coded digital signals to a vehicle controller. The apparatus is digital in design and is of simple, rugged, and inexpensive construction.