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:
Sep. 20, 1988
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1986
Applicant:
Inventor:
Roger M Langdon, Colchester, GB;
Assignee:
The General Electric Company, p.l.c., London, GB;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01D / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
2502 / ; 2502 / ; 250227 ; 73800 ; 7386259 ; 356352 ;
Abstract
A sensor comprises a beam, e.g. of silicon, which resonates at a frequency dependent on the force imposed on the beam. Light on a line induces resonance of the beam by means of the photothermal effect. The light reflected from the beam is amplitude modulated at the resonance frequency, and returns along the line. It is reflected by a semi-reflecting plane mirror onto a lens which focusses it onto a photodetector. The photodetector produces an output voltage modulated at the oscillation frequency, and is thus representative of the force imposed on beam 1.