Polar coordinates sensor having an improved flux suspension system and excitation method

Abstract

An improved polar coordinates sensor comprising a pot-core half having a concentric winding window surrounded by a washer-like high conductive Lenz lens. A toroidal core stack concentrically disposed at the base end of the pot-core half, the pot-core half, Lenz lens and the toroidal core stack being disposed coaxially with aligned winding windows. X-y coordinates excitation winding distributions being shuttled through the coaxial aligned windows to encircle the cross-section of pot-core half, Lenz lens and toroidal core stack forming a series circuit. X-y excitation currents being connected to the excitation distributions to induce a hemispherical driving field. The inductive reactance of the series coupled toroidal core stack allows an increased degree of differential redistribution of driving flux in response to probe tilt. A rotating/non-rotating excitation method, of which a source of the x-y signals may include electromechanical resolver type waveforms. The sensor is further expanded by adding an outer radii auxiliary driving assembly comprising a toroid core encased by a second Lenz lens series coupled to a larger diameter toroid inductive reactance, providing the capability of two independent rotating/non-rotation concentric interacting driving fields. Further disclosed is a polar coordinates sensor having an air-core pick-up coil. Further disclosed is a 'hidden metal edge mapper' for aircraft construction utilizing a tilted polar sensor indicating target by signal phase angle.