Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
  • G01C9/00—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
  • G01C9/02—Details
  • G01C9/06—Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
  • G01C9/00—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
  • G01C9/18—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels by using liquids
  • G01C9/24—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels by using liquids in closed containers partially filled with liquid so as to leave a gas bubble
  • G01C9/34—Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels by using liquids in closed containers partially filled with liquid so as to leave a gas bubble of the tubular type, i.e. for indicating the level in one direction only
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S33/00—Geometrical instruments
  • Y10S33/03—Photoelectric

Definitions

• the invention relates to an inclination gauge comprising an reservoir containing a clear liquid and a gas bubble and light emitting and light detecting means arranged at opposed positions with regard to said reservoir. It is intended to convert the movement of the gas bubble in the reservoir to an electric signal. By this it is not longer necessary to monitor directly the gas bubble in the reservoir. Also it is possible to provide self adjusting devices.
• an inclination gauge comprising a reservoir containing a clear liquid and a gas bubble, light emitting and light detecting means arranged at opposite positions with regard to said reservoir, the refractory index of the liquid, of the gas and of the tube material being chosen such that the light going through the reservoir completely filled with liquid follows a trajectory substantially differing from the trajectory followed by light traversing the reservoir at least partially filled with gas characterized in that on the center line from the light emitting and detecting means near the point of egress of the light from the reservoir a shield is provided. If e.g.
• the light is converging as with the US-A-4,625,423 device when completely filled with liquid, despite of the shield provided the light detecting means will receive a strong focussed light beam. However, as soon as the beams emitting from the reservoir are parallel or diverging no light at all will receive the light detecting means.
• the shield provided by the invention a kind of on/off effect is obtained for the light impinging the light detecting means. Even if the light source and/or the light properties of the reservoir and/or the contents slightly change during production or use, this has no effect on this on/off effect. This means that it is always guaranteed that optimum detection is obtained. Also it is not longer necessary to considerable amplify the signal obtained from the light detective means.
• the surface area of the shield is at least as large as the effective surface area of said light detecting means.
• the inclination gauge comprises a reservoir in which the gas bubble in the balanced position not completely fills the cross section of the reservoir problems might arise if one or two LDR's Light Dependent Resistors) are used. These LDR's only measure the surface area lightened. If the reservoir according to the invention with a gas bubble not completely filling the cross section of the reservoir is tilted to one side the LDR on that side will first register complete darkness or light. However, after further tilting the reservoir gas will accumulate near one end and conferring the cross section of the reservoir completely by which the length of the gas bubble decreases and so an error signal can be obtained.
• said light detecting members comprise at least three light sensitive means arranged in line, wherein the outermost ones having a relatively large extension and the center one having a relatively smaller extension.
• the extension of the outermost light sensitive members preferably substantially equals the length of the gas bubble in the balanced position.
• the acoustical means can be deviced such that when moving from one extremity of the inclination gauge to the other, first a first signal is produced having a first frequency with first constant intervals between signal periods, after which a second signal is produced having the first frequency and second variable intervals between signal periods, said intervals decreasing towards the third signal, said third signal being continuous and having said first or a second frequency, after which a fourth signal is produced having a second frequence and a third variable intervals between signal periods, said intervalds increasing towards the fifth signal, said fifth signal having the second frequency and fourth constant intervals between signal periods.
• the invention also relates to a device for measuring the movement of an object comprising the inclination gauge according to one of the preceding claims.
• This can e.g. be an acceleration gauge.
• Fig. 1 shows a trajectory of light followed according to the prior art with a completely liquid filled reservoir.
• Fig. 2 shows the device according to fig. 1, with a partly liquid filled reservoir
• Fig. 3 shows schematically the device according to the invention:
• Fig. 4 shows a cross section according to IV-IV in fig. 3
• Fig. shows schematically the trajectory of light with a completely liquid filled tube according to the invention
• Fig. 6 shows a trajectory of light with a partially liquid filled tube according to the invention.
• Fig. 1 schematically the path followed by the light according to the prior art is shown.
• 7 indicates incident light
• 2 a tube like reservoir
• 3 the liquid contained in this reservoir
• 8 exiting light
• the tube is not completely filled with liquid 3 but also comprises a gas bubble 4.
• the parallel incident light beam will diverge.
• a strong signal is obtained on light detecting means 6
• a less intensive signal is obtained.
• Fig. 3- This embodiment comprises a frame 1 in which a tube like element 2 is mounted. Also light emitting diode 5 is arranged in the frame 1 as well as light detecting beams 6a, 6b, and 6c. As shown in the cross section of Fig. 4 tube 2 is provided at its upper side with a dark line or shield 10. From figures 5 and 6, being cross sections through the Fig. 4 tube 2, it is clear what effect will be obtained from displacing gas bubble 4 through tube 2. Comparing Fig. 5 and Fig. 1 there will not be a large difference except that the light following the center line is blocked in the embodiment of Fig. 5-
• comparing Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 indicates that because of the shield 10 no light at all will reach light detecting means 6. Because of this an on/off configuration is obtained being less sensitive for variations occurring during use or production.
• the reason that three light detecting means are used is based on the fact that the light detecting used are so called light dependent resistors. These resistors only measure the quantity of light incident. If it is e.g. given that a balance situation is obtained if half of LDR 6a is radiated, during tilting of tube 2 clockwise this balance position will be left. However, as soon as gas bubble 4 hits the left extremity of tube 2 its length will decrease by increasing its cross sectional area.
• An air chamber will be formed at the left side and it is possible that the length of the air bubble substantially corresponds with the balanced position of LDR 6a.
• This LDR 6b can also be used for automatically switching to another tube 2 being perpendicular arranged with regard to tube 2 shown. This permits horizontal - vertical use of the inclination gauge.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Measurement Of Levels Of Liquids Or Fluent Solid Materials (AREA)
• Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)
• Steroid Compounds (AREA)
• Acyclic And Carbocyclic Compounds In Medicinal Compositions (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
• Length Measuring Devices With Unspecified Measuring Means (AREA)
• Disintegrating Or Milling (AREA)
• Examining Or Testing Airtightness (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
• Crushing And Grinding (AREA)
• Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)
• Measuring Fluid Pressure (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=19852559

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (12)

Families Citing this family (18)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 1988
  • 1988-07-01 NL NL8801678A patent/NL8801678A/nl not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1989
  • 1989-06-23 AT AT89201671T patent/ATE72895T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1989-06-23 EP EP89201671A patent/EP0349074B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1989-06-23 DE DE8989201671T patent/DE68900864D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-06-23 ES ES198989201671T patent/ES2029552T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1989-06-26 AU AU38379/89A patent/AU635175B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1989-06-26 WO PCT/NL1989/000052 patent/WO1990000247A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1989-06-26 JP JP1507062A patent/JP2744100B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-06-30 CA CA000604509A patent/CA1307929C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-07-03 US US07/383,740 patent/US4956922A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1990
  • 1990-12-20 DK DK302090A patent/DK168835B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1992
  • 1992-02-27 GR GR920400294T patent/GR3003903T3/el unknown

Patent Citations (2)

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