Optics: measuring and testing – By polarized light examination – With light attenuation
Patent
1988-05-11
1991-02-12
Evans, F. L.
Optics: measuring and testing
By polarized light examination
With light attenuation
356375, 250561, G01B 1100
Patent
active
049919652
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an electro-optic device for monitoring relative positions of machines or machine parts.
Electro-optic devices employing beam transmitters mounted on one machine for transmitting a light beam to a reflector on a second machine which reflects the light to a receiver producing electrical signals indicative of the relative positions of the machines are known as described in the publication WO 84/04960 and the German unexamined specification 3,419,059. The device of the former publication is suitable for monitoring the state of alignment of coupled shafts of machines, as for instance of the shaft of a drive motor and the shaft of a generator, while the latter device is generally suitable for the monitoring of the state of alignment of separately mounted machines or parts thereof.
Electro-optic devices employing beam transmitters on one machine transmitting a light beam to be reflected from a second machine to a beam receiver to monitor the mutual alignment of these machines are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,855.
It has in the past been necessary in utilizing the signals provided by the beam receiver to employ a manual sequencing device of some known design with cyclical stepping from one unit of information to the next one in a given sequence. When selecting the switching device it was to be taken into account that the electro-optic devices frequently have to operate under critical conditions which require extensive encapsulation of all components including the electronic data processing device. Known switching devices which are particularly suitable in this connection are capacitive and inductive switches and also switches functioning like photoelectric detectors, which so far have been used in addition to other functional elements of the data processing device in a functional respect completely separately. In this case there were often difficulties, more especially when space was at a premium, in arranging on the one hand for unimpeded access and access while on the other hand not permitting unintended operation to the switching device, more especially since the manufacturer of the electro-optical devices is usually not familiar with the particular individual conditions of application.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide devices which on the one hand provide unimpeded recall as desired of the information at any time while on the other hand unintentional recall of this information is excluded as far as possible while permitting a completely encapsulated manner of construction, which thus provides for substantial protection against the effects of the environment, for the components of the electro-optic system.
The effect of the features of the invention is that in the case of arbitary interruption or alternatively a substantial decrease in the intensity of the light beam at some position or other such interruption or decrease in intensity will be expressed as a charactistic of the intensity signal and the data processing system will then bring about the recall of the next information provided in the cycle. Since to insure reliable readings from the electro-optic measuring operation the user in any case has to take steps which exclude unintended interference with the path of the light beam, these measures in themselves ensure that unintended recall of information is not possible.
The use of functional elements of the measuring system provided for by the invention for the switching function furthermore means that the liability to error of the overall apparatus is substantially reduced, because a separate switching device is no longer needed, which might itself fail. It is specifically the conventional switching or circuit elements which frequently first fail in electric and electronic circuits.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing of one working embodiment thereof.
FIG. 1 shows the device in accordance with the German unexamined specification 3,419,059 as seen from the side.
FIG. 2a is a cross section taken thro
REFERENCES:
patent: 2703505 (1955-03-01), Senn
patent: 4518855 (1985-05-01), Malak
patent: 4725738 (1988-02-01), Lysen
Evans F. L.
Pruftechnik Dieter Busch & Partner GmbH & Co.
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