Variable capacitor tuning apparatus

Details Variable capacitor tuning apparatus Variable capacitor tuning apparatus

1999-07-22

2001-05-22

Dinkins, Anthony (Department: 2831)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Electrostatic capacitors

Variable

C361S287000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06236556

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a variable capacitor tuning apparatus, and more particularly to a variable capacitor tuning apparatus having an improved tuning head.
A known variable capacitor tuning arrangement
20
previously marketed by Jennings Technology, the owner of this patent, under, for example, model numbers CSVF/I-500-0315 or CVCJ/I-1000-0403 is shown in an exploded view in FIG.
1
. The variable capacitor tuning arrangement
20
typically included a variable capacitor
22
and a tuning head
24
. The tuning head
24
included a support thrust bearing
26
, a sensor mount
28
, an adjust plug
30
, fiber optic connectors
34
,
36
and a lead screw
40
.
In implementing the known variable capacitor tuning arrangement
20
, a customer would provide an actuator
44
, a controller
46
, an emitter
48
and a detector
50
. In operation, the controller
46
, would send commands to the actuator
44
, which is a stepper motor. In response to the commands from the controller
46
, the actuator
44
, which is mechanically coupled to the tuning head
24
via the lead screw
40
, would cause the tuning head
24
to change the capacitance of the variable capacitor
22
. The tuning head
24
would change the capacitance of the variable capacitor
22
by meshing opposing conductive plates or cylinders to varying depths with respect to one another. The tuning head
24
would provide feedback to the controller
46
to indicate the position of the conductive plates or cylinders with respect to one another.
Referring now to the tuning head
24
, the sensor mount
28
was fixed to the support thrust bearing
26
. Both the sensor mount
28
and the adjust plug
30
had bores therein to accommodate the fiber optic cables (not shown) connected to the fiber optic connectors
34
and
36
. The lead screw
40
extended into the support thrust bearing
26
and engaged the adjust plug
30
so that when the lead screw
40
was turned by the actuator
44
, the adjust plug
30
moved closer to, or farther from, the top of the support thrust bearing
26
along the axis of the lead screw
40
. The adjust plug
30
was, in turn, coupled to the variable capacitor
22
so that when the adjust plug
30
moved, due to lead screw
40
rotation, the capacitance of the variable capacitor
22
changed.
The emitter
48
provided optical energy to the fiber optic connector
34
, which was fixed into the sensor mount
28
. Optical energy that was coupled into the fiber optic connector
34
was transmitted to the detector
50
, via the fiber optic connector
36
when the fiber optic cables associated with the fiber optic connectors
34
and
36
were aligned. In response to the optical energy, the detector
50
provided an electrical output signal to the controller
46
. The vertical position of the adjust plug
30
along the lead screw
40
axis was adjusted so that the fiber optic cable associated with the fiber optic connector
36
was aligned with the fiber optic cable associated with the fiber optic connector
34
when the variable capacitor
22
was tuned to a capacitance value of interest.
The controller
46
was programmed to recognize the signal provided to it by the detector
50
when the fiber optic cables were aligned and optical energy was coupled to the detector
50
. As the variable capacitor
22
was tuned away from the capacitance value of interest, the adjust plug
30
moved, the fiber optic cables associated with the fiber optic connectors
34
and
36
were no longer aligned, the detector
50
no longer received optical energy and changed the state of the signal that it provides to the controller
46
. Accordingly, the controller
46
could determine whether or not the variable capacitor
22
was tuned to the capacitance value of interest based on the signals provided to it by the detector
50
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a variable capacitor tuning apparatus, and more particularly to a variable capacitor tuning apparatus having an improved tuning head.
According to a first aspect, the present invention may be embodied in a tuning head for use with a variable capacitor including a coupler. The coupler including a first coupler portion, a second coupler portion disposed at a first position relative to the first coupler portion, a gap between the first coupler portion and the second coupler portion, a first fiber locating structure associated with the first coupler portion, a second fiber locating structure associated with the second coupler portion and the first coupler portion fixed relative to the second coupler portion to maintain alignment of the first fiber locating structure and the second fiber locating structure. The tuning head also includes a first optical fiber supported by the first fiber locating structure, a second optical fiber supported by the second fiber locating structure, wherein the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled across the gap when the gap is not obstructed by an obstruction member movable with respect to the coupler and adapted to fit within the gap to selectively obstruct the optical coupling of the first and second optical fibers and a movement mechanism adapted to create relative motion between the obstruction member and the coupler to control selective obstruction of the gap by the obstruction member.
In some embodiments the first coupler portion is integral with the second coupler portion.
In some embodiments the obstruction member includes a transparent portion that does not obstruct the optical coupling of the first and second optical fibers when the transparent portion is within the gap, the transparent portion representing a capacitive set point of the variable capacitor. Additionally, the obstruction member may include an opaque portion that obstructs the optical coupling of the first and second optical fibers when the opaque portion is within the gap, the opaque portion representing a capacitive set point of the variable capacitor.
In other embodiments the obstruction member may include a plurality of transparent portions representing a plurality of capacitive set points of the variable capacitor. Additionally, the obstruction member may include a plurality opaque portions representing a plurality of capacitive set points of the variable capacitor.
According to a second aspect, the present invention may be embodied in a variable capacitor tuning system that includes a variable capacitor, an adjustment mechanism operatively coupled to the variable capacitor, the adjustment mechanism adapted to tune the variable capacitor, an actuator operatively coupled to the adjustment mechanism and adapted to interact with the adjustment mechanism to tune the variable capacitor and a coupler. The coupler having a first coupler portion, a second coupler portion disposed at a first position relative to the first coupler portion, a gap between the first coupler portion and the second coupler portion, a first fiber locating structure associated with the first coupler portion, a second fiber locating structure associated with the second coupler portion and the first coupler portion fixed relative to the second coupler portion to maintain alignment of the first fiber locating structure and the second fiber locating structure. The system may also include a first optical fiber supported by the first fiber locating structure, a second optical fiber supported by the second fiber locating structure, wherein the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled across the gap when the gap is not obstructed, an obstruction member movable with respect to the coupler and adapted to fit within the gap to selectively obstruct the optical coupling of the first and second optical fibers, a movement mechanism adapted to create relative motion between the obstruction member and the coupler to control selective obstruction of the gap by the obstruction member, an emitter optically coupled to the first optical fiber and a detector optically coupled to the second optical fiber.
According to a third a

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