IP Library Granted Patent US 9,423,275
Granted Patent B2
US 9,423,275 · App. 14/057,209 · Granted Aug 23, 2016

Capacitive position encoder

Inventor: Massimo Francescon (Turin, IT)
Assignee: SICK STEGMANN GMBH
G01D5/243G01D5/2405
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,423,275
App. No.
14/057,209
Granted
Aug 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a capacitive position encoder ( 1 ), comprising at least one capacitor with a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate, a dielectric modulator that is movably arranged between said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate, a signal source ( 11 ) for providing a phase-shifted excitation signal to the first capacitor plate of said at least one capacitor, and a charge amplifier ( 20 ) that is electrically connected to the second capacitor plate of said at least one capacitor, wherein a feedback loop ( 21 ) of the charge amplifier ( 20 ) comprises a feedback capacitor (C f ), wherein the capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) also comprises a shock cancellation circuit ( 30 ) that forms a parallel circuit with the feedback loop ( 21 ) including the feedback capacitor (C f ) and that the shock cancellation circuit ( 30 ) comprises a low pass filter ( 31 ).

Claims (18)

1. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ), comprising

at least one capacitor with a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate,

a dielectric modulator that is movably arranged between said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate,

a signal source ( 11 ) for providing a phase-shifted excitation signal to the first capacitor plate of said at least one capacitor, and

a charge amplifier ( 20 ) that is electrically connected to the second capacitor plate of said at least one capacitor, wherein a feedback loop ( 21 ) of the charge amplifier ( 20 ) comprises a feedback capacitor (C f ),

characterized in that the capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) also comprises a shock cancellation circuit ( 30 ) that forms a parallel circuit with the feedback loop ( 21 ), the feedback loop including the feedback capacitor (C f ), wherein the shock cancellation circuit ( 30 ) consists of a low pass filter ( 31 ) and a coupling capacitor (C i ) for controlling a gain of the shock cancellation circuit ( 30 ).

2. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that the shock cancellation circuit ( 30 ) comprises a non-linear block at the output of the low pass filter ( 31 ).

3. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) according to claim 2 ,

characterized in that a non-linearity of the non-linear block is a dead zone or an amplitude operated gate.

4. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) according to claim 3 ,

characterized in that the capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) comprises a measuring device for measuring a signal amplitude of an output signal of the low pass filter.

5. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) according to claim 2 ,

characterized in that the capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) comprises a measuring device for measuring a signal amplitude of an output signal of the low pass filter.

6. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that the capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) comprises a measuring device for measuring a signal amplitude of an output signal of the low pass filter.

7. Capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,

characterized in that the capacitive position encoder ( 1 ) comprises a measuring device for measuring a signal amplitude of an output signal of the low pass filter.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2022
From: SICK STEGMANN GMBH
To: SICK AG
Reel/Frame 059073/0934 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2013
From: FRANCESCON, MASSIMO
To: SICK STEGMANN GMBH
Reel/Frame 031439/0706 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 12193197 · Nov 19, 2012 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140139243A1 · May 22, 2014