Position measuring device

Abstract: An electrohydraulic control system includes an actuator (10, 70) having a cylinder (18) and a piston (22) variably positionable therewithin. An electrohydraulic valve (12) is responsive to valve control signals for coupling the actuator (10, 70) to a source (14, 16) of hydraulic fluid. A coaxial transmission line (34) extends through the actuator (10, 70), and includes an outer conductor (18) formed by the actuator cylinder and a center conductor (24, 36) operatively coupled to the piston (22), such that length of the coaxial transmission line (34) is effectively directly determined by position of the piston (22) within the cylinder (18). An rf generator (56) is coupled to the coaxial transmission line (34) for launching rf energy therewithin, and valve control electronics (28) is responsive to rf energy reflected by the coaxial transmission line (34) for indicating position of the piston (22) within the cylinder and generating electronic control signals to the valve (12). A second coaxial transmission line (48, 72) of fixed length is connected to the valve (12) or actuator (10, 70) so that the hydraulic fluid flows therethrough. The rf eneregy is launched in the second transmission line (48, 72) and generator frequency is controlled as a function of phase angle at the second transmission line.

Description: The invention relates to a system for monitoring the position of a piston within a cylinder showing the features of the preamble in claim 1. A system of that kind is shown in US-A-4,757,745 where a pair of stub antennas are positioned and physically spaced from one another in the direction of motion of the piston by an odd multiple of quarter-wavelength at a preselected normal output frequency of an oscillator. A disk of microwave absorbing material is positioned at the end wall of the cylinder remotely of the piston. In operation, the antennas at quarter-wavelength spacing propagate rf energy toward the piston, while energy in the opposite direction is virtually cancelled. Energy reflected by the piston and received at one stub antenna is phased - compared with the output signal of the oscillator at a detector and the phase differential provides a position-indicating signal. There is a problem of pressure and temperature variations in the hydraulic fluid which causes changes in the wavelength of the propagating rf energy. Such changes are detected when the spacing between the antennas deviates from the proper quarter-wavelength, and a phase detector through an integrator provides a corresponding signal to the frequency control input of the oscillator. Since the spacing between the antennas is small, such compensating means is not very sensitive. (Temperature and temperature gradients in the hydraulic fluid throughout the cylinder are not taken into account.) Furthermore, propagating the wave through a hollow space by two antennas and a one-side wave absorber is not so effective as coaxial transmission and using the capacitive coupling of an antenna which is shaped accordingly. (The preknown stub antennas do not show capacitive coupling heads.) A further position monitoring system is known from US-A-4,737,705. A pair of loop antennas are arranged within the cylinder adjacent to the piston rod. An rf oscillator coupled to the first loop antenna delivers a variable frequency signal which is received by the second loop antenna and a detector determines when the resonant frequency has been reached, which correlates to the length of the coaxial cavity. If there is hydraulic fluid in the cavity, the resonant frequency is also influenced by temperature and pressure of the hydraulic fluid. There is no compensating means included in the preknown US-A-4,737,705 device. In a further known system (US-A-4,588,953) the position of a piston in a pneumatic cylinder is detected by a microwave signal which is applied to the cavity between piston and cylinder walls. The transversal magnetic (TM) waveguide mode of propagation is used. The antenna, which is an axially extending rod, is coupled to a variable frequency oscillator, this output signal is swept through a predetermined frequency range. The position of the piston within the cylinder is determined as a function of a number of resonances that occur as the oscillator is swept through its frequency range and/or the frequencies at which the resonances occur. In a further known system (US-A-4,749,936) a coaxial transmission line is formed within the actuator to include a center conductor coaxial with the actuator and an outer conductor. A bead of ferrite or other suitable magnetically permeable material is magnetically coupled to the piston and surrounds the center conductor of the transmission line for altering impedance characteristics of the transmission line as a function of position of the piston within the cylinder. Position sensing electronics includes an oscillator coupled to the transmission line for launching electromagnetic radiation, and a phase detector responsive to radiation reflected from the transmission line for determining position of the piston within the actuator cylinder. In a preferred embodiment, the coaxial transmission line includes a tube, with a centrally-suspended center conductor and a slidable bead of magnetically permeable material, projecting from one end of the actuator cylinder into a central bore extending through the opposing piston. In another embodiment, the outer conductor of the transmission line is formed by the actuator cylinder, and the center conductor extends into the piston bore in sliding contact therewith as the piston moves axially of the cylinder. The systems so disclosed are susceptible to temperature variations within the actuator, and consequent changes in properties of the dielectric material within the transmission line. A general object of the present invention, therefore is to provide an apparatus for determining the position of a piston within an actuator that is adapted to continuously monitor the motion of the piston in real-time, that is accurate to a fine degree of resolution, that is reliable over a substantial operating lifetime, and that is inexpensive to implement. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of a described character that automatically compensates for variations in dielectric properties of the hydraulic fluid due to temperature variations and gradients, etc. throughout the entire cylinder. A solution to the general problem can be found in claim 1. The invention provides a coaxial transmission system that embodies enhanced capability for matching impedance of a transmission line to impedance of the energy-launching antenna and associate circuitry. The system of the invention has general utility for monitoring the position of a piston within a cylinder, and has particularly application for monitoring the piston position in an electrohydraulic servo valve and actuator system. Such an electrohydraulic control system includes a linear or rotary actuator, and an electrohydraulic valve, which is responsive to valve control signals for coupling the actuator to a source of hydraulic fluid. A (first) coaxial transmission line extends through the actuator, and includes an outer conductor formed by the actuator cylinder and a center conductor operatively coupled to the piston, such that the effective length of the coaxial transmission line is directly determined by the position of the piston within the cylinder. An rf generator is coupled to the coaxial transmission line for launching rf energy therewithin, and valve control electronics is responsive to rf energy reflected by the coaxial transmission line for indicating the position of the piston within the cylinder and generating electronic control signals to the valve. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a second coaxial transmission line of fixed length is connected to the valve and actuator so that the hydraulic fluid flows therethrough. RF energy is launched in the second coaxial transmission line, and reflected energy is compared with the generator output to identify variations which are solely due to changes in dielectric properties of the fluid. The output frequency of the rf generator is controlled as a function of such reflected energy, specifically as a function of a phase difference between the reflected energy and the generator output. In one embodiment of the invention, the second coaxial transmission line is fixedly mounted within the actuator cylinder and extends into a central bore in the piston, with the outer conductor of the second coaxial transmission line also functioning as the center conductor of the first coaxial transmission line. In another embodiment of the invention, the second coaxial transmission line is positioned separately from the actuator. Apparatus for monitoring the position of a piston within a cylinder in accordance with the invention thus comprises a (first) coaxial transmission line in which the outer conductor is formed by the cylinder, and the center conductor is operatively coupled to the piston so that the effective length of the coaxial transmission line is determined directly by the position of the piston within the cylinder. The rf energy is capacitively coupled to the center conductor of the coaxial transmission line by a stub antenna that extends radially into the cylinder. In accordance with the coaxial transmission line system provided by the invention, stub tuning screws extend radially into the transmission line adjacent to the antenna for matching impedance characteristics of the transmission line to those of the antenna and the associated circuitry. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention, together with additional objects, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electrohydraulic valve and actuator control system that features piston position monitoring circuitry in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the invention. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments FIG. 1 illustrates an electrohydraulic control system 10 as comprising an electrohydraulic servo valve 12 having a first set of inlet and outlet ports connected through a pump 14 to a source 16 of hydraulic fluid, and a second set of ports connected to the cylinder 18 of a linear actuator 20 on opposed sides of the actuator piston 22. Piston 22 is connected to a rod 24 that extends through one axial end wall of cylinder 18 for connection to an actuator load (not shown). Servo electronics 26 includes control electronics 28, preferably microprocessor-based, that receives input commands from a master controller or the like (not shown) and provides a pulse width modulated drive signal through an amplifier 30 to servo valve 12. Piston monitoring apparatus 32 in accordance with the present invention is responsive to actuator piston 22 for generating a position feedback signal to control electronics 28. Thus, for example, in a closed-loop position control mode of operation, control electronics 28 may provide valve drive signals to amplifier 30 as a function of a difference between the input command signals from a remote master controller and the position feedback signals from position monitoring apparatus 32. In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a first coaxial transmission line 34 is formed by a hollow cylindrical tube 36 that is affixed at one end to the end wall of cylinder 18 remote from piston rod 24, and is slidably received at the opposing end within a central bore 38 extending axially into piston 22 and rod 24. The outer conductor of coaxial transmission line 34 is formed by the wall of cylinder 18 itself, and is electrically connected to the free end of tube 36 by means of capacitive coupling between tube 36 and piston bore 38, and between piston 22 and the inner surface of cylinder 18. A stub antenna 40 is mounted to cylinder 18 adjacent to the fixed end of tube 36, and extends radially inwardly therefrom to terminate at a fixed position adjacent to but radially spaced from the outer surface of tube 36. Three screw-type stub tuners 42, 44, 46 are carried by cylinder 18 and extend radially inwardly therefrom adjacent to stub antenna 40. Specifically, tuner 46 is adjustably carried at a position diametrically opposed to antenna 40, and tuners 44, 46 are adjustably disposed as a diametrically opposed pair between antenna 40 and piston 22. A second coaxial transmission line 48 is formed by a center conductor rod 50 that extends through tube 36 and is affixed thereto within piston bore 38. Tube 36 thus serves as the outer conductor of coaxial transmission line 48, as well as the inner conductor of coaxial transmission line 34. Coaxial transmission line 48 is of fixed dimension axially of cylinder 18 and includes a plurality of apertures 52 for admitting hydraulic fluid into the hollow interior of tube 36. Apertures 52 are small as compared with oscillator output wavelength. Thus, whereas the electrical properties of coaxial transmission line 34 vary both as a function of position of piston 32 within cylinder 18 and dielectric properties of the hydraulic fluid, the electrical properties of coaxial transmission line 48 vary solely as a function of fluid properties since the transmission line length is fixed. An rf oscillator 56 generates energy at microwave frequency (e.g., 1 GHz) as a function of signals at an oscillator frequency control input 57. The output of oscillator 56 is fed to a power splitter 58, which in turn feeds the oscillator output to stub antenna 40 and center conductor 50 of coaxial transmission line 48 through a pair of directional couplers 60, 62. The rf energy at antenna 40 is capacitively coupled to tube 36, and thus launched in coaxial transmission line 34. Stub tuners 42-46 are adjusted to match input impedance of transmission line 34 to impedance of antenna 40 and associated drive circuitry, tuners 44, 46 being symmetrically adjusted and tuner 42 being adjusted independently of tuners 44, 46. The reflected-signal output of directional coupler 62 is connected to one input of a phase detector 64, which receives a second input from the output of oscillator 56. The output of phase detector 64 is connected through an integrator 66 to the frequency control input 57 of oscillator 56. Thus, the output frequency of oscillator 56 is controlled as a function of phase angle of reflected energy at coaxial transmission line 48, which in turn varies solely as a function of fluid dielectric properties since the transmission line length is fixed. The reflected-signal output of directional coupler 62 is also fed to one input of a second phase detector 68, which receives its second input from the reflected-signal output of directional coupler 60. The output of phase detector 68, which varies as a function of position of piston 22 within cylinder 18 and substantially independently of fluid dielectric properties, provides the piston-position signal to control electronics 28. FIG. 2 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention in which piston rod 24 cooperates with piston 22 and cylinder 18 of actuator 20 to function as the center conductor of a piston-responsive coaxial transmission line 70. The second transmission line 72, of fixed length and responsive solely to fluid dielectric properties, is positioned externally of actuator 20. In particular, stub antenna 40, which is connected through directional coupler 60 to oscillator 56 and power splitter 58 (FIG. 1), is positioned adjacent to piston rod 24 and capacitively couples energy from the oscillator to the piston shaft. Rod 24 is directly electrically connected to piston 22, which in turn is capacitively coupled to cylinder 18 to form coaxial transmission line 70. Stub tuners 42-46 are positioned adjacent to stub antenna 40 between piston 22 and antenna 40, and function as previously described. Coaxial transmission line 72 comprises a tubular outer conductor 74 having center conductor 76 coaxially mounted therewithin. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, conductor 76 is connected through directional coupler 62 to oscillator 56 and power splitter 58. The reflected-signal outputs of directional couplers 60, 62 are fed to phase detectors 64, 68 (FIG. 1). Tube 74 has end wall apertures 78, 80 connected between servo valve 12 and actuator 20 for feeding hydraulic fluid through the hollowed interior of tube 74, so that electrical properties thereof vary as a function of fluid dielectric properties as previous described.

Claims: A system for monitoring the position of a piston (22) within a cylinder (18), comprising: a) means for launching rf energy into said cylinder (18) including an rf generator (56) and stub antenna means which extend radially inwardly into said cylinder (18), and b) means responsive to rf energy reflected within said cylinder (18), characterized in that a coaxial transmission line (34, 70) is formed by said cylinder (18) as an outer conductor and by a center conductor (24; 36), said center conductor (24, 36) has an effective length which is included within cylinder wall means and piston wall means and is dependent from the position of said piston (22), said stub antenna means comprises a single stub antenna (40) which is shaped and arranged for capacitively coupling said rf energy to said center conductor (24; 36) and in that said reflected energy responsive means determines the position of said piston (22) by determining the effective length of said center conductor (24 or 36). The system of claim 1 wherein said cylinder (18) and said piston (22) form an actuator (20) connected to electrohydraulic valve means (12) which is responsive to valve control signals and couples a source (14, 16) of hydraulic fluid to said actuator (20) and wherein said reflective energy response means is connected to valve control means (28) which produce said valve control signals. The system set forth in claim 1 or 2 wherein said rf generator (56) has a frequency control input (57), and wherein said energy launching means (32, 62, 64 and 66) is responsive to dielectric properties of said hydraulic fluid within said cylinder (18) for providing a control signal to said frequency control input (57) of said generator (56) to automatically compensate frequency of said rf energy for variations in said dielectric properties. The system set forth in claim 3 wherein said frequency is compensated so that the operating wavelength in said hydraulic fluid remains constant. The systems set forth in claim 3 or 4 further comprising a second coaxial transmission line (48 or 72) of fixed length and including a hollow outer conductor (36 or 74) and an inner conductor (50 or 76) suspended within said hollow outer conductor, means (52 or 80) for feeding hydraulic fluid through said second coaxial transmission line (48, 72), means (62) for coupling said generator (56) to said second coaxial transmission line (48 or 72), and means (64 and 66) responsive to phase angle of re energy reflected at said second coaxial transmission line (32 or 72) for providing said frequency control signal (at 57). The system set forth in claim 5 wherein said phase-angle-responsive means (64, 66) comprises a phase detector (64) having an output and having inputs coupled to said generator (56) and to said second coaxial transmission line (48, 72), and an integrator (66) having an input coupled to said output of said phase detector (64) and an output coupled to said control input (57) of said generator (56). The system set forth in any of the preceding claims 1 through 6 wherein said piston (22) has an axial bore (38) formed therein, and wherein said center conductor (36) is fixedly carried within said cylinder (18) and slidably extends into said bore, said cylinder (18) being electrically coupled to said center conductor (36) within said bore. The system set forth in any of the preceding claims 1 through 6 wherein said piston (22) is connected to a piston rod (24) which forms said center conductor. The system set forth in any preceding claim wherein said energy-launching means further comprises at least one stub tuner (42, 44 and 46) extending radially into said cylinder (18) adjacent to said antenna (40) for matching impedance of said (first) coaxial transmission line (34) to said energy-launching means. The system set forth in claim 9 wherein said at least one stub tuner comprises a first tuning screw (42) diametrically opposed to said stub antenna (40) across said cylinder. The system set forth in claim 9 or 10 wherein at least one stub tuner further comprises second and third tuning screws (44 and 46) positioned as a pair diametrically opposed to each other across said cylinder adjacent to said antenna (40). The system set forth in claim 11 wherein all of said first, second and third tuning screws (42, 44 and 46) are radially adjustable. The system set forth in claim 11 or 12 wherein said second and third tuning screws (44 and 46) are positioned between said antenna (40) and said piston (22).

Inventors: SAGADY CALMAN S, TAPLIN LAEL B, SAGADY, CALMAN S., TAPLIN, LAEL B.
Applicants: VICKERS INC, VICKERS INCORPORATED
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G01D5
IPC codes: G01B15, F15B15, F15B9