This invention relates to a potentiometer and, in particular, but not exclusively, to a potentiometer for a control lever assembly for use in boats. The invention is an improvement to the potentiometer disclosed in our International Patent Application No. PCT/AU2005/001608 and corresponding Australian Provisional Patent Application Nos. 2004907143 and 2005904019. The contents of these applications are incorporated into this specification by this reference.
As explained in the above International application, conventional potentiometers generally comprise variable resistors. These types of potentiometers do suffer from a number of problems. The invention in our above International application provides an optical potentiometer which addresses the disadvantages of potentiometers which comprise variable resistors.
The potentiometer disclosed in our International application does operate extremely well but there is still room for further improvement in relation to the sensitivity of the potentiometer and the manner in which redundancy is provided to ensure that the potentiometer continues to operate.
The present invention, in a first aspect, may be said to reside in a potentiometer comprising:
Thus, according to this aspect of the invention, the relative amount of light which passes through the second part from the first location of the second part to the second location of the second part plotted against position of the second section from the first location to the second location, is of V or U-shaped configuration. The apex of the V or U thereby providing a minimum or maximum point which can be used to readily identify a reference location such as, in the case of a boat control, a neutral drive lever position. Because this position is at a maximum or minimum, any drift due to temperature or the like can be easily compensated for because the apex will always be a maximum or minimum, notwithstanding that the actual voltage level corresponding to the light intensity may change slightly with temperature fluctuation. Thus, the neutral position can always be easily ascertained. The amount of light which passes through the first section enables a determination to be made as to which side of the apex the light intensity reference is so that a control signal relative to the minimum or maximum can be generated. Thus, in terms of a boat controller, one side of the apex of the plot can relate to forward gear and the other side of the V or U-shape plot relative to the apex indicating reverse gear.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the first part is longer than the second part. This provides greater sensitivity in the first part and in terms of a boat control, the first part can be used to indicate forward gear in which the boat will spend most of its time, thereby providing greater sensitivity and speed range in forward gear, than in reverse gear where the boat will spend less time and usually will be required to move much slower.
Preferably the screen element has a third section and the amount of light which can pass through the third section of the screen element varying from a first position of the third section to a second position of the third section.
Most preferably the third section is a mirror image of the first section.
Preferably the screen element comprises a variable translucency screen element so that light is able to pass through the screen element from the light emitter device to the light collector device.
Preferably the variable translucency of each section of the screen element is defined by a plurality of spaced apart bars of varying size which are perpendicular to the direction of relative movement between the screen element and the emitter device and collector device.
Most preferably the bars in the first section comprise groups of bars of different width, each group having a plurality of bars of the same width.
Preferably the first part of the second section comprises groups of bars with each group having a plurality of bars of a lesser number than those in the groups of the first section.
Preferably the second part of the second section comprises individual bars of varying width.
Preferably the screen element has a diffuser on both sides of the screen element.
Preferably the screen element is of cylindrical configuration.
Preferably the light emitter device comprises a separate light emitter for each of the sections of the screen element and the light collector device comprises a separate light collector for each section for collecting light from the corresponding light emitter.
Preferably the screen element is mounted for movement and the light emitter device and light collector device are stationary.
The present invention, in a second aspect, may be said to reside in a potentiometer comprising:
Thus, according to this aspect of the invention, because groups of bars are provided with each group having bars of the same thickness, but the respective groups having bars of different thickness, a relatively long length of screen element can be provided within the confines of limitations provided by forming the bars on the screen element, to thereby provide greater sensitivity of the potentiometer. The greater sensitivity is achieved by enabling the length from a minimum thickness of the bars to a maximum thickness of the bars to be increased because of the plurality of bars in each group.
Preferably the screen element has at least a first section and a second section;
Preferably the screen element has a third section and the amount of light which can pass through the third section of the screen element varying from a first position of the third section to a second position of the third section.
Most preferably the third section is a mirror image of the first section.
Preferably the bars are perpendicular to the direction of relative movement between the screen element and the emitter device and collector device.
Most preferably the bars in the first section comprise groups of bars of different width, each group having a plurality of bars of the same width.
Preferably the first part of the second section comprises groups of bars with each group having a plurality of bars of a lesser number than those in the groups of the first section.
Preferably the second part of the second section comprises individual bars of varying width.
Preferably the screen element has a diffuser on both sides of the screen element.
Preferably the screen element is of cylindrical configuration.
Preferably the light emitter device comprises a separate light emitter for each of the sections of the screen element and the light collector device comprises a separate light collector for each section for collecting light from the corresponding light emitter.
Preferably the screen element is mounted for movement and the light emitter device and light collector device are stationary.
The invention in a still further aspect may be said to reside in a potentiometer comprising:
This aspect of the invention results in a more consistent change of the amount of light which passes through the screen element, thereby overcoming slight irregularities in the intensity detected by the light collector, and therefore providing a better control signal from the potentiometer.
Preferably the light diffuser comprises a first diffuser element on one side of the screen element, and a second diffuser element on the other side of the screen element.
Preferably the first and second diffuser elements comprise a housing for retaining the screen element.
Preferably the screen element has at least a first section and a second section;
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the first part is longer than the second part.
Preferably the screen element has a third section and the amount of light which can pass through the third section of the screen element varying from a first position of the third section to a second position of the third section.
Most preferably the third section is a mirror image of the first section.
Preferably the screen element comprises a variable translucency screen element so that light is able to pass through the screen element from the light emitter device to the light collector device.
Preferably the variable translucency of each section of the screen element is defined by a plurality of spaced apart bars of varying size which are perpendicular to the direction of relative movement between the screen element and the emitter device and collector device.
Most preferably the bars in the first section comprise groups of bars of different width, each group having a plurality of bars of the same width.
Preferably the first part of the second section comprises groups of bars with each group having a plurality of bars of a lesser number than those in the groups of the first section.
Preferably the second part of the second section comprises individual bars of varying width.
Preferably the screen element has an opaque cover on both sides of the screen element.
Preferably the screen element is of cylindrical configuration.
Preferably the light emitter device comprises a separate light emitter for each of the sections of the screen element and the light collector device comprises a separate light collector for each section for collecting light from the corresponding light emitter.
Preferably the screen element is mounted for movement and the light emitter device and light collector device are stationary.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
With reference to
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, three sections are utilised so as to provide an output reference signal which can be used to show that a boat control lever L (see
In the preferred embodiment shown in
The first section A is formed from a plurality of groups of bars with each group having three bars of the same thickness. For example, in the enlarged circle part of section A shown in
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the bars 12 are formed by printing and the greatest sensitivity which can be provided is a bar of width 0.02 mm. The bars can then be increased in thickness by doubling that thickness. For example, the bars 12 may start at the second location 30 and be of 0.2 mm thickness, the bars 14 are of 0.04 mm thickness, the bars 16 of 0.06 mm thickness and so on from the position 30 to the position 20. If only a single bar 12, 14, 16 of one thickness is provided, the distance between the first and second locations 20 and 30 using the same graduation would be much smaller (and indeed, ⅓ the distance which is provided by using three bars of the same width in each group). The smaller distance would thereby greatly reduce sensitivity because light intensity change would go from a maximum to a minimum in a much smaller distance than if multiple bars of the same thickness are used as shown in
Section V of the screen element 10 has a first part 35 and a second part 36. The first part 35 has a first location 31 and extends to an intermediate location 32 of the section V. The second part 36 extends from the intermediate location 32 to a second location 33. The first part 35 is formed in the same manner as the first section A, except that each group of bars comprises two bars, such as a first group of bars 42, a second group of bars 44, and a third group of bars 46, etc. The bars are formed of multiple thicknesses of 0.02 mm. The section V is the same length as the section A and also occupies 120° of the cylindrical screen element 10 shown in
As is shown in the enlarged detail in
As is shown in
In an alternative embodiment, rather than having the maximum bar thickness at the intermediate position 32, the bars in the first part 35 and the second part 36 can be reversed so that the minimum thickness bars are at the intermediate position 32. This would mean that the V-shaped profile 50 is in effect inverted in shape to that shown in
The third section B of the screen element 10 is a mirror image of the first section A, with the minimum bar thickness being at a first location 37 and the maximum bar thickness being at the second location 38. Once again, if desired, the location of the maximum thickness bars and minimum thickness bars in the sections A and B could be reversed to that shown in
When light passes through the section A, a light intensity variation 60 shown in
Thus, if the boat control lever L is moved to provide forward motion to in turn the screen element 10 relative to the respective light emitters and light collectors, to a position, for example P shown in
As is shown in
The third section B provides redundancy in case the light emitter or collector associated with section A fails or, in fact, the light emitter or light collector associated with section V fails. The output signal from the light collector associated with section B can be used to determine which side of the apex 51 is involved, in the same manner as previously described. The light collectors associated with the sections A and B can also provide appropriate control if the light emitter or collector associated with section V fails, to enable the boat to be controlled in speed. The combination of the voltages from the collectors associated with sections A and B will enable a determination to be made as to whether reverse or forward gear is selected and the appropriate speed based on the levels of those voltages.
Thus, the preferred embodiment of the invention described with reference to
As is shown in
In alternative embodiments of the invention, rather than providing horizontal bars as shown in
In this specification it should be understood that the word “light” means electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength and not merely visible light.
Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2005905994 | Oct 2005 | AU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/AU2006/001487 | 10/10/2006 | WO | 00 | 6/16/2008 |