CA2542891A1 - Displacement sensor apparatus - Google Patents

Displacement sensor apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2542891A1
CA2542891A1 CA002542891A CA2542891A CA2542891A1 CA 2542891 A1 CA2542891 A1 CA 2542891A1 CA 002542891 A CA002542891 A CA 002542891A CA 2542891 A CA2542891 A CA 2542891A CA 2542891 A1 CA2542891 A1 CA 2542891A1
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
sensor
optical
receiving surface
light
emitter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002542891A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2542891C (en
Inventor
Toby E. Smith
Craig L. Cooper
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bed Check Corp
Original Assignee
Bed-Check Corporation
Toby E. Smith
Craig L. Cooper
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bed-Check Corporation, Toby E. Smith, Craig L. Cooper filed Critical Bed-Check Corporation
Publication of CA2542891A1 publication Critical patent/CA2542891A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2542891C publication Critical patent/CA2542891C/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L5/00—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
    • G01L5/04—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands
    • G01L5/10—Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring tension in flexible members, e.g. ropes, cables, wires, threads, belts or bands using electrical means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B11/16—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/015—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats, and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
    • B60R21/01512—Passenger detection systems
    • B60R21/01544—Passenger detection systems detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
    • B60R21/0155—Passenger detection systems detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment sensing belt tension

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
  • Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)

Abstract

There is provided herein a sensor for determining relative displacement between two surfaces which utilizes two optically conductive members that have been mounted in proximity to each other, whereby the amount of displacement between the two surfaces may be determined by measurement of the magnitude of the intensity of light transmitted through them. The instant invention preferably utilizes two planar light transmitting surfaces - an emitter and a receiver - which are free to move laterally with respect to each other and are positioned so that when light is introduced into the emitter some proportion of that light falls on the receiver. By electronically monitoring the intensity of light impinging on the receiver an estimate of the amount of overlap between the two optical surfaces and, thus, an estimate of the relative displacement between them, may be obtained.

Claims (11)

1. An optical displacement sensor, comprising:
(a) a first optical line, said first optical line being positionable to be in optical communication with an illumination source;
(b) a sensor emitter, said sensor emitter having at least one emitting surface, (b1) wherein said sensor emitter is in optical communication with said first optical line, (b2) wherein said sensor emitter is optically conductive, and, (b3) wherein at least a portion of any light originating from said illumination source is emitted from said at least one emitting surfaces;
(c) a sensor receiver, said sensor receiver having at least one receiving surface, said sensor receiver being positioned to be proximate to said sensor emitter and in optical communication therewith, (c1) wherein said sensor receiver is optically conductive, (c2) wherein at least one of said receiving surfaces is in optical communication with at least one of said emitting surfaces, (c3) wherein at least a portion of any light emitted from said emitting surface is received by said receiving surface, and, (c4) wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are movable with respect to each other, wherein an amount of light received by said receiving surface varies with any such movement, and wherein said amount of light received by said receiving surface is representative of an amount of displacement between said emitting surface and said receiving surface; and, (d) a second optical line, said second optical line being in optical communication with said sensor receiver, said second optical line being at least for transmitting at least a portion of any light received by said receiving surface.
2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are both a same size.
3. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are both a same size square.
4. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said receiving surface has a plurality of different colored regions thereon, each of said plurality of different colored regions permitting light of a different limited wavelength band to pass therethrough and to said second optical conduit.
5. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said emitting surface and said receiving surface are substantially parallel with each other.
6. An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising:
(e) at least one photo sensitive element in optical communication with said second optical line, said photosensitive element for converting at least a portion of any light transmitted from said receiving surface into an electronic signal.
7. An apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said sensor receiver receiving surface includes a plurality of regions thereon, each of said different regions permitting a different frequency band of light to pass therethrough.
8. An apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein there are a plurality of photo sensitive elements in optical communication with said second optical line, and wherein each of said plurality of photo sensitive elements is responsive to a different band of light frequencies.
9. An optical displacement sensor, comprising:
(a) a first optical line, said first optical line being positionable to be in optical communication with at least one illumination source;
(b) a sensor emitter, said sensor emitter having at least one emitting surface, (b1) wherein said sensor emitter is in optical communication with said first optical line, (b2) wherein said sensor emitter is optically conductive, and, (b3) wherein at least a portion of any light originating from said illumination source is emitted from said at least one emitting surfaces;

(c) a sensor receiver, said sensor receiver having at least one receiving region, said sensor receiver being positioned to be proximate to said sensor emitter and in optical communication therewith, (c1) wherein said sensor receiver is optically conductive, (c2) wherein at least one of said receiving regions is in optical communication with at least one of said emitting surfaces, (c3) wherein at least a portion of any light emitted from said emitting surface is received by at least one of said receiving regions, and, (c4) wherein said sensor receiver and said sensor emitter are movable with respect to each other, wherein an amount of light received by said receiving region varies with any such movement, and wherein said amount of light received by said receiving surface is representative of an amount of displacement between said emitting surface and said receiving surface; acid, (d) at least one sensing optical line, said sensing optical line being in optical communication with said sensor receiver, said sensing optical line being at least for transmitting at least a portion of any light received by said receiving surface.
10. An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein there are a plurality of receiving regions on said receiving surface and wherein there are a corresponding plurality of sensing optical lines, each of said plurality of sensing optical lines being in optical communication with at least one of said receiving regions.
11. An apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein each of said sensing optical lines is in optical communication with a photosensitive element, each of said photosensitive elements for converting at least a portion of any light transmitted from said receiving surface into an electronic signal.
CA002542891A 2003-10-17 2004-10-18 Displacement sensor apparatus Expired - Fee Related CA2542891C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US51204203P 2003-10-17 2003-10-17
US60/512,042 2003-10-17
US52497803P 2003-11-25 2003-11-25
US60/524,978 2003-11-25
PCT/US2004/034476 WO2005047814A1 (en) 2003-10-17 2004-10-18 Displacement sensor apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2542891A1 true CA2542891A1 (en) 2005-05-26
CA2542891C CA2542891C (en) 2009-12-08

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002542891A Expired - Fee Related CA2542891C (en) 2003-10-17 2004-10-18 Displacement sensor apparatus

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US7078676B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2542891C (en)
WO (1) WO2005047814A1 (en)

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US9318012B2 (en) 2003-12-12 2016-04-19 Steve Gail Johnson Noise correcting patient fall risk state system and method for predicting patient falls
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US10645346B2 (en) 2013-01-18 2020-05-05 Careview Communications, Inc. Patient video monitoring systems and methods having detection algorithm recovery from changes in illumination
US9866797B2 (en) 2012-09-28 2018-01-09 Careview Communications, Inc. System and method for monitoring a fall state of a patient while minimizing false alarms
US9579047B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2017-02-28 Careview Communications, Inc. Systems and methods for dynamically identifying a patient support surface and patient monitoring
US9794523B2 (en) 2011-12-19 2017-10-17 Careview Communications, Inc. Electronic patient sitter management system and method for implementing
US9959471B2 (en) 2008-05-06 2018-05-01 Careview Communications, Inc. Patient video monitoring systems and methods for thermal detection of liquids
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US8471899B2 (en) 2008-12-02 2013-06-25 Careview Communications, Inc. System and method for documenting patient procedures
US9372126B2 (en) * 2013-01-29 2016-06-21 St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. Low-complexity optical force sensor for a medical device
US10504353B2 (en) 2015-07-27 2019-12-10 Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Customized bed exit warnings to modify patient behavior
US11210922B2 (en) 2018-10-22 2021-12-28 Tidi Products, Llc Electronic fall monitoring system
US10692346B2 (en) 2018-10-22 2020-06-23 Tidi Products, Llc Electronic fall monitoring system

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2005047814A1 (en) 2005-05-26
US20050082466A1 (en) 2005-04-21
US7078676B2 (en) 2006-07-18
CA2542891C (en) 2009-12-08

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Effective date: 20151019