Kenneth Owen Head

US Patent:

45436495, Sep 24, 1985

Filed:

Oct 17, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/542696

Inventors:

Kenneth O. Head - Kirkwood MO
Arthur E. Bollinger - Kirkwood MO

Assignee:

Teknar, Inc. - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

G01S 1588
G01S 752

US Classification:

367 96

Abstract:

An ultrasonic system is responsive to the relative position of a movable device within a fluid-filled structure. A transducer transmits ultrasonic signals from a location fixed within the structure to the device for reflection thereby and for picking up the reflected signals. A reference target within the fluid, attached either to the structure or the device, also reflects the transmitted ultrasonic signals from also being picked up by the transducer, such reference target being a predetermined fixed distance relative to either the device or the structure, whereby the different picked up signals reflected from the device and reference target will have a timed relationship corresponding to such fixed distance, measurement circuitry means is responsive to the picked up signals reflected from the device and to such timed relationship for providing an output signal which is a function of change in the position of the device within the structure, being includes circuitry responsive to the timed relationship for causing the output signal to be compensated for changes in the velocity of ultrasonic signals in the fluid resulting from changes in parameters thereof subject to causing errors in the output signal. The structure is, for example, a fluid cylinder and the movable device is a piston within the cylinder. Alternatively, sensing of the parameter is used for output signal compensation.