초록 ▼

A clinometer includes a cylindrical cavity having a conductive cylindrical wall and a vertical annular wall having a high resistance resistor uniformly distributed thereon. A freely moving, heavy conductive ball, which may be solid or liquid such as mercury, seeks the lowest point in the cavity. The

A clinometer includes a cylindrical cavity having a conductive cylindrical wall and a vertical annular wall having a high resistance resistor uniformly distributed thereon. A freely moving, heavy conductive ball, which may be solid or liquid such as mercury, seeks the lowest point in the cavity. The conductive ball contacts both the conductive cylindrical wall at a point along the resistor, thereby defining the resistance between a terminal connected to one end of the resistor and another terminal connected to the conductive cylindrical wall. This resistance is a function of the inclination of the clinometer. A reference voltage is applied to the end terminal of the resistor. The terminal connected to that conductive cylindrical wall may be coupled to a circuit that converts a voltage across the resistance into a digital voltage that represents the inclination of the clinometer. In another embodiment, the resistor is cylindrical, the vertical wall is conductive, and the conductive ball is liquid that contacts both the cylindrical resistor and the conductive wall. The circuit is connected to the conductive vertical wall and an end terminal of the cylindrical resistor produces a voltage across the resistance between the conductive liquid ball and the end terminal. The voltage represents the inclination.

대표청구항 ▼

A clinometer comprising: (a) a housing surrounding an annular cavity, the housing including an inner wall bounding the cavity; (b) an annular resistor disposed on the wall, the annular resistor having a first end and a second end separated by a first narrow gap, and first and second terminals connec

A clinometer comprising: (a) a housing surrounding an annular cavity, the housing including an inner wall bounding the cavity; (b) an annular resistor disposed on the wall, the annular resistor having a first end and a second end separated by a first narrow gap, and first and second terminals connected to the first and second ends, respectively; (c) a rolling conductor loosely disposed in the cavity; (d) an annular conductor disposed on the wall and a third terminal connected to the annular conductor, both the annular resistor and the annular conductor electrically contacting the rolling conductor, the rolling conductor rolling to the lowest kinetic energy location in the cavity; (e) means for applying a positive voltage to the first terminal and a negative voltage to the second terminal, the rolling conductor receiving a resistive division voltage representative of an angle of inclination of the clinometer and conducting the resistive division voltage to the third conductor for angles of inclination in the range from approximately -178 degrees to +178 degrees; and (f) means connected to the third terminal and responsive to the resistive division voltage for producing a reading of the magnitude of the angle of inclination.