Rotary-to-linear conversion for sensor assembly and method of detecting angular position of a target through multiple structures

• Main Authors: Francis P Marocchini, Mike R. Lyon, Gregory DiVincenzo
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.06.2016
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; BLASTING; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAMTURBINES; PHYSICS; STEAM ENGINES; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING; WEAPONS

Sensor body 32 extends through first structure 16, and second structure 18 (Fig. 4) disposed radially outward of first structure 16. Structures 16 and 18 may be casings of an aircraft turbine engine. Sealing assembly 50, maybe comprising radial seal 52 (Fig. 2), slider plate 64 (Fig. 2) and slider plate retainer 72 (Fig. 2), couples sensor body 32 to second structure 18, accommodating movement of sensor body 32. Target 13 may be coupled to adjustable stator vane 12. Rotary linkage assembly 100, disposed within interior cavity 38 of sensor body 32, is coupled at one end to target 13 and at the other to linear position sensor 42, via rotary-to-linear interface 120, which is configured to convert rotary to linear motion, and may comprise inclined plane 124 abutting inclined plane 122 of rotary linkage assembly 100. Anti-rotation pin 128 may prevent rotation of rotary-to-linear interface 100. Sensor 42 may advantageously be located in an ambient environment.