Sensor assembly for detecting position of spring-loaded target surface and method of detecting position through multiple structures

• Main Authors: Lyon Mike R, Marocchini Francis P, Surace Raymond, DiVincenzo Gregory
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.03.2017
• 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; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAMTURBINES; PHYSICS; STEAM ENGINES; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS

A sensor assembly includes a first structure and a second structure disposed radially outwardly of the first structure. Also included is a sensor body extending through the first and second structures, the sensor body having first and second ends, the first end disposed proximate a first environment defined by the first structure and the second end located radially outwardly of the second structure. Further included is a first sealing assembly configured to operatively couple the sensor body to the second structure and to accommodate movement of the sensor body. Yet further included is a position sensor operatively coupled to the sensor body, the position sensor configured to determine a position of a target located within the first interior volume. Also included is at least one biasing member in contact with the target to bias the target into constant operative contact with the sensor body.