Hydraulic cylinder end member arrangement for a piston position sensing system

Reference Number: N 01-03

Inventors: Morgan, Dennis E.; Collum, Jerry

USPTO Link: 5856745

Invention Summary

The invention provides an improvement in the sensitivity, accuracy and reliability of a piston position sensing system by electromagnetic wave coupling construction principles that position the couplers and fluid port that go into the cylinder and the electronic packaging, at the rod bearing head of the cylinder. The principles include a mechanical structure that supports the rod, provides an extension of the resonance cavity, supports electromagnetic wave couplers into the extended cavity and also may provide a piston travel stop and support a hydraulic fluid input-output port with a hydraulic fluid change monitoring and compensating device; an electronic circuitry shielded package having a high frequency section with coaxial shielded input and output conductors on opposing package sides and a lower frequency counting section having a piston position output shielded conductor and a fluid change input conductor separated from the high frequency section conductors; and the positioning of the electronic package on the mechanical structure with the coaxial shielded input and output conductors respectively adjacent to the input and output couplers.

The coupling of the invention assures greater options in the positioning of couplers and ports into the cylinder cavity together with minimal high frequency conductor length, with electrical and physical damage shielding.