What is claimed is:
1. An absolute position transducer, comprising:
a scale member;
a read head member, the read head member and the scale member movable relative to each other along a measuring axis;
a code track position transducer comprising:
at least one set of code track sensors formed on the read head member, each set of code track sensors including N sensors, where N is a positive integer greater than 1, and
a code track formed on the scale member, the code track having a plurality of zones distributed along the measuring axis, at least one sensible element formed in at least some of the plurality of zones; and
a signal generating and processing circuit electrically connected to each set of code track sensors;
wherein:
the sensible elements modulate an output of the N sensors of each set of code track sensors based on a relative position between the read head member and the scale member,
the sensible elements are distributed on the scale member such that each zone is capable of producing one of a set of M output states in an overlying sensor where M is greater than 2, the zones forming a series of code elements extending along the measuring axis, each consecutive set of n code elements forming a non-binary code word, and
each non-binary code word defines an absolute position of the read head member relative to the scale member to a first resolution.
2. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of sensors are at least one set of receiver windings, and the sensible elements are flux modulators.
3. The absolute position transducer of claim 2, wherein the code track position transducer includes a code track transmitter winding formed on the read head member.
4. The absolute position transducer of claim 3, wherein:
the code track transmitter winding and each receiver winding form an inductive coupling; and
the flux modulators modulate the inductive coupling between each receiver winding and the code track transmitter winding.
5. The absolute position transducer of claim 2, wherein:
the plurality of flux modulators of the code track includes one of a plurality of flux disrupters, a plurality of flux enhancers, and a plurality of flux disrupters and flux enhancers.
6. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, wherein:
the at least one set of code track sensors comprises a first set of code track sensors and a second set of code track sensors; and
the second set of code track sensors is spatially offset from the first set of code track sensors along the measuring axis.
7. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, wherein the absolute position transducer is included in one of a caliper, a linear scale, a micrometer, a rotary encoder, a tape measure and a height gage.
8. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, further comprising at least one fine track transducer, each fine track transducer producing cyclic signals at a distinct spatial frequency and comprising:
at least one fine track sensor formed on the read head member; and
a fine track scale portion formed on the scale member, the scale portion including a plurality of sensible elements spatially distributed on the scale member along the measuring axis at the distinct spatial frequency such that an output of the at least one fine track sensor is based on a relative position between the read head member and the scale member;
wherein the at least one fine track transducer defines a fine absolute position of the read head member relative to the scale member to a second resolution finer than the first resolution defined by the code track position transducer.
9. The absolute position transducer of claim 8, wherein a phase difference between the code track transducer and one of the at least one fine track transducers generates a coarse wavelength.
10. The absolute position transducer of claim 9, wherein each coarse wavelength extends over a number P of the code words, where P is an integer number at least equal to 1.
11. The absolute position transducer of claim 8, wherein the at least one fine track transducer includes two fine track transducers, and
a phase difference between the two fine track transducers generates a coarse wavelength.
12. The absolute position transducer of claim 11, wherein each coarse wavelength extends over a number P of the code words, where P is an integer number at least equal to 1.
13. The absolute position transducer of claim 8, wherein each of the at least one fine track sensors comprises a fine track receiver winding, and the sensible elements are flux modulators.
14. The absolute position transducer of claim 13, wherein each fine track transducer includes a fine track transmitter winding formed on the read head member.
15. The absolute position transducer of claim 14, wherein:
each fine track transmitter winding and each receiver winding, respectively, form an inductive coupling; and
the plurality of flux modulators of the fine track transducers includes one of a plurality of flux disrupters, a plurality of flux enhancers, and a plurality of flux disrupters and flux enhancers.
16. The absolute position transducer of claim 13, wherein the plurality of flux modulators of the fine track scale portion includes one of a plurality of flux disrupters, a plurality of flux enhancers, and a plurality of flux disrupters and flux enhancers.
17. The absolute position transducer of claim 8, wherein:
each at least one fine track sensor comprises a first fine track receiver winding and a second fine track receiver winding; and
the first fine track receiver winding is spatially offset from the second fine track receiver winding along the measuring axis.
18. The absolute position transducer of claim 17, wherein the first fine track receiver winding is spatially offset from the second fine track receiver winding by one-quarter of a wavelength of the at least one fine track receiver winding.
19. The absolute position transducer of claim 14, wherein a single transmitter winding forms both the at least one fine track transmitter winding and a code track transmitter winding.
20. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, wherein each consecutive set of n code elements forms a sequential non-binary code word.
21. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, wherein each consecutive set of n code elements forms a pseudo random non-binary code word.
22. The absolute position transducer of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of code track sensors includes J*n1 sensors overlying a set of n code elements, where J is the number of sensors per code element.
23. A method for determining an absolute position of a first member relative to a second member in an absolute position transducer, comprising:
inputting a set of j adjacent code element measurements, each code element measurement responsive to at least one of a plurality of code elements positioned on one of the first and second members and extending along a measurement axis;
converting each of the j code element measurements into an output value;
determining a relative position of the j output values to a starting point of a j-digit absolute position non-binary code word;
determining the j-digit absolute position non-binary code word based on the determined relative position of the j output values to the starting point; and
determining a first-resolution absolute position measurement based on the j-digit non-binary code word.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
taking an incremental position measurement between the first and second members at a second resolution; and
determining a second-resolution absolute position measurement between the first and second members from the first-resolution absolute position measurement and the second-resolution incremental position measurement;
wherein the first resolution is coarser than the second resolution.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein taking the second-resolution incremental position measurement comprises:
determining a phase F of the second-resolution incremental position measurement, and
determining the second-resolution incremental position measurement from the phase F and an incremental scale wavelength F.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the relative position of the j output values to the starting point of the j-digit absolute position non-binary code word comprises:
determining a phase difference between two fine track transducers, the phase difference corresponding to a relative position of the first and second members within a coarse wavelength of the absolute position transducer; and
determining the relative position of the j output values to the starting point of the absolute position non-binary code word based on the determined phase difference and a predetermined relationship between a relative position of the starting point and a predetermined position within the coarse wavelength.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the relative position of the output values to the starting point of the absolute position non-binary code word comprises:
determining a phase difference between a fine track transducer and a code track transducer, the phase difference corresponding to a relative position of the first and second members within a coarse wavelength of the absolute position transducer; and
determining the relative position of the j output values to the starting point of the absolute position non-binary code word based on the determined phase difference and a predetermined relationship between a relative position of the starting point and a predetermined position within the coarse wavelength.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A washable pet diaper and clothing component system (100) for preventing a pet from urinating or defecating on a ground surface, wherein the system (100) comprises:
(a) a tubular torso component (110) having a torso component anterior end (112), an open torso component posterior end (114), a torso component top (116), a torso component bottom (118), a torso component first side (122), and a torso component second side (124),
wherein an elastic head aperture (126) is centrally disposed at an intersection of the torso component anterior end (112) and the torso component top (116),
wherein a first elastic leg aperture (128) is disposed on the torso component bottom (118) adjacent to the torso component first side (122) proximal to the torso component anterior end (112), wherein a second elastic leg aperture (128) is disposed on the torso component bottom (118) adjacent to the torso component second side (124) proximal to the torso component anterior end (112),
wherein a vertical center plane (130) divides the torso component first side (122) from the torso component second side (124) and runs from the torso component anterior end (112) to the torso component posterior end (114),
wherein a first series of male snap components (142) is disposed on the torso component top (116) on the torso component first side (122), wherein a second series of male snap components (144) is disposed on the torso component top (116) on the torso component second side (124), wherein a third series of male snap components (146) is disposed on the torso component bottom (118) on the torso component first side (122),
wherein a fourth series of male snap components (148) is disposed on the torso component bottom (118) on the torso component second side (124),
wherein a first hip mating female snap component (150) is disposed on the torso component bottom (118) on the torso component first side (122) posterior to the first elastic leg aperture (128), wherein a second hip mating female snap component (152) is disposed on the torso component bottom (118) on the torso component second side (124) posterior to the second elastic leg aperture (128),
wherein the torso component (110) is constructed from a first material (160); and
(b) a pelvic component (170) having an open pelvic component anterior end (172), a pelvic component posterior end (174), a pelvic component top (176), a pelvic component bottom (178), a pelvic component first side (182), and a pelvic component second side (184),
wherein an elastic tail aperture (190) is centrally disposed at an intersection of the pelvic component posterior end (174) and the pelvic component top (176),
wherein the vertical center plane (130) divides the pelvic component first side (182) from the pelvic component second side (184) and runs from the pelvic component anterior end (172) to the pelvic component posterior end (174),
wherein a first female snap component (192) is disposed on the pelvic component top (176) on the pelvic component first side (182), wherein a second female snap component (194) is disposed on the pelvic component top (176) on the pelvic component second side (184), wherein a third female snap component (196) is disposed on the pelvic component bottom (178) on the pelvic component first side (182), wherein a fourth female snap component (198) is disposed on the pelvic component bottom (178) on the pelvic component second side (184),
wherein a first hip male snap component (200) is disposed on the pelvic component top (176) on the pelvic component first side (182), wherein a second hip male snap component (202) is disposed on the pelvic component top (176) on the pelvic component second side (184),
wherein the pelvic component (170) is constructed from the first material (160),
wherein the pelvic component (170) comprises a padded absorbent member (210) centrally disposed in a pelvic component groin region (186), wherein the padded absorbent member (210) is disposed from the pelvic component anterior end (172) running to the elastic tail aperture (190), wherein the padded absorbent member (210) is constructed from a second material (162);
wherein the tubular torso component (110) is adapted to be disposed on the pet via sliding the elastic head aperture (126) over a head of the pet, sliding the first elastic leg aperture (128) over a first front leg, and sliding the second elastic leg aperture (128) over a second front leg,
wherein the pelvic component (170) is adapted to be placed on the pet via sliding the elastic tail aperture (190) over a tail of the pet, snapping the first female snap component (192) onto one of the first series of male snap components (142), snapping the second female snap component (194) onto one of the second series of male snap components (144), snapping the third female snap component (196) onto one of the third series of male snap components (146), snapping the fourth female snap component (198) onto one of the fourth series of male snap components (148), wherein the padded absorbent member (210) is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the groin region of the pet,
wherein for wearing the pelvic component (170) in an alternate fashion away from the groin region for stowage allowing the groin area of the pet to be exposed, the pelvic component (170) is adapted to be placed on the pet snapping the third female snap component (196) onto one of the third series of male snap components (146), snapping the fourth female snap component (198) onto one of the fourth series of male snap components (148), snapping the first hip mating female snap component (150) to the first hip male snap component (200), snapping the second hip mating female snap component (152) to the second hip male snap component (202) while tightly folding at the pelvic component groin region (186) in half.
2. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the first material (160) is a terry cloth.
3. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the second material (162) is terry cloth.
4. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the second material (162) is constructed from a paper absorbent material.
5. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the system (100) is constructed from a washable material.
6. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the pelvic component (170) is disposable, wherein the pelvic component (170) is constructed from a paper material.
7. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein the system (100) comprises suspenders (220), wherein the suspenders are attached to the pelvic component (170) for wearing the pelvic component (170) in an alternate fashion without the torso component (110), wherein the suspenders (220) are adjustable via one or more suspender adjustment components (222) disposed on the suspenders (220), wherein the suspenders attach to the pelvic component (170) via a plurality of suspender snap components (224), wherein the plurality of suspender snap components (224) is attached to each of the third female snap component (196), fourth female snap component (198), the first hip male snap component (200), and the second hip male snap component (202).