SENSOR OF ANGULAR POSITION Russian patent published in 1996 - IPC

FIELD: measurement technology. SUBSTANCE: invention is intended for measurement of angular and linear positions of object of in three-dimensional space. Sensor has case housing tested object. Surfaces of case and tested object facing each other have spherical shape and reflecting coating. Interferometers positioned in mutually orthogonal planes are also housed in case. Each interferometer incorporates two sources of coherent radiation, beam splitter and two photodetectors which outputs are connected to inputs of computer. Photodetector corresponds to each radiation source. Optical axis of one radiation source is so directed that its ray is reflected only from reflecting surface of case, but ray of the other radiation source is reflected from surfaces, case and from tested object. Interferometer in sensor of angular position measures one of three mutually orthogonal projections of angular velocity of tested object with respect to case by measurement of displacement of radiation frequency (wave length) with reflection from surface of moving tested object (Doppler effect) with subsequent computation of their mutual angular position by integration of measured angular velocity in computer. Angular position of case is measured in reference to internal space by measurement of displacement of radiation frequency with reflection from surface of moving case with subsequent computation of angular position of case in inertial space and of tested object relative to inertial space. EFFECT: improved functional efficiency of sensor. 3 cl, 3 dwg