Gimbal Inclination Sensor Using Rotation and Frequency Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inclination sensors for data acquisition devices, such as surveying and image acquisition devices, face challenges in accurately detecting inclination angles with respect to the horizontal direction due to drift in output values from acceleration sensors, which are affected by environmental changes, and require a larger size when combining tilt and acceleration sensors.
Innovation Solution
An inclination sensor utilizing a gimbal mechanism with two perpendicular shafts and motors to continuously rotate an acceleration sensor, applying frequency analysis to determine the inclination angle, eliminating the need for a tilt sensor and reducing sensor size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If only an acceleration sensor is used to reduce device size, then the device size is reduced, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to drift in output values
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensor is continuously rotated around the vertical axis at a constant angular velocity, transforming it from a static sensing element to a dynamic one. This dynamic rotation allows the sensor to periodically sample acceleration components in different horizontal directions, enabling accurate inclination measurement through frequency analysis even though the sensor itself experiences drift. The rotation converts a potentially harmful static drift issue into a manageable dynamic signal processing problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous rotation of the acceleration sensor creates a periodic vibration-like motion at a known frequency. By analyzing the frequency components of the acceleration sensor output at this rotation frequency, the system can extract accurate inclination information while filtering out drift components that do not occur at the rotation frequency. This transforms the problem from direct reading to frequency-domain analysis.
2Measurement precision
If both tilt sensor and acceleration sensor are used to ensure detection accuracy, then detection accuracy is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensor is made multi-functional by rotating it continuously. Instead of being limited to measuring acceleration in fixed directions, the rotating acceleration sensor can infer inclination angles by analyzing the time-varying acceleration components. This single sensor performs the function previously requiring both a tilt sensor and an acceleration sensor, eliminating the need for the tilt sensor and reducing device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical tilt sensor is replaced by a combination of rotating acceleration sensor and frequency analysis processing. Instead of using a dedicated mechanical tilt sensing mechanism, the system uses dynamic rotation of the acceleration sensor coupled with signal processing to achieve tilt measurement, substituting mechanical complexity with dynamic motion and computational analysis.
3Reliability
If acceleration sensor output values drift due to environmental changes, then detection reliability deteriorates, but continuous rotation and frequency analysis can maintain accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensor rotates continuously at a constant angular velocity, ensuring that useful measurement data is constantly being generated. This continuous rotation ensures that the sensor periodically samples all horizontal directions, providing continuous measurement opportunities. Even when drift occurs, the continuous rotation ensures that valid measurement data is always being collected at the rotation frequency, maintaining detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses frequency analysis of the acceleration sensor output as feedback to determine inclination angles. By continuously analyzing the frequency components of the rotating sensor's output, the system can track inclination changes in real-time. This feedback mechanism compensates for drift by relying on the periodic signal structure rather than absolute output values, maintaining reliability under environmental changes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures accurate detection of inclination angles with respect to the horizontal direction in real time, even with drift in acceleration sensor output, and reduces the overall size of the sensor by eliminating the need for a tilt sensor.
Implementation Method 1
applies frequency analysis to output values from the acceleration sensor to arithmetically determine an inclination angle with respect to a horizontal direction
Data Source
AI summary
The inclination sensor includes a gimbal mechanism rotatably supported around a first shaft and a second shaft, a first motor, a second motor, an acceleration sensor disposed in the gimbal mechanism with an origin point of coordinate axes being coincident with a point of intersection of a shaft center of the first shaft and a shaft center of the second shaft, and a control unit that simultaneously rotates the first shaft and the second shaft to continuously rotate the acceleration sensor around the first shaft and the second shaft and applies frequency analysis to the output values from the acceleration sensor to arithmetically determine the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction.