| 摘要 |
An optical inclination sensor 10 is provided having at least one mass 40 attached to housing 42 and moveable with respect to the housing as the mass and housing are rotated about one or more axes (52, 54, Fig.5). Optical strain sensors 44, such as fibre Bragg gratings, are disposed at various locations between the mass 40 and the housing 42 so that as the mass moves with respect to the housing, each one of the strain sensors 44 are placed in compression or tension. The housing 42 can be a generally u-shaped housing having two arms 46 and a base section 48 with the mass disposed within the housing. Alternatively, the housing includes a first beam (60, Fig.8), and the mass is a second beam (62, Fig.8) arranged generally orthogonal to the first beam and pivotally attached thereto. The optical strain sensors 44 are disposed between the first beam and the second beam and are placed in tension or compression as the second beam pivots with respect to the first beam. Alternatively the inclination sensor 10 comprises at least one reflective surface (12, Fig.1) and at least two separate optical fibres (14, Fig.1) having ends spaced from the reflective surface. As the reflective surface tilts with respect to a pre-determined reference position the gap lengths (20, 22, Fig.1) between the fibre ends and the reflective surface change and the differences in these gap lengths is used to calculate an angle of inclination (26, Fig.2) with respect to the reference position. |
