a division of Zoltech Corporation

 

VolksMeter II

Seismometer/Tiltmeter

Sensor Technology
 
The VolksMeter uses a unique, patented*, Symmetric Differential Capacitor (SDC) array sensor to detect and measure minute accelerations and tilts. The sensor consists of two fixed printed circuit boards holding the transmitting and receiving capacitor plates and a moving Faraday shield array, mounted on the end of a pendulum. When subjected to accelerations or tilts, the shield array on the pendulum moves relative to the fixed plates and changes the amount of receiving plate that is exposed to or shielded from the transmitting plates. This, in turn, changes the overall capacitance of the sensor. A magnetic eddy damper, located below the sensor plates, damps oscillations of the pendulum. A direct Capacitance-To-Digital-Converter (CDC) chip converts the current capacitance of the sensor array to a 24-bit number. An interface board in the VolksMeter controls the CDC chip and formats the acquired data for transmission to the support computer.

* U.S. Patent Number 5,461,319

 

VolksMeter Sensor Components
   
VolksMeter Sensor Assembly

Sensor Assembly

Interface Board with Capacitance To Digital Converters

16009 Arminta Street, Van Nuys, CA 91406 USA - 818-780-1800 - FAX 818-780-1978 - http://rllinstruments.com
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