Design and implementation of uniform light guide based, force and de-flection measurement device

Abstract

This paper presents the investigation prepared in order to verify light guide based optical sensor for force and deformation measurements. Based on the results ob-tained during the whole period of investigation, design of prototype sample for light guide based optical sensor has to be approved, improvements based on the received re-sults included. In order to define design (geometry) a theoretical design model has been created based on Snell’s Law and Total Internal Reflection phenomenon. Based on the out-put from the theoretical investigation, a CAD model has been created. This virtual model of the sensor has been used to perform optical simulations in wide range of light guide deflection angles, to record flux changes with de-creasing the deflection angle from critical (TIR) to 30˚ by 0.5° step. After simulation is completed by reviewing simu-lation results we can confirm that the light guide based optical sensor for force and deflection measurements has linear output flux correlation with changing incidence an-gle in the range of 1˚ - 2˚. For further investigation to confirm correlation between simulation and measurement results the light guide based force and deformation measurement func-tional prototype device has been assembled.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.mech.22.4.15414