Abstract: A capacitive type, multi-electrode inclination sensor device utilizes a conductive fluid acting as a common capacitive electrode contained within a cylindrical cavity. Two or more coplanar sensor electrodes are covered by a thin dielectric film and are mounted on an end wall of the cavity. Each insulated electrode forms one plate of a capacitive element with the conductive fluid forming the other plate. The geometry of the sensor electrodes is such that for a given physical position of the device (such as level or plumb), equal conductive fluid coverage of a given pair of sensor electrodes occurs, yielding two identical value capacitances. Any inclination of the device within the plane of the capacitive plates then increases one capacitance's value while decreasing the other, with the differential change in capacitance being proportional to the angle of inclination.

Abstract: A digital inclinometer for detecting the angular orientation of a structure includes a rotatable encoding disk on which is mounted a horizontal tilt sensor. The inclinometer electronically measures, by angular indices on the encoding disk, the difference between the angular orientation of the device and a horizontal orientation. In another embodiment, the encoding disk is rotated by a stepper motor and the number of steps are electronically counted to determine the angular orientation. The inclinometer has a digital display.

Abstract: An electronic level for determining the angular orientation of a structure, where the error angle between actual and desired angular orientation of the structure is indicated by a variable signal perceptible to the user.