Inductive position sensor
First Claim
1. An inductive position sensor, comprising:
- an excitation element comprising;
a power source;
a control circuit;
a first excitation coil, coupled to the power source, configured to generate a first electromagnetic field;
wherein the first excitation coil is configured in a twisted loop design;
a second excitation coil, coupled to the power source, configured to generate a second electromagnetic field;
wherein the second excitation coil is configured in a twisted loop design; and
a third excitation coil, coupled to the power source, configured to generate a third electromagnetic field;
wherein the thirds excitation coil is configured in a twisted loop design;
wherein the control circuit controls the flow of electrical currents from the power source into and through one or more pairings of the first excitation coil, the second excitation coil and the third excitation coil;
a rotor configured to be coupled to each of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field, based upon a current position of a target;
a receive element, comprising;
a signal processor;
a first receive coil, coupled to the signal processor, configured for at least one of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field to induce a first voltage;
wherein the first receive coil is configured in a twisted loop design;
a second receive coil, coupled to the signal processor, configured for at least one of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field to induce a second voltage;
wherein the second receive coil is configured in a twisted loop design; and
a third receive coil, coupled to the signal processor, configured for at least one of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field to induce a third voltage;
wherein the signal processor determines the current position of the rotor based on a received voltage, wherein the received voltage is a combination of at least one of the first voltage, the second voltage and the third voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods for determining a position of a target using an inductive position sensor are described. The inductive position sensor may include a rotor, two or more excitation coils, and two or more receive coils. Each of the coils and the rotor may be inductively coupled. The two or more receive coils may be configured to generate a received voltage which can be approximated by a sine waveform function of twice the rotor'"'"'s position. The inductive position sensor may include a resonant component. The resonance component may be connected to one of the two or more excitation coils or the rotor. An integrated circuit may be configured to determine the position of the rotor based on the two or more received voltages.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An inductive position sensor, comprising:
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an excitation element comprising; a power source; a control circuit; a first excitation coil, coupled to the power source, configured to generate a first electromagnetic field; wherein the first excitation coil is configured in a twisted loop design; a second excitation coil, coupled to the power source, configured to generate a second electromagnetic field; wherein the second excitation coil is configured in a twisted loop design; and a third excitation coil, coupled to the power source, configured to generate a third electromagnetic field; wherein the thirds excitation coil is configured in a twisted loop design; wherein the control circuit controls the flow of electrical currents from the power source into and through one or more pairings of the first excitation coil, the second excitation coil and the third excitation coil; a rotor configured to be coupled to each of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field, based upon a current position of a target; a receive element, comprising; a signal processor; a first receive coil, coupled to the signal processor, configured for at least one of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field to induce a first voltage; wherein the first receive coil is configured in a twisted loop design; a second receive coil, coupled to the signal processor, configured for at least one of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field to induce a second voltage; wherein the second receive coil is configured in a twisted loop design; and a third receive coil, coupled to the signal processor, configured for at least one of the first electromagnetic field, the second electromagnetic field and the third electromagnetic field to induce a third voltage; wherein the signal processor determines the current position of the rotor based on a received voltage, wherein the received voltage is a combination of at least one of the first voltage, the second voltage and the third voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A resonant inductive position sensor, comprising:
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a rotor; two or more excitation coils, inductively coupled to the rotor; wherein the two or more excitation coils are configured as twisted excitation loops about a stator core; two or more receive coils, inductively coupled to each of the rotor and the two or more excitation coils, and configured to each generate two or more received voltages; wherein the two or more receive coils are configured as twisted receive loops about the stator core; a resonance component connected to the rotor; and an integrated circuit; wherein the integrated circuit is configured to determine the position of the rotor based on the two or more received voltages. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A resonant rotor for use in an inductive position sensor, comprising:
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a rotor core; a rotor coil; and a resonant component; wherein the rotor coil includes at least one twisted rotor loop drawn about the rotor core; wherein the resonant component is connected to the twisted loop and to provide inductive-capacitive filtering for the resonant rotor; wherein, the resonant rotor is configured for inductive coupling with two or more receive coils configured to each generate two or more received voltages; and whereby, based on the two or more received voltages, an integrated circuit determines the position of the rotor. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification