Magnetolastic based sensor assembly
First Claim
1. A sensor assembly for force sensing comprising:
- a first portion having a first and a second through hole, a second portion having a third and fourth through hole, the third and fourth through holes being positioned in correspondence to the first and second through holes;
a first pin and a second pin,wherein the first pin is arranged such that it extends through the first and third through holes and the second pin is arranged such that it extends through the second and fourth through holes, so as to couple the first portion to the second portion,wherein the second pin is encompassed by the second through hole in a positive-fitted manner and the fourth through hole is configured such that the second pin has one additional degree of freedom of movement within the fourth through hole, andwherein at least one out of the first and the second pin comprises at least one magneto-elastically active region that is directly or indirectly attached to or forms a part of the pin in such a manner that mechanical stress on the pin is transmitted to the magneto-elastically active region, the magneto-elastically active region comprising at least one magnetically polarized region such that a polarization of the polarized region becomes increasingly helically shaped as the applied stress increases; and
a magnetic field sensor means arranged approximate the at least one magneto-elastically active region for outputting a signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating from the magnetically polarized region, the magnetic field sensor means comprising at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor, which is configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction, wherein the at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is arranged to have a predetermined and fixed spatial coordination with the pin, and wherein the pin comprising the at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is at least partially hollow and the at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is arranged inside the interior of the pin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a sensor assembly for force sensing, the sensor assembly comprising: a first portion having a first and a second through hole, a second portion having a third and fourth through hole, and a first pin and a second pin coupling the first portion to the second portion. At least one out of the first and the second pin comprises a magnetoelastic based sensor for outputting a signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating from a magnetically polarized region of the pin. The magnetoelastic based sensor comprises at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor in an at least partially hollow portion of the pin, which field sensor is configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction. The invention further provides a tow coupling comprising the sensor assembly. The invention further provides a method for detecting a load.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly for force sensing comprising:
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a first portion having a first and a second through hole, a second portion having a third and fourth through hole, the third and fourth through holes being positioned in correspondence to the first and second through holes; a first pin and a second pin, wherein the first pin is arranged such that it extends through the first and third through holes and the second pin is arranged such that it extends through the second and fourth through holes, so as to couple the first portion to the second portion, wherein the second pin is encompassed by the second through hole in a positive-fitted manner and the fourth through hole is configured such that the second pin has one additional degree of freedom of movement within the fourth through hole, and wherein at least one out of the first and the second pin comprises at least one magneto-elastically active region that is directly or indirectly attached to or forms a part of the pin in such a manner that mechanical stress on the pin is transmitted to the magneto-elastically active region, the magneto-elastically active region comprising at least one magnetically polarized region such that a polarization of the polarized region becomes increasingly helically shaped as the applied stress increases; and a magnetic field sensor means arranged approximate the at least one magneto-elastically active region for outputting a signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating from the magnetically polarized region, the magnetic field sensor means comprising at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor, which is configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction, wherein the at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is arranged to have a predetermined and fixed spatial coordination with the pin, and wherein the pin comprising the at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is at least partially hollow and the at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is arranged inside the interior of the pin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for force sensing, comprising:
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receiving a signal from at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor, the signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating in response to an applied stress on a first or a second pin; and determining a shear force in at least one direction with respect to the first or the second pin using at least the received signal, wherein the first pin extends through a first and a third through hole and the second pin extends through a second and a fourth through hole so as to couple a first portion to a second portion, wherein the first portion includes the first and the second through holes, and the second portion includes the third and the fourth through holes, the third and fourth through holes being positioned in correspondence to the first and second through holes, and wherein the second pin is encompassed by the second through hole in a positive-fitted manner and the fourth through hole is configured such that the second pin has one additional degree of freedom of movement within the fourth through hole, wherein at least one of the first pin or the second pin comprises a magnetically polarized region of at least one magneto-elastically active region and at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor positioned approximate the magnetically polarized region and arranged to have a predetermined and fixed spatial coordination with the respective to the pin, and wherein at least one of the first or the second pin is at least partially hollow and the respective at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor is arranged inside the interior of the pin. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A trailer hitch assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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two magnetoelastic pins, having respective magnetic fields, configured to couple a trailer hitch receiver to a chassis of the vehicle; a plurality of sensors corresponding to the two magnetoelastic pins, configured to detect changes in the respective magnetic fields; and a control unit configured to determine a magnitude and direction of a force acting on the trailer hitch receiver based on data from the plurality of sensors, determine that a first pin of the two magnetoelastic pins has a stress-induced change in a first direction, determine that a second pin of the two magnetoelastic pins has a stress-induced change in a second direction opposite the first direction, and responsively determine that a vertical force is acting on the trailer hitch receiver. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification