Sensor device for a physical quantity in a device

• US 20060004546A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Methode Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Slanec, Konrad
• Application Number:
  US11/173,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004546A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/189
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors

Abstract

The sensor values (s) of a sensor device (6) exhibit, in the delivered condition, sensor values in a delivered scale that are reduced by about 50%, which document at the same the condition at the time of delivery. After the installation in a device, an initialization and justification process of the sensor device is started on crossing of the threshold values (t), in course of which the delivered scale (ds) is converted into a normal operating scale (os).

Claims

1. Sensor device (3) for measuring a physical quantity in a device, whereby an emitted sensor signal for the adjustment to the actual measuring range of the quantity can be scaled by means of an evaluation electronic element (9), characterized in that before the assembly into the device the sensor signal exhibits characteristics which differ significantly from the normal sensor signal of ready-to-operate sensor device, and that the sensor signal of the installed sensor can set in the first scaling of the sensor to the normal characteristics.

2. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor signal exhibits a carrier frequency, which can be converted into a defined operating frequency that deviates markedly from the preset frequency in the delivered state.

3. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor device (6) exhibits a delivered scale (ds) with a threshold value (du) of the sensor signal before the installation into the device, which value lies distinctly outside the corresponding threshold range (ou) of the final scaled ready-to-operate sensor device (6).

4. Sensor device according to claim 3, characterized in that the delivery scale (ds) reproduces the value of the physical quantity according to a defined curve.

5. Sensor device according to claim 3, characterized in that the maximum value (du) of the sensor signal of the delivered scale (ds) is distinctly below the maximum value (ou) of the sensor signal of the scaled sensor device (6) ready-to-operate.

6. Sensor device according to claim 3, characterized in that the sensor device (6) detects the position of a mechanical actuating element, whose adjustment range is limited by the stops.

7. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaluation electronics (9) comprises a control device for the initialization and control of the justification.

8. Method for justification of the scalable sensor device (6) according to claim 1, characterized in that the dwelling of the sensor value outside a preset threshold value (t) of the delivered scale (ds) is evaluated as the end position of the actuating element in the final assembly.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the operating scale (os) or the defined operating frequency of the sensor device (6) is adjusted only after a repeated detection of the end position.

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that in case of a unsuccessful initialization, the control device generates a control signal for triggering a warning signal to an internal or an external signaling element.