Multi-turn non-contact angular position sensor
First Claim
1. A multi-turn angular position sensor for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) output corresponding to greater than a 360 degree turn of a shaft, comprising:
- a main gear adapted to be mounted on the shaft, the main gear having a plurality of teeth formed around its periphery;
a first gear having a plurality of first teeth formed around its periphery, the first teeth being engaged with the teeth of the main gear;
a second gear having a plurality of second teeth formed around its periphery, the second teeth being engaged with the teeth of the main gear;
a first angular position sensor assembly comprising a first coupler disk coupled to rotate together with the first gear, the first angular position sensor assembly being adapted to generate a first output signal corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the first coupler disk;
a second angular position sensor assembly comprising a second coupler disk coupled to rotate together with the second gear, the second angular position sensor assembly being adapted to generate a second output signal corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the second coupler disk; and
a PWM generator for generating the PWM output according to the first output signal and the second output signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-turn angular position sensor for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) output corresponding to greater than a 360 degree turn of a shaft. The angular position sensor includes main, first and second gears and first and second angular position sensor assemblies. The main gear can be mounted on the shaft and has a plurality of teeth formed around its periphery. The first and second gears respectively have first and second teeth that are engaged with the main gear teeth. The first and second angular position sensor assemblies respectively include first and second coupler disks coupled to rotate together respectively with the first and second gears. The first and second angular position sensor assemblies generate first and second output signals corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the first and second coupler disks, respectively. A PWM generator generates the PWM output according to the first and second output signals.
20 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A multi-turn angular position sensor for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) output corresponding to greater than a 360 degree turn of a shaft, comprising:
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a main gear adapted to be mounted on the shaft, the main gear having a plurality of teeth formed around its periphery;
a first gear having a plurality of first teeth formed around its periphery, the first teeth being engaged with the teeth of the main gear;
a second gear having a plurality of second teeth formed around its periphery, the second teeth being engaged with the teeth of the main gear;
a first angular position sensor assembly comprising a first coupler disk coupled to rotate together with the first gear, the first angular position sensor assembly being adapted to generate a first output signal corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the first coupler disk;
a second angular position sensor assembly comprising a second coupler disk coupled to rotate together with the second gear, the second angular position sensor assembly being adapted to generate a second output signal corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the second coupler disk; and
a PWM generator for generating the PWM output according to the first output signal and the second output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A steering shaft assembly comprising:
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a shaft;
a multi-turn angular position sensor coupled to the shaft and for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) output corresponding to greater than a 360 degree turn of the shaft, comprising;
a main gear mounted on the shaft, the main gear having a plurality of teeth formed around its periphery;
a first gear having a plurality of first teeth formed around its periphery, the first teeth being rotatably coupled to the teeth of the main gear;
a second gear having a plurality of second teeth formed around its periphery, the second teeth being rotatably coupled to the teeth of the main gear;
a first angular position sensor assembly comprising a first coupler disk coupled to rotate together with the first gear, the first angular position sensor assembly being adapted to generate a first output signal corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the first coupler disk;
a second angular position sensor assembly comprising a second coupler disk coupled to rotate together with the second gear, the second angular position sensor assembly being adapted to generate a second output signal corresponding to a single 360 degree turn of the second coupler disk; and
a PWM generator for generating the PWM output according to the first output signal and the second output signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20)
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18. A method of generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) output corresponding to greater than a 360 degree turn of a shaft, the method comprising:
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generating a first angular position output signal by engaging first teeth of a first gear coupled to a first angular position sensor assembly with a teeth of a main gear mounted on a shaft;
generating a second angular position output signal by engaging second teeth of a second gear coupled to a second angular position sensor assembly with the teeth of the main gear mounted on the shaft; and
generating the PWM output corresponding to the first output signal and the second output signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 21)
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Specification