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Digital position sensor system for detecting automatic transmission gear modes

  • US 5,307,013 A
  • Filed: 10/23/1992
  • Issued: 04/26/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A sensor system for detecting gear modes of an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission having a detent lever located internal to a transmission case, the sensor system comprising:

  • an encoder means fixed to the detent lever, the encoder means having multiple magnetic elements arranged in at least three parallel binary code tracks, the magnetic elements being arranged in a plurality of sets, each set consisting of one magnetic element from each binary code track, the magnetic elements in a set corresponding to a transmission gear mode, the polarity of the magnetic elements in a set uniquely identifying a transmission gear mode;

    at least three sensor means disposed opposite the encoder means for detecting changes of the gear modes, each sensor means being a magnetic field sensor which produces a digital signal, the digital signals of the at least three sensor means being representative of the position of the encoder means thereby indicating the transmission gear modes, the digital signals of the at least three sensor means being unique for each transmission gear mode, the sensor means being mounted in a sensor mount assembly; and

    a guide means including a lip for allowing relative transverse motion between the encoder means and sensor means and for allowing relative separation between the encoder means and the sensor means only when a pre-determined distance between the encoder means and the sensor means is not exceeded, the guide means being integral with at least one of the sensor means and the encoder means.

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