Induction type motion sensor

• US 5,416,372 A
• Filed: 08/19/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter AB (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Siemens-Elema AB (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Ljungstroem, Karin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASZKO, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US08/108,453
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 310/68 R, 310/68 A, 310/68 D, 310/68 E, 310/68 B, 310/36, 310/168, 310/155, 310/171, 324/239, 324/207.15, 324/207.25
• US Class Current: 310/168
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/11 by inductive pick-up

Abstract

The sensitivity of an induction-type motion sensor having a magnetic circuit with a permanent magnet to small movements is increased by the use of a stator with a core containing a permanent magnet as a fixed part thereof. An electrical coil is wound around the stator and a pendulum-type rotor has a ferromagnetic moving element which, when the motion sensor is subjected to movement forces, passes in and out of the air gap of the stator, thereby alternating the magnetic field in the stator and inducing a current in the electrical coil.

Claims

1. A motion sensor comprising:

a stator having a permanent magnet as a fixed part thereof, said stator having an air gap;

an electrical coil wound around said stator; and

a pendulum freely rotatable around an axis and having an eccentric mass distribution relative to said axis for freely oscillating in response to a movement force, said pendulum having a plurality of ferromagnetic teeth at a periphery thereof disposed to move through said air gap, and thereby induce current in said coil, upon oscillation of said pendulum.

2. A motion sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said air gap has a cross-section, wherein said teeth have a radial cross-section substantially identical to the cross-section of said air gap, and wherein said teeth have a distance therebetween substantially identical to said cross-section of said air gap.

3. A motion sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pendulum has a natural frequency between 2 and 8 Hz.

4. A motion sensor as claimed in claim 3 wherein said pendulum has a natural frequency of 4 Hz.