Wheel bearing speed sensor
First Claim
1. A wheel bearing speed sensor comprising:
- a vehicle axle spindle rotatable about an axis on a plurality of bearings within a wheel bearing housing;
all annular rotor mounted to said spindle for rotation therewith, one end of said rotor defining a plurality of teeth; and
a stator assembly fixed to said wheel bearing housing, said stator assembly including;
an annular stator having a plurality of teeth extending from one end thereof and an opposite end;
an annular bobbin member having a plurality of conductor windings around the periphery thereof, said bobbin member being slidably received within said stator between said stator teeth and said opposite end, said bobbin member having means cooperative with said stator to restrict axial movement of said bobbin member toward said stator teeth; and
a magnet received radially within said stator between said bobbin member and said opposite end, said magnet defining a magnetic pole along an outer surface thereof magnetically secured to an inner periphery of said stator adjacent said bobbin member to thereby restrict axial movement of said bobbin member toward said opposite end of said stator, said magnet defining an opposite pole along an inner surface thereof opposite said outer magnet surface;
wherein said rotor is axially received within said stator assembly such that said rotor teeth extend radially toward said stator teeth, and an opposite end of said rotor is positioned adjacent said inner magnet surface;
and wherein rotation of said rotor relative to said stator assembly causes said rotor teeth to alternately align and misalign with said stator teeth so that an alternating magnetic flux passing around said bobbin member induces a corresponding alternating voltage in said conductor windings.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel bearing speed sensor includes an annular rotor mounted to a vehicle axle spindle, having a plurality of teeth extending radially outwardly, which is received within a stationary stator assembly. The stator assembly includes an annular stator having a corresponding plurality of teeth extending from one end and positioned proximate to the rotor teeth. A bobbin member is slidably received within the stator just above the radially aligned rotor and stator teeth and is restricted from movement toward the teeth. A flexible magnetic strip is magnetically adhered to the inner surface of the stator adjacent the bobbin member, wherein the magnetic strip restricts movement of the bobbin member axially away from the radially aligned teeth. A variable reluctance magnetic flux path is established simultaneously between all of the rotor and stator teeth as the spindle rotates, thereby inducing a corresponding variable voltage in the bobbin windings.
39 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A wheel bearing speed sensor comprising:
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a vehicle axle spindle rotatable about an axis on a plurality of bearings within a wheel bearing housing; all annular rotor mounted to said spindle for rotation therewith, one end of said rotor defining a plurality of teeth; and a stator assembly fixed to said wheel bearing housing, said stator assembly including; an annular stator having a plurality of teeth extending from one end thereof and an opposite end; an annular bobbin member having a plurality of conductor windings around the periphery thereof, said bobbin member being slidably received within said stator between said stator teeth and said opposite end, said bobbin member having means cooperative with said stator to restrict axial movement of said bobbin member toward said stator teeth; and a magnet received radially within said stator between said bobbin member and said opposite end, said magnet defining a magnetic pole along an outer surface thereof magnetically secured to an inner periphery of said stator adjacent said bobbin member to thereby restrict axial movement of said bobbin member toward said opposite end of said stator, said magnet defining an opposite pole along an inner surface thereof opposite said outer magnet surface; wherein said rotor is axially received within said stator assembly such that said rotor teeth extend radially toward said stator teeth, and an opposite end of said rotor is positioned adjacent said inner magnet surface; and wherein rotation of said rotor relative to said stator assembly causes said rotor teeth to alternately align and misalign with said stator teeth so that an alternating magnetic flux passing around said bobbin member induces a corresponding alternating voltage in said conductor windings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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15. A wheel bearing speed sensor comprising:
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a bearing assembly including a vehicle axle spindle rotatable about an axis on a plurality of bearings within a wheel bearing housing; an annular rotor mounted to said spindle for rotation therewith, one end of said rotor defining a plurality of teeth; and a stator assembly fixed to said wheel bearing housing, said stator assembly including; an annular stator having an inner circumference, a plurality of teeth extending from one end thereof and an opposite end; an annular bobbin member having a plurality of conductor windings around the periphery thereof, said bobbin member being slidably received within said inner circumference of said stator between said stator teeth and said opposite end; and a flexible magnetic strip received within said stator between said bobbin member and said opposite end, said magnetic strip defining a magnetic pole along a first face, said first face being magnetically secured to a substantially equal portion of said inner circumference of said stator adjacent said bobbin member, said magnet having a second face opposite said first face defining an opposite magnetic pole, said magnetic strip being positioned remote from said bearing assembly to thereby minimize magnetic flux loss thereto; wherein said rotor is axially received within said stator assembly such that said rotor teeth extend radially toward said stator teeth, and an opposite end of said rotor is positioned adjacent said second face of said magnetic strip; and wherein rotation of said rotor relative to said stator assembly causes said rotor teeth to alternately align and misalign with said stator teeth so that an alternating magnetic flux passing around said bobbin member induces a corresponding alternating voltage in said conductor windings. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30)
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31. A wheel bearing speed sensor comprising:
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a bearing assembly including; a stationary hub having an inner surface defining an outer bearing race; a vehicle axle spindle having an axis of rotation and an outer surface defining an inner bearing race located radially within said outer bearing race; and a plurality of rolling bearing members disposed between said inner race and said outer race for permitting relative rotation between said races; an annular rotor mounted to said spindle at one end of said inner race for rotation therewith, said rotor having an outer surface defining a plurality of teeth around the periphery thereof at one end of said rotor; and a stator assembly fixed to said outer bearing race, said stator assembly including; an annular stator having an inner circumference, a plurality of teeth extending from one end thereof and an opposite end; an annular bobbin member having a plurality of conductor windings around the periphery thereof, said bobbin member being slidably received within said stator between said teeth and said opposite end, said bobbin member having means cooperative with said stator to restrict axial movement of said bobbin member toward said stator teeth; and a flexible magnetic strip received within said stator between said bobbin member and said opposite end, said magnetic strip defining a magnetic pole along a first face, said first face being magnetically secured to a substantial portion of said inner circumference of said stator adjacent said bobbin member to thereby restrict axial movement of said bobbin member toward said opposite end of said stator, said magnet having a second face opposite said first face defining an opposite magnetic pole, said magnetic strip being positioned remote from said bearing assembly to thereby minimize magnetic flux loss thereto; wherein said rotor is axially received within said stator assembly such that said rotor teeth extend radially toward said stator teeth, and an opposite end of said rotor is positioned adjacent said second face of said magnetic strip; and wherein rotation of said rotor relative to said stator assembly causes said rotor teeth to alternately align and misalign with said stator teeth so that an alternating magnetic flux passing around said bobbin member induces a corresponding alternating voltage in said conductor windings. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification