Position sensing by measuring intensity of magnetic flux passing through an aperture in a movable element
First Claim
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1. A position sensor comprising:
- a housing defining an axis of motion;
a movable element of ferromagnetic material mounted in the housing for movement along the axis of motion and having an aperture extending through the movable element in a direction transverse to the axis of motion, the movable element further having a connection thereof adapted for receiving a positional input from a point of contact;
a sensing element fixedly attached to the housing adjacent one side of the movable element for sensing magnetic flux passing through the aperture; and
a magnet fixedly attached to the housing adjacent an opposite side of the movable element.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for sensing the position of a point of contact through use of a sensor having a movable element, disposed between a sensing element and a source of magnetic flux, and having an aperture therein for allowing a portion of the magnetic flux from the source of magnetic flux to pass through the aperture and impinge on the sensing element. The aperture may have various shapes to provide a desired linear or non-linear relationship between the position of the movable element and the intensity of the flux that passes through the aperture and impinges on the sensing element for a given position of the movable element.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A position sensor comprising:
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a housing defining an axis of motion;
a movable element of ferromagnetic material mounted in the housing for movement along the axis of motion and having an aperture extending through the movable element in a direction transverse to the axis of motion, the movable element further having a connection thereof adapted for receiving a positional input from a point of contact;
a sensing element fixedly attached to the housing adjacent one side of the movable element for sensing magnetic flux passing through the aperture; and
a magnet fixedly attached to the housing adjacent an opposite side of the movable element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A position sensor comprising:
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a housing, a sensing element attached to the housing for sensing an intensity of a magnetic flux impinging on the sensing element and generating an output signal indicative of the intensity of the magnetic flux impinging on the sensing element;
a source of magnetic flux attached to the housing for generating a magnetic flux impinging on the sensing element; and
a movable element of ferromagnetic material operatively attached to the housing for movement relative thereto and having a connection thereof adapted for receiving an input from a point of contact, the movable element disposed between the sensing element and the source of magnetic flux and having an aperture therein for allowing a portion of the magnetic flux from the source of magnetic flux to pass through the orifice and impinge on the sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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- 22. A method for sensing position of a point of contact, the method comprising directing magnetic flux from a source of magnetic flux through an aperture in a movable element of ferromagnetic material operatively attached to the point of contact for movement therewith and onto a sensing element for determining an intensity of a magnetic flux impinging on the sensing element.
Specification