Displacement sensor for a rod

• US 8,237,430 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Norgren GmbH (IMI PLC)
• Original Assignee: Norgren GmbH (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: Thode, Oliver, Siebert, Jorg, Rust, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Whittington, Kenneth J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Son
• Application Number:
  US12/293,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,324 Days
• Field of Search: 324/202, 324/207.21, 324/207.2, 324/207.22, 324/207.24
• US Class Current: 324/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/2861 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/147 influenced by the movement of a third element, the position of Hall device and the source of magnetic field being fixed in respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8225 Position or extent of motion indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical

Abstract

The displacement sensor (100) includes a rod (103) including a conical convex graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) and a magnetic sensor (110) located in close proximity to the concical convex graduated magnetically anomalous region (105). The magnetic sensor (110) generates a positional signal that is related to the position of the concical convex graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) in relation to the magnetic sensor (110).

Claims

1. A displacement sensor (100), comprising:

a rod (103) including a convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105), with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) including a minimum cross-sectional size at a first end and continuously varying to a maximum cross-sectional size at a second end; and

a magnetic sensor (110) located in close proximity to the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105), with the magnetic sensor (110) comprising;

a coupling member (111) comprising two legs (112) and a top end (120);

two magnets (114) affixed to bottom leg ends of the two legs (112) of the coupling member (111); and

a Hall Effect sensor (116) affixed to the top end (120) of the coupling member (111), wherein the Hall Effect sensor (116) is in magnetic communication with the two magnets (114);

wherein the magnetic sensor (110) generates an absolute positional signal that is related to the position of the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) in relation to the magnetic sensor (110).

2. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) being at least partially within the rod (103).

3. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) being substantially fully within the rod (103).

4. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) being substantially axially centered in the rod (103).

5. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) comprising a convex conical graduated magnetically responsive insert (105).

6. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the rod (103) including a hollow portion (102) and with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) comprising a convex conical graduated magnetically responsive insert (105) residing in the hollow portion (102).

7. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the rod (103) being magnetic and with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) comprising a graduated bore portion (105).

8. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the rod (103) being magnetic and with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) being formed from the rod (103).

9. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, wherein the two magnets (114) are substantially arranged along an arc corresponding to a rod surface.

10. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 1, with the two magnets (114) comprising two substantially opposite magnets.

11. A displacement sensor (100), comprising:

a rod (103) including a convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105), with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105) including a minimum cross-sectional size at a first end and continuously varying to a maximum cross-sectional size at a second end; and

a magnetic sensor (110) located in close proximity to the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105), with the magnetic sensor (110) comprising;

a coupling member (111) comprising two legs (112) and a top end (120);

two magnets (114) affixed to bottom leg ends of the two legs (112) of the coupling member (111), with the two magnets (114) comprising two substantially opposite magnets and wherein the two magnets (114) are substantially arranged along an arc corresponding to a rod surface; and

a Hall Effect sensor (116) affixed to the top end (120) of the coupling member (111), wherein the Hall Effect sensor (116) is in magnetic communication with the two magnets (114);

wherein the magnetic sensor (110) generates an absolute positional signal that is related to the position of the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105) in relation to the magnetic sensor (110).

12. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 11, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105) being at least partially within the rod (103).

13. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 11, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105) being substantially fully within the rod (103).

14. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 11, with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous insert (105) being substantially axially centered in the rod (103).

15. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 11, with the rod (103) including a hollow portion (102) and with the convex conical graduated magnetically responsive insert (105) residing in the hollow portion (102).

16. A displacement sensor (100), comprising:

a magnetic rod (103) including a convex conical graduated bore portion (105), with the convex conical graduated bore portion (105) including a minimum cross-sectional size at a first end and continuously varying to a maximum cross-sectional size at a second end; and

a magnetic sensor (110) located in close proximity to the convex conical graduated bore portion (105), with the magnetic sensor (110) comprising;

a coupling member (111) comprising two legs (112) and a top end (120);

two magnets (114) affixed to bottom leg ends of the two legs (112) of the coupling member (111), with the two magnets (114) comprising two substantially opposite magnets and wherein the two magnets (114) are substantially arranged along an arc corresponding to a rod surface; and

a Hall Effect sensor (116) affixed to the top end (120) of the coupling member (111), wherein the Hall Effect sensor (116) is in magnetic communication with the two magnets (114);

wherein the magnetic sensor (110) generates an absolute positional signal that is related to the position of the convex conical graduated bore portion (105) in relation to the magnetic sensor (110).

17. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 16, wherein the two magnets (114) are substantially arranged along an arc corresponding to a rod surface.

18. The displacement sensor (100) of claim 16, with the two magnets (114) comprising two substantially opposite magnets.

19. A displacement sensor (100), comprising:

a magnetic rod (103) including a convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) formed from the rod (103), with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) including a minimum cross-sectional size at a first end and continuously varying to a maximum cross-sectional size at a second end; and

a magnetic sensor (110) located in close proximity to the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105), with the magnetic sensor (110) comprising;

a coupling member (111) comprising two legs (112) and a top end (120);

two magnets (114) affixed to bottom leg ends of the two legs (112) of the coupling member (111), with the two magnets (114) comprising two substantially opposite magnets and wherein two magnets (114) are substantially arranged along an arc corresponding to a rod surface; and

a Hall Effect sensor (116) affixed to the top end (120) of the coupling member (111), wherein the Hall Effect sensor (116) is in magnetic communication with the two magnets (114);

wherein the magnetic sensor (110) generates an absolute positional signal that is related to the position of the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region (105) in relation to the magnetic sensor (110).