Multi-turn sensor
First Claim
1. A multi-turn angular position sensor comprising:
- a main gear configured to couple to and rotate, in response to rotation of a rotation member, over a main gear rotation range;
a first sensor gear engaged with the main gear and configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear in response to rotation of the main gear;
a second sensor gear engaged with the main gear and configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear and less angular, rotation than the first sensor gear in response to rotation of the main gear;
a first angular position sensor configured and disposed to sense rotation of the first sensor gear and to generate a first output signal indicative of rotation of the first sensor gear;
a second angular position sensor configured and disposed to sense rotation of the second sensor gear and to generate a second output signal indicative of rotation of the second sensor gear;
wherein the main gear and the first and second sensor gears are configured such that a difference in a number of 360 degree revolutions experienced by the first sensor gear and the second sensor gear will be one 360 degree revolution or less in response to the main gear rotating through an expected full main gear rotation range greater than 360 degrees; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the first and second angular position sensors and configured to;
receive the first and second output signals,determine a difference between rotation of the first sensor gear and rotation of the second sensor gear based on the first and second outputs,determine an overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear from an initial angular position of the first or second sensor gear based on the difference and a present angular position of the first or second sensor gear, respectively, anddetermine an angular position of the main gear based on the overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are provided for measuring angles of rotation of a rotatable body, and, in particular, for measuring angles of rotation of a rotating member that can rotate greater than 360 degrees. One example of these techniques is multi-turn angular position sensor that includes a main gear configured to couple to and rotate, in response to rotation of a rotation member, over a main gear rotation range, a first sensor gear engaged with the main gear and configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear in response to rotation of the main gear, and a second sensor gear engaged with the main gear and configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear and less angular rotation than the first sensor gear in response to rotation of the main gear.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A multi-turn angular position sensor comprising:
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a main gear configured to couple to and rotate, in response to rotation of a rotation member, over a main gear rotation range; a first sensor gear engaged with the main gear and configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear in response to rotation of the main gear; a second sensor gear engaged with the main gear and configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear and less angular, rotation than the first sensor gear in response to rotation of the main gear; a first angular position sensor configured and disposed to sense rotation of the first sensor gear and to generate a first output signal indicative of rotation of the first sensor gear; a second angular position sensor configured and disposed to sense rotation of the second sensor gear and to generate a second output signal indicative of rotation of the second sensor gear; wherein the main gear and the first and second sensor gears are configured such that a difference in a number of 360 degree revolutions experienced by the first sensor gear and the second sensor gear will be one 360 degree revolution or less in response to the main gear rotating through an expected full main gear rotation range greater than 360 degrees; and a processor communicatively coupled to the first and second angular position sensors and configured to; receive the first and second output signals, determine a difference between rotation of the first sensor gear and rotation of the second sensor gear based on the first and second outputs, determine an overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear from an initial angular position of the first or second sensor gear based on the difference and a present angular position of the first or second sensor gear, respectively, and determine an angular position of the main gear based on the overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of determining an angular position of an object, the method comprising:
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receiving a first output from a first angular position sensor, the first output being indicative of rotation of a first sensor gear engaged with a main gear, the main gear being configured to couple to and rotate, in response to rotation of a rotation member, over a main gear rotation range, the first sensor gear being configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear in response to rotation of the main gear; receiving a second output from a second angular position sensor, the second output being indicative of rotation of a second sensor gear engaged with the main gear, the second sensor gear being configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear and less angular rotation than the first sensor gear in response to rotation of the main gear; determining a difference between rotation of the first sensor gear and rotation of the second sensor gear based on the first and second outputs; determining an overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear from an initial angular position of the first or second sensor gear based on the difference and a present angular position of the first or second sensor gear, respectively; and determining an angular position of the main gear based on the overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear, wherein the main gear and the first and second sensor gears are configured such that a difference in a number of 360 degree revolutions experienced by the first sensor gear and the second sensor gear will be one 360 degree revolution or less in response to the main gear rotating through an expected full main gear rotation range greater than 360 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A multi-turn angular position sensor comprising:
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first sensor means for sensing a rotation of a first sensor gear engaged with a main gear and for outputting a first output indicative of the rotation of the first sensor gear, the main gear being configured to couple to and rotate, in response to rotation of a rotation member, over a main gear rotation range, the first sensor gear being configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear in response to rotation of the main gear; second sensor means for sensing a rotation of a second sensor gear engaged with the main gear and for outputting a second output indicative of the rotation of the second sensor gear, the second sensor gear being configured to experience more angular rotation than the main gear and less angular rotation than the first sensor gear in response to rotation of the main gear; and processor means for; receiving the first output, receiving the second output, determining a difference between rotation of the first sensor gear and rotation of the second sensor gear based on the first and second outputs, determining an overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear from an initial angular position of the first or second sensor gear based on the difference and a present angular position of the first or second sensor gear, respectively, and determining an angular position of the main gear based on the overall angular rotation of the first or second sensor gear; wherein the main gear and the first and second sensor gears are configured such that a difference in a number of 360 degree revolutions experienced by the first sensor gear and the second sensor gear will be one 360 degree revolution or less in response to the main gear rotating through an expected full main gear rotation range greater than 360 degrees.
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Specification