Position sensing transducer
First Claim
1. A transducer for an inductive position sensor comprising:
- a first coil comprising a plurality of loop portions arranged sequentially along a measurement path over a measurement range and arranged so that adjacent loop portions have opposite winding directions;
a second coil arranged along the measurement path; and
a target that is arranged to magnetically couple with said first and second coils so that signals are generated that depend on the relative position of the target and the first and second coils;
wherein the target extends along the measurement path and has an axis that is inclined at an angle to the measurement path so that substantially all of the target overlaps with loops of the first coil and so that when a first end of the target is adjacent a first loop of the first coil, a second end of the target is adjacent a second loop of the first coil that has an opposite winding direction to that of the first loop;
wherein the second coil is arranged relative to the target such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the first end of the target is in a same one direction across the measurement range and such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the second end of the target is in an opposite direction across the measurement range.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A number of position sensors inductively sense a target'"'"'s position relative to a number of sensor coils. The target is magnetically coupled with first and second coils so that signals are generated that depend on the relative position of the target and the first and second coils. Substantially all of the target overlaps with loops of the first coil and so that when a first end of the target is adjacent a first loop of the first coil, a second end of the target is adjacent a second loop of the first coil that has an opposite winding direction to that of the first loop. The second coil is arranged relative to the target such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the first end of the target is opposite to the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the second end of the target.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A transducer for an inductive position sensor comprising:
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a first coil comprising a plurality of loop portions arranged sequentially along a measurement path over a measurement range and arranged so that adjacent loop portions have opposite winding directions; a second coil arranged along the measurement path; and a target that is arranged to magnetically couple with said first and second coils so that signals are generated that depend on the relative position of the target and the first and second coils; wherein the target extends along the measurement path and has an axis that is inclined at an angle to the measurement path so that substantially all of the target overlaps with loops of the first coil and so that when a first end of the target is adjacent a first loop of the first coil, a second end of the target is adjacent a second loop of the first coil that has an opposite winding direction to that of the first loop; wherein the second coil is arranged relative to the target such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the first end of the target is in a same one direction across the measurement range and such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the second end of the target is in an opposite direction across the measurement range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An inductive position sensor comprising:
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a first coil comprising a plurality of loop portions arranged sequentially along a measurement path and arranged over a measurement range so that adjacent loop portions have opposite winding directions; a second coil arranged along the measurement path; a target that is arranged to magnetically couple with said first and second coils so that signals are generated that depend on the relative position of the target and the first and second coils; wherein the target extends along the measurement path and has an axis that is inclined at an angle to the measurement path so that substantially all of the target overlaps with loops of the first coil and so that when a first end of the target is adjacent a first loop of the first coil, a second end of the target is adjacent a second loop of the first coil that has an opposite winding direction to that of the first loop; wherein the second coil is arranged relative to the target such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the first end of the target is in a same one direction across the measurement range and such that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the second end of the target is in an opposite direction across the measurement range; excitation circuitry that energizes one of the first and second coils; and processing circuitry that processes signals generated in the other one of the first and second coils to determine the relative position of the target and the first and second coils.
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18. An inductive position sensing method comprising:
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arranging a first coil comprising a plurality of loop portions sequentially along a measurement path over a measurement range and so that adjacent loop portions have opposite winding directions; arranging a second coil along the measurement path; and providing a target that magnetically couples with said first and second coils; arranging the target so that the target extends along the measurement path and so that an axis of the target is inclined at an angle to the measurement path so that substantially all of the target overlaps with loops of the first coil and so that when a first end of the target is adjacent a first loop of the first coil, a second end of the target is adjacent a second loop of the first coil that has an opposite winding direction to that of the first loop; arranging the second coil relative to the target so that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the first end of the target is in a same one direction across the measurement range and so that the magnetic coupling between the second coil and the second end of the target is in an opposite direction across the measurement range; energizing one of the first and second coils; and processing signals that are generated in the other one of the first and second coils, to determine the relative position of the target and the first and second coils.
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Specification