Magnetic sensor for an automated guided vehicle system
First Claim
1. A magnetic field sensor assembly for sensing a magnetic field created by a magnet, the sensor assembly including;
- at least one sensor having a sensor element; and
a magnetisable member located adjacent the sensor element and between the sensor element and the magnet when the sensor is in use, and wherein, in use, the member becomes magnetised by the magnetic field produced by the magnet to create a secondary magnetic field which is detected by the sensor element to thereby boost or increase the localised magnetic flux density produced by the magnet.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic field sensor for an automated guided vehicle is disclosed which includes a magnetisable rod (62) located in proximity to sensor element (60) so that the rod (62) becomes magnetised to create a secondary magnetic field which is detected by the sensor element (60) to thereby increase the localised magnetic flux density produced by a magnet located in the roadway. The sensor also includes a power switching circuit (90, 93) which selectively powers on and off the sensor element (60) to perform a power reset to the sensor element (60) to eliminate hysteresis within the element (60). The sensor (60) is preferably included in an array which comprises a central section having sensor element (60) spaced by a first distance and side section on each side section on each side of the central section in which the sensor elements (60) are spaced apart by a second distance larger than the first distance.
27 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A magnetic field sensor assembly for sensing a magnetic field created by a magnet, the sensor assembly including;
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at least one sensor having a sensor element; and
a magnetisable member located adjacent the sensor element and between the sensor element and the magnet when the sensor is in use, and wherein, in use, the member becomes magnetised by the magnetic field produced by the magnet to create a secondary magnetic field which is detected by the sensor element to thereby boost or increase the localised magnetic flux density produced by the magnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An automated guided vehicle system, including;
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at least one automated guided vehicle, the automated guided vehicle having a sensor assembly having at least one sensor, the sensor including a plurality of sensor elements each sensor element having a magnetisable member located adjacent the sensor element;
a plurality of magnets arranged along a roadway which is to be traversed by the vehicle for guiding movement of the vehicle along the roadway;
each sensor element having the magnetisable member located adjacent the sensor element so as to be between the sensor element and the magnets when the vehicle passes over the magnets; and
wherein when the vehicle passes over the magnets the member becomes magnetised by the magnetic field produced by the magnets to create a secondary magnetic field which is detected by the sensor element to thereby boost or increase the localised magnetic flux density produced by the magnets. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A magnetic field sensor assembly sensing a magnetic field created by a magnet for the sensor assembly including;
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at least one sensor element for detecting the magnetic field produced by the magnet; and
power switching means for selectively switching the sensor elements between a power on level and a power off level. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An automated guided vehicle system, including;
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at least one vehicle including a magnetic field sensor assembly having at least one sensor element;
a plurality of magnets located along a roadway for guiding movement of the vehicle relative to the magnets; and
switching means for periodically switching power on and off to the at least one sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A sensor assembly for detecting a magnetic field produced by a magnet, including;
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at least one sensor element having first and second power pins and an output pin;
a sensor power supply for supplying power to the first pin of the at least one sensor element, the second pin of the at least one sensor element being coupleable to a reference potential so that power is supplied to the at least on sensor element for powering the at least one sensor element;
switching means for selectively powering on or off the at least one sensor element; and
a switching control means for providing a pulsed power signal to the switching means to cause the switching means to intermittently switch power on and off to the at least one sensor element to perform a power reset to the at least one sensor element to eliminate hysteresis within the at least one sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An automated vehicle guidance system for automatically guiding a vehicle relative to a plurality of magnets, said system including;
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at least one vehicle including at least one magnetic field sensor assembly;
a plurality of magnets arranged along a roadway which the vehicle is to traverse;
the sensor assembly having;
at least one sensor element having first and second power pins and an output pin;
a sensor power supply for supplying power to the first pin of the at least one sensor element, the second pin of the at least one sensor element being coupleable to a reference potential so that power is supplied to the at least on sensor element for powering the at least one sensor element;
switching means for selectively powering on and off the at least one sensor element; and
a switching control means for providing a pulsed power signal to the switching means to cause the switching means to intermittently switch power on and off to the at least one sensor element to perform a power reset to the at least one sensor element to eliminate hysteresis within the at least one sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A magnetic field sensor assembly for detecting a, magnetic field created by a magnet, the sensor assembly including;
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at least one central sensor array, the central sensor array having a plurality of sensors spaced apart by a predetermined first distance; and
a first side sensor array and a second side sensor array arranged on each side of the central sensor array so as to sandwich the central sensor array therebetween, the first and second side sensor arrays each having a plurality of sensors spaced apart by a second predetermined distance which is greater than the first predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An automated guided vehicle system, including;
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at least one vehicle including a sensor assembly;
a plurality of magnets located along a roadway for detection by the sensor to enable the vehicle to be automatically guided relative to the magnets; and
wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least one central sensor array, the central sensor array having a plurality of sensor elements spaced apart by a predetermined first distance, and a first side sensor array and a second side sensor array arranged on each side of the central sensor array so as to sandwich the central sensor array therebetween, the first and second side sensor arrays each having a plurality of sensors spaced apart by a second predetermined distance which is greater than the first predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification