Inductive position sensor
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a part position of a movable part, comprising:
- a transmitter coil, the transmitter coil generating electromagnetic radiation when the transmitter coil is excited by a source of electrical energy;
a receiver coil disposed in proximity to the transmitter coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the transmitter coil; and
a coupler element overlying at least a portion of said transmitter coil and at least a portion of said receiver coil, the coupler element being moveable and having a coupler element position correlated with the part position,the coupler element modifying the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is correlated with the part position, wherein the receiver coil includes a first loop configuration and a second loop configuration, the first loop configuration and second loop configuration having opposite winding directions, and wherein the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the first loop configuration generates a first signal, the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the second loop configuration generates a second signal, the receiver signal being a combination of the first signal and the second signal.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inductive position sensor for position sensing includes a transmitter coil and a receiver coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited by an alternating current source. A moveable coupler element modifies the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is sensitive to the coupler element position. For example, the coupler element may rotate about a common central axis of the transmitter coil and receiving coil. In further examples, a reference coil is configured so that a provided reference signal is substantially insensitive to variations in the angular position of the coupler element. A ratio between the receiver signal and the reference signal is sensitive to the coupler element position, but substantially insensitive to common mode factors that influence the reference signal and receiver signal to a substantially equal degree.
70 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for determining a part position of a movable part, comprising:
-
a transmitter coil, the transmitter coil generating electromagnetic radiation when the transmitter coil is excited by a source of electrical energy; a receiver coil disposed in proximity to the transmitter coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the transmitter coil; and a coupler element overlying at least a portion of said transmitter coil and at least a portion of said receiver coil, the coupler element being moveable and having a coupler element position correlated with the part position, the coupler element modifying the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is correlated with the part position, wherein the receiver coil includes a first loop configuration and a second loop configuration, the first loop configuration and second loop configuration having opposite winding directions, and wherein the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the first loop configuration generates a first signal, the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the second loop configuration generates a second signal, the receiver signal being a combination of the first signal and the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An apparatus for determining a part position of a movable part, comprising:
-
a transmitter coil, the transmitter coil generating electromagnetic radiation when the transmitter coil is excited by a source of electrical energy; a receiver coil disposed in proximity to the transmitter coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the transmitter coil; a coupler element overlying at least a portion of said transmitter coil and at least a portion of said receiver coil, the coupler element being moveable and having a coupler element position correlated with the part position, the coupler element modifying the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is correlated with the part position; a reference coil, the reference coil generating a reference signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to a second inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the reference coil, the second inductive coupling being substantially independent of the coupler element position. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. An apparatus for determining a part position of a movable part, comprising:
-
a transmitter coil, the transmitter coil generating electromagnetic radiation when the transmitter coil is excited by a source of electrical energy; a receiver coil disposed in proximity to the transmitter coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the transmitter coil; and a coupler element having two sides and overlying at least a portion of said transmitter coil and at least a portion of said receiver coil, said at least a portion of said transmitter coil and said at least a portion of said receiver coil being positioned on the same side of said coupler element, the coupler element being moveable and having a coupler element position correlated with the part position, the coupler element modifying the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so That the receiver signal is correlated with the part position; a reference coil, the reference coil generating a reference signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to a second inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the reference coil, the second inductive coupling being substantially independent of the coupler element position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification