Cts Corporation

Jeffrey L McCurley

James E White

Robert J Campbell

John Zdanys

Craig Allen Jarrard

Scott L Spence

Ronald C Nonnenmacher

Thomas R Olson

Robert R Rainey

William G Osmer

Bret W Shriver

Mike Guthrie

David Stewart

A rotary position sensor for sensing the position of an attached rotating object. The rotary position sensor uses a strain gage to detect the position of the object. The sensor includes a housing and a rotor located in the housing. The rotor is attachable to the object. A strain gage is positioned in the housing adjacent the rotor. The rotor rotates so as to contact the strain gage and apply a strain to the strain gage. The strain gage generates an electrical signal that is proportional to the position of the object.

Rotary position sensor using a strain gage

A dual-axes position sensor,having an outer housing,, an actuator,, a linear Hall effect sensor assembly,for detecting position changes along a first (y) axis, and a linear Hall effect sensor assembly,for detecting position changes along a second (x) axis is disclosed. The housing,is preferably made out of a non-magnetic material such as plastic. Actuator,is rod shaped and coupled to a movable device or shaft (not shown) that is to have its position sensed. The linear Hall effect sensor assembly,is unattachably positioned to set on lip,of the housing,, and includes a magnetically conducting pole piece,, a magnet assembly,comprising an upper magnet,and a lower magnet,that are separated by an air gap,. Magnet assembly,and pole piece,are positioned around a Hall sensor device support,in a&ldquo;U&rdquo; shaped configuration or form. Hall sensor device support,is fixedly attached to housing,via attachment area,. Linear Hall effect sensor assembly,also includes a positionally fixed Hall effect sensor element,attached to Hall sensor device support,on surface,. Linear Hall effect sensor assembly,is positioned approximately 90 degrees from and to linear Hall effect sensor assembly

Two axis position sensor using sloped magnets to generate a variable magnetic field and hall effect sensors to detect the variable magnetic field

A dual positional hall effect sensor 10 having an outer housing 12, an actuator 14, a linear movement sensor 20, and a rotational movement sensor device 22. The housing 12 includes a lower chamber 24 and an upper chamber 26, with a barrier wall 28 separating therebetween. The actuator 14 is made up of a coupling 32 for coupling to a movable device (not shown) that is to have its position sensed, a rod 34 that extends from the lower to the upper chamber, a collar 36 for retaining the actuator 14 within the lower chamber, and a key 38. The linear motion sensor 20 is unattachably positioned to set on collar 36, and includes a magnetically conducting pole piece 42 and a left and right magnets 44. The magnets 44 and pole piece 42 are positioned around the rod 34 in a 'U' shaped configuration. The lower chamber 24 also includes a positionally fixed hall effect sensor 46 and a spring 48 positioned between the barrier wall 28 and the collar 36. The rotational movement sensor 22, located in the upper chamber 26, includes a sensor housing structure 52 that has a groove or slide 54 for insertion and sliding of the key 38. The sensor 22 further includes a magnetically conducting pole piece 56 and a top and bottom magnet 58. A hall sensor 60 is positioned between the two parts of the magnet 58 and fixed in position relative to any rotational movement of the rotational sensor 22.

Dual rotational and linear position sensor

An extremely reliable and effective position sensor is provided at low cost for determining the relative position of a mechanical linkage with respect to a reference point. The position sensor includes a rotor or bracket which is mechanically coupled to the linkage and contains at least two magnets on opposite walls adjacent a channel opening. The opposing magnets are formed with first and second sloped or ramped sections which produce produce variable magnetic fields as determined by the geometric profile of the magnets. One or more detectors are positioned in the air gap between the opposing magnets. As the linkage is moved, the rotor or bracket moves with respect to the detector causing a change in the strength of the magnetic field detected by the detector whereby the detector determines the position of the movable linkage.

Linkage of position sensor

An angular sensor has a shaped dual magnet structure carried upon a pole piece having a generally 'c' shaped cross-section. The magnet and pole piece define a generally circular linear field which is concentric about the axis of rotation of the complete rotor. A Hall effect device is inserted into the open portion or gap between the two magnets and is exposed to a well defined field. Through the use of particular magnet materials and a magnet geometry extending from the axis of rotation to a point well beyond the Hall sensor, a precise and yet tolerant magnetic circuit is produced.

Rotary position sensor with improved bearing tolerance

An extremely reliable and effective position sensor is provided at low cost for determining the relative position of a mechanical linkage with respect to a reference point. The position sensor includes a rotor or bracket which is mechanically coupled to the linkage and contains at least two magnets on opposite walls adjacent a channel opening. The opposing magnets are formed with first and second sloped or ramped sections which produce produce variable magnetic fields as determined by the geometric profile of the magnets. One or more detectors are positioned in the air gap between the opposing magnets. As the linkage is moved, the rotor or bracket moves with respect to the detector causing a change in the strength of the magnetic field detected by the detector, whereby the detector determines the position of the movable linkage.

Linkage position sensor having a magnet with two ramped sections for

A rotary position sensor having a dual magnet structure interconnected by a pole piece forming a varying dimension air gap. The magnets, the pole piece and the air gap between the magnets define a closed magnetic circuit. A Hall effect sensor is fixedly mounted in the air gap and is exposed to a well defined but varying magnetic field coupled between the magnets. Through the use of specific magnetic materials and sloping, curved surfaces, a precise yet tolerance friendly magnetic circuit is produced so that the sensor produces signals as a function of the angular positions of the magnets.

A rotary position sensor connected to the butterfly valve of an internal combustion engine, the sensor having a dual magnet structure interconnected by a pole piece having a generally C-shaped cross section forming a varying dimension air gap. The magnets, the pole piece and the air gap define a closed magnetic circuit. A Hall effect sensor is fixedly mounted in the air gap and is exposed to a well defined but varying magnetic field. Through the use of specific magnetic materials and sloping, curved surfaces, a precise yet tolerance friendly magnetic circuit is produced so that the sensor produces signals as a function of the angular positions of the magnets.

Position sensor with improved magnetic circuit

A position sensor has a shaped dual magnet structure carried upon a pole piece having a generally 'c' shaped cross-section. The magnet and pole piece define a generally circular linear field which is concentric about the axis of rotation of the complete rotor. A Hall effect device is inserted into the open portion or gap between the two magnets and is exposed to a well defined field. Through the use of selected geometries and particular magnet materials, a precise, compact and yet tolerant magnetic circuit is produced.

Growing community of inventors

Elkhart, IN, United States of America

Jeffrey L McCurley