U.S. Philips Corporation

Josef P Naus

Wiepke Folkerts

Martinus A Gijs

Jacques C Kools

A device for determining the orientation of a vehicle includes a magnetic field sensor (3) which is arranged in the vicinity of a ferromagnetic outer wall of the body of the vehicle and which is rigidly connected to the wall. External magnetic fields could unpredictably magnetize the wall portion (1) of the body, in the vicinity of which the magnetic field sensor (3) is provided, so that the measurements would become inaccurate. In order to achieve a substantial reduction of these adverse effects of external magnetic fields, the relevant wall portion is magnetically stabilized, preferably by including it in a magnetic circuit which also includes at least a magnet (11; 23, 27). The magnetic circuit preferably comprises also a yoke (23, 25) which has an approximately U-shaped cross-section and which is made of a soft magnetic material, the free ends of limbs (25) of the yoke facing the relevant wall portion (1) and the yoke being at least partly enclosed by an electric coil (27) in order to form an electromagnet.

Growing community of inventors

Eindhoven, Netherlands

Josef P Naus