Hella Kg Hueck and Co.

Norbert Kost

Henning Irle

Franz-Josef Schmidt

Dirk Hobein

A position sensor for motor vehicle is described that generates a varying pulse-width-modulated, position-dependent signal as a sensor signal, wherein an overall measuring range of the position sensor is divided into several similar,sequential measuring ranges. The position sensor according to the invention makes it possible to transfer sensor alignment to a receiver(s), so that alignment in or on the position sensor can be inexpensively replaced, without negatively influencing the resolution of the position sensor.

Position sensor for a motor vehicle

An inductive linear position sensor, particularly for use with motor vehicles has an oscillator circuit for creating a periodic alternating voltage signal, an exciting coil coupled to the oscillator circuit, a plurality of receiving coils with the exciting and receiving coils being structured as leads on a circuit board, evaluation circuitry for evaluating signals induced in the receiving coils and a movable inductive coupling element for influencing the strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and the receiving coils. The evaluation circuitry is arranged within the geometry of at least one of the sending (exciting) and receiving coils. Effective surface areas of the receiving coils are structured at beginning and end areas of the sensor such that, when there is no movable element present, a zero voltage results at the output taps of the receiving coils. The structure of the sensor compensates for offset voltages, which are created by asymmetrical positions of the receiving coils to the exciting coil as well as for components of the evaluation circuitry.

Inductive linear position sensor including exciting and receiving coils and a movable induction coupling element

A position sensor for a motor vehicle is described which, as its sensor signal, generates several pulse-width modulated signals that vary as a function of position. The position sensor transmits individual sensor signals in a defined sequence of consecutive individual pulses over the same output line to a receiver. The individual sensor signals are each encoded in the duty factor of a pulse. Therefore, the position sensor has a signal transmission system that is simple and inexpensive to implement. Particularly advantageous is the characteristic that it is possible to avoid an interconnection of the position sensor to a bus system.

Positioning sensor for a motor vehicle

A position sensor for a motor vehicle, which generates, as a sensor signal, a pulse-width modulated signal that varies as a function of position, has a total measuring range which is subdivided into multiple, similar, sequentially-adjacent, measuring sections. The position sensor of the invention provides error-free transition between the sequentially-adjacent measuring sections.

Disclosed are inductive linear and angle sensors for motor vehicles, which include an oscillator circuit for generating a periodic alternating-voltage signal; an exciting coil coupled to the oscillator circuit; several receiving coils; an evaluating circuit for evaluating signals induced in the receiving coils; and one movable inductive coupling element which influences a strength of inductive coupling between the excitation coil and the receiving coils. The one movable inductive coupling element of each sensor is varied in form to reduce residual error, which occurs during operation.

Inductive linear sensor

Described is an inductive position sensor, in particular for a motor vehicle, which has an oscillator circuit that generates a periodic alternating voltage signal and couples into an exciting coil, several receiving coils each of which forms a periodically repeating lap winding structure and whose overall arrangement forms a receiving geometry, an evaluation circuit for evaluating the signals induced in the receiving coils, and a movable inductive coupling element which influences the strength of the inductive coupling between the excitation coil and the receiving coils. The position sensor exhibits two receiving geometries and two coupling elements, the periodicity of the loop structures of the receiving coils is different in the two receiving coils, and over the total measuring range of the position sensor the numbers of periodic repetitions in the lap winding structures of the receiving coils of the two receiving geometries exhibit a non-integer ratio in relation to one another.

Inductive position sensor having multiple receiving geometries

An inductive angle sensor with an exciting coil and several receiving coils displaced with respect to each other by a predetermined angle. A rotor element, a position of which is to be determined by the angle sensor, has an inductive coupling element that couples signals into the receiving coils which are essentially sinusoidally affected by the position of the rotor element. Output signals of various receiving coils are phase-shifted with respect to each other. In order to establish a linear interrelationship between the position of the rotor element and the sensor output signals, on the one hand, and to achieve a greatest possible measurement accuracy, on the other hand, the angle sensor has a selection device that selects to evaluate a respective output signal whose nearly linear part of its sine function is in a vicinity of its zero crossing.

Inductive angle sensor with a plurality of receiving coils and an evaluation circuit

A redundant inductive angle sensor has two LC oscillators of at least approximately identical design. By inductively coupling the oscillators, the oscillators synchronize themselves with respect to frequency and phase relationship so that undesirable mutual interference is prevented. This provides an inductive angle sensor, which is able to function even if one of the LC oscillators becomes inoperative.

Inductive angle sensor having coupled oscillators with similar inductive response

An inductive angle sensor includes: a stator element having an exciting coil with a periodic AC voltage applied thereto and several receiving coils; a rotor element that affects a strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and receiving coils as a function of its angular position relative to the stator element; and an evaluation circuit for determining an angular position of the rotor element relative to the stator element from voltage signals induced in the receiving coils. The rotor element forms at least one closed-loop lead that, at least over a partial area, forms a periodic repeating bend structure in a direction of a circumference of the rotor element. The inductive angle sensor provides a compact structure, a high resolution, and a particularly high degree of insensitivity to production and installation tolerances.

Inductive angle sensor

An inductive angle sensor for a motor vehicle has an oscillator circuit that generates a periodic AC oscillator-frequency signal in an exciting coil, at least one receiving coil, an evaluation circuit for detecting the signal induced in the at least one receiving coil, and a movable inductive coupling element that influences a strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and the at least one receiving coil. The oscillator circuit is a 'soft' or 'flexible' oscillator circuit such that when an interference frequency close to the oscillator frequency is coupled into the coil system, the oscillator circuit adapts the oscillator frequency and phase relationship to that of the interference frequency. Undesired overlapping effects are thus efficaciously prevented.

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Geseke, Germany

Norbert Kost