Donnelly Corporation

Wabash Technologies, Inc.

Stanley J Domanski

Gary W Johnson

A non-contacting magnetic position sensor that produces a magnetic field having improved linear characteristics over an extended sensing range. The magnetic position sensor includes a pair of magnets, a pair of pole pieces extending between the magnets and spaced apart to define an air gap, and a magnetic flux sensor operable to sense varying magnitudes of magnetic flux density along the length of the air gap. The pole piece segments form a stepped interface with each of the magnets and cooperate with the magnets to provide a magnetic field having a magnetic flux density that varies in a substantially linear manner along substantially the entire length of the air gap. The magnetic flux sensor is positioned within the magnetic field and is operable to sense a magnitude of the varying magnetic flux density along the air gap and to provide an output signal representative of a position of the magnetic flux sensor relative to the magnetic field.

Magnetic position sensor having a stepped magnet interface

An electronic compass includes at least two coil assemblies. Each coil assembly has a magnetic axis which is oriented at a known angle to that of the other coil. Each coil assembly has a pair of substantially identical coils having magnetic axes that are parallel in a reverse sense. The compass further includes an oscillator which oscillates at a frequency which is dependent upon the inductances of the coils. A current source causes current to flow in the coils and a switch alternately couples the current source to each of the coils of the coil assemblies. A processor analyzes the frequencies of oscillation of the oscillator when each of the coil assemblies is coupled to the current source in order to compute geographic orientation based upon the analysis.

Growing community of inventors

Huntington, IN, United States of America

Stanley J Domanski