Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technology Operations LLC

China Automotive Systems, Inc.

Other

Hughes Aircraft Company

Delco Electronics Corporation

Santa Barbara Research Center

Saturn Corporation

Thaddeus Schroeder

Bruno P Lequesne

Robin Stevenson

Avoki M Omekanda

Thomas Arthur Perry

Joseph Pierre Heremans

John Robert Bradley

Rassem Ragheb Henry

Bruno P B Lequesne

Bruno Patrice Bernard Lequesne

Thomas W Nehl

Dale Lee Partin

Donald T Morelli

Bruno Lequesne

Raymond O Butler, Jr

Thomas Allen Baudendistel

Robert W Ward

Chi Hung Leung

Elias Taye

Bruno Patrice Bernard

Jose Alberto Guerra

Balarama Vempaty Murty

Haimian Cai

Kalyan P Gokhale

Shih-Chia Chang

Larry Max Oberdier

Lorenzo Guadalupe Rodriguez

Christopher Mark Thrush

Anthony L Marks

Laci J Jalics

Francis E Szczublewski

Changhe Huang

Carlton D Fuerst

Siqi Cheng

Norman L Traub

William P Ryan

Robert J Disser

Mohammad S Islam

Michel Farid Sultan

Louis Leonard Nagy

Su-Chee Simon Wang

Andrzej M Pawlak

Gerard Wladyslaw Malaczynski

Martin Stephen Meyer

Harry J Bauer

Andrzej Marian Pawlak

Shaotang Chen

Steven Douglas Thomson

Janet S Goings

Earl D Diem

Sam M Karadsheh

John W Hile

Robert E Eck

Nady Boules

Allen G Schroeder

Ronald T Golebiewski

George A Shinkle

Donald E Lake

Hiro Yamasaki

John G Neuman

Richard W Johnston

Jack H Beard

Tina M Dewar

Rodger B Evans

Cristi A Martabano

Robert A Dalley

Daniel I Feaster

John S Zgunda

Robert A Frosch

A differential angle sensor for measuring a differential angle between an input shaft and an output shaft includes a target assembly fixed to rotate with one of the shafts and a ring magnet with equidistantly spaced magnet segments fixed to rotate with the other one of the shafts. The target assembly includes four identical targets extending about the common axis parallel and axially spaced apart from one another, and each having a plurality of wedge-shaped teeth extending radially toward the ring magnet. A first magnetic field sensor is disposed between first and second targets for measuring a first magnetic field strength therebetween. A second magnetic field sensor is disposed between third and fourth targets for measuring a second magnetic field strength. The targets are all circumferentially offset relative to one another such that the magnetic field strengths each vary with the differential angle between the shafts and differently from one-another.

Differential angle sensor

A torque and angular sensor includes a differential angle sensor to precisely measure a differential angle between an input shaft and an output shaft and an angular position sensor to measure the angle of at least one of the shafts over a full angular range. The differential angle sensor measures an output rotation angle of an output target and an input rotation angle of an input target using changing voltages in taps on the input and output coils, which each carry an AC excitation current and which are each inductively coupled with teeth on targets fixed to rotate with one of the shafts. Input shaft rotation angle region is combined with the input angular position as a rotation angle composite. A raw torque angle is determined based on the difference between the input and output rotation angles. Rotational and Linear compensation provides a high-precision torque angle.

Torque and angular sensor

A system for measuring stress including a coilless sensor including at least one band of electrically conductive and magnetostrictive material, the band having a first end and a second end defining a gap therebetween, a measuring circuit electrically connected to the first and second ends of the coilless sensor, the measuring circuit being configured to pass a current through the coilless sensor and measure at least one of an inductance, a resistance and an impedance of the coilless sensor in response to the current, and a processor in electrical communication with the measuring circuit, the processor being configured to calculate an amount of stress being applied to the coilless sensor based upon the measured inductance, resistance and impedance.

Apparatus, system and method for measuring stress

A strain sensor includes a load carrying body configured to strain in response to a load applied along a load path. The sensor further includes a magnetostrictive electrical conductor affixed to the body but out of the load path. Application of the load causes the body to strain, which in turn results in a proportional stress being imparted to the magnetostrictive conductor, altering its magnetic permeability. A circuit is electrically connected to the conductor to detect such changes in permeability, which are indicative of the applied load.

Versatile strain sensor employing magnetostrictive electrical conductors

An apparatus () is set forth for measuring a return signal of a magnetostrictive sensor () that detects a force, torque, or pressure. The return signal includes noise, a DC resistance (), an AC resistance and an inductance and the inductance is shifted ninety degrees from the AC resistance. The apparatus () includes a sensor filter () to remove the noise from the return signal. A sensor filter () shifts the return signal and more specifically, the inductance by an additional angle and the sum of the additional angle and the ninety degrees phase shift is defined as the final detection angle. To detect the inductance at the final detection angle, a wave filter () and a reference filter () shifts a reference signal by the final detection angle to trigger a first demodulator () to detect the inductance at the final detection angle. The inductance detected by the first demodulator () varies due to temperature. To remove the temperature from the measured inductance, the apparatus includes a DC detection circuit () to detect the DC resistance which is proportional to the temperature across the sensor (). The DC resistance and the measure inductance are inserted into a correction equation to produce a corrected inductance which is independent of temperature. Instead of inductance, an AC resistance may be used in the equation.

Robust detection of strain with temperature correction

A sensor assembly for measuring force along an axis (F) comprises an inductance coil extending around the axis (F) for establishing a loop of magnetic flux looping axially through the coil and extending around the axis (F) to define a donut shaped ring of magnetic flux surrounding the axis (F). A core of magnetostrictive material provides a primary path for the magnetic flux in a first portion of the loop of magnetic flux and a magnetic carrier provides a return path for magnetic flux in a second portion of the loop of magnetic flux as the magnetic flux circles the coil through the core and the carrier. A first interface extends radially between the core and the carrier whereby the core and the carrier are urged together at the interface in response to a force applied parallel to the axis (F). Various embodiments or combinations of the core and carrier are illustrated in FIGS.

Magnetostrictive strain sensor (airgap control)

A process for forming magnetic target tracks for position and speed sensors. The tracks are formed from a paste comprising a magnetic powder material and a hardenable carrier. The tracks can be formed within trenches in a substrate or on the substrate surface.

Printed high strength permanent magnet targets for magnetic sensors

A sensor apparatus and method that can measure either a linear position or an angular position of a device. A linear array of galvanomagnetic sensing elements is fixedly mountable adjacent the device. A target is connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device and is shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes a peak and/or a valley. A first circuit excites each of the sensing elements, and a second circuit measures a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements. A maximum and/or a minimum of the flux density curve indicates the position of the device.

Magnetic array position sensor

An apparatus measures relative displacement between a first end and a second end of a shaft. The first and second ends being centered on a shaft axis. The apparatus includes first and second ferromagnetic plates. The first ferromagnetic plate has a first side and a second side and is connected to the first end. The first ferromagnetic plate is centered on the shaft axis and has a plurality of ferromagnetic teeth extending from the first side and in a first direction parallel to the shaft. The second ferromagnetic plate has a first side and a second side and is connected to the second end. The second ferromagnetic plate is centered on the shaft axis. The first and second ferromagnetic plates form a gap. The apparatus further includes a plurality of magnets having a magnetic field and a sensing device. The magnets are coupled to the first side of the second ferromagnetic plate. The sensing device is disposed within the gap for sensing a magnetic flux of the magnetic field.

Apparatus for sensing position and/or torque

A removable sensor assembly for non-intrusively sensing instantaneous speed of an engine comprising a crankshaft having a respective end equipped with an externally accessible bolt, the removable sensor assembly comprising: a housing comprising a recess configured to removably receive and engage a portion of the externally accessible bolt; and a force sensing device received in the housing, the force sensing device being configured to wirelessly provide information indicative of angular motion of the crankshaft, the force sensing device comprising: at least one coil; a power supply for providing an excitation to the coil, wherein the coil provides a first signal and a second signal each corresponding to the movement of the housing, the first signal corresponding to the resistance of the coil and the second signal corresponding to the inductance of the coil; and a signal transmitter coupled to the coil to receive and transmit the first signal and the second signal.

Apparatus and method for determining an engine speed

A simple and inexpensive hand-held drill bit guide that can be conveniently used with electrically powered hand-held drills to provide a precisely perpendicular orientation angle with respect to the surface of an article to be drilled, wherein the surface may be flat, cornered or otherwise generally non-planar, e.g. convex, concave, cylindrical, etc. The drill bit guide has first and second guidance members, wherein a guidance hole communicates therewith in perpendicular relation thereto for guiding a bit inserted thereinto with respect to a surface of an article interfaced with one of the first and second guidance members such that always the guidance hole will be oriented perpendicularly with respect to the surface.

Drill bit guide for a hand-held drill

Galvanomagnetic sensor array system and method for providing data interface to a basic sensor array are provided. The sensor system includes an array of galvanomagnetic elements, and a processor coupled to receive each output signal from the array of galvanomagnetic elements. The processor and array of galvanomagnetic elements are integrated in a single semiconductor die.

Integrated galvanomagnetic sensor array system

A movable target having individually identifiable magnetic irregularities and a stationary magnetosensitive array and circuit for sensing the magnetic irregularities to thereby provide position of the moveable target relative to a fixed initial location. A method to determine a present position of the target origin including the steps of: identifying a magnetic irregularity of the moveable target; determining a first distance, Y, equal to a distance of the identified magnetic irregularity to a target origin; determining a second distance, X, equal to a distance of the identified magnetic irregularity to the array origin; and determining a distance, L, of the target origin with respect to the fixed initial location, according to a relation: L=L+X&#x2212;Y.

Magnetic array position sensor and method

A process for forming magnetic targets for position and speed sensors, and magnetic targets formed according to the process. The targets are formed on a conductor-clad substrate by first applying a layer of photoresist material and then patterning and etching the photoresist to form trenches defining the shape and dimensions of the targets. Magnetic material is formed in the trenches and magnetized to form the targets.

Method for forming permanent magnet targets for position sensors

Reconfigurable sensor and method for selectively reconfiguring a sensor are provided. The reconfiguration of the sensor may be performed according to applicable requirements for sensing the position of an object. The method allows providing an array of sensing elements. The method further allows selecting at least one of the sensing elements of the array to supply a sensing element output signal. One or more operational parameters of the one sensing element may be adjusted to meet the applicable sensing requirements.

Method for selectively reconfiguring a sensor according to applicable sensing requirements and reconfigurable sensor

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Thaddeus Schroeder