The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 01, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1997
Hiroshi Kano, Kanagawa, JP;
Masaaki Kusumi, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Magnescale Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A position detecting apparatus can detect a position with high accuracy even when a relative angle between a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic detecting portion is fluctuated, when an angle of the magnetic recording medium is partly fluctuated or even when an ambient temperature and a temperature of the magnetic detecting portion are fluctuated. The position detecting apparatus includes a magnetic recording medium (1) in which magnetic information is recorded and a magnetic detecting portion (2) movable relative to the magnetic recording medium (1) and which detects the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic recording medium (1). The magnetic detecting portion (2) includes a plurality of, for example, m magnetoresistance effect elements (3) with an artificial grid film structure wherein conductive layers (3a) and magnetic layers (3b) are alternately laminated. The magnetoresistance effect elements (3.sub.1, 3.sub.2, . . . , 3.sub.m) are disposed at a predetermined pitch with respect to the relative moving direction of the magnetic recording medium. The magnetoresistance effect elements (3.sub.1, 3.sub.2, . . . , 3.sub.m) are connected in series so as to function as a single magnetic variable resistor (4). The direction of a current flowing in the magnetoresistance effect elements (3.sub.1, 3.sub.2, . . . , 3.sub.m) relative to the recording longitudinal direction of the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic recording medium (1) have angles other than a right angle.