Crankshaft position voltage developing apparatus having a voltage clamp
US5196793A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 24, 1991 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K5/08
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for developing a signal voltage that represents the angular position of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a variable reluctance sensor that has a pick-up coil. The sensor is associated with means driven by the crankshaft of the engine for causing an alternating voltage to be induced in the pick-up coil as the crankshaft rotates. The apparatus includes a negative voltage clamp which clamps the voltage of a junction of the clamp circuit to substantially ground potential during negative half-cycles of the alternating voltage induced in the pick-up coil. The clamp circuit is adapted to be connected to a control circuit that is an integrated circuit having a bulk substrate diode. The clamp circuit prevents forward biasing of the bulk substrate diode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.