Position sensor with improved magnetic circuit
US5757179A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 4, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 26, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 4, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02D11/106
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A rotary position sensor connected to the butterfly valve of an internal combustion engine, the sensor having a dual magnet structure interconnected by a pole piece having a generally C-shaped cross section forming a varying dimension air gap. The magnets, the pole piece and the air gap define a closed magnetic circuit. A Hall effect sensor is fixedly mounted in the air gap and is exposed to a well defined but varying magnetic field. Through the use of specific magnetic materials and sloping, curved surfaces, a precise yet tolerance friendly magnetic circuit is produced so that the sensor produces signals as a function of the angular positions of the magnets.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.