Passive magnetic position sensor

US5798640A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• VDO Adolf Schindling AG · DE

Inventors

• Lothar Gier · Bad Nauheim, DE
• Bernd Osterle · Frankfurt, DE
• Rudolf Borchert · Bad Soden, DE
• Wolfgang Porth · Frankfurt am Main, DE
• Sabine Stark · Königstein, DE
• Werner Wallrafen · Schwalbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 14, 1996
• Grant date: Aug 25, 1998
• Expiry date: May 14, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01D5/165
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A passive magnetic position sensor is constructed of an electrically non-conductive, non-magnetic substrate on which a resistance layer and a soft-magnetic, electrically conductive bending-beam structure are arranged. The resistance layer and bending-beam structure are arranged at a constant distance apart partially overlapping each other. The distance apart is selected so that, under the action of a magnet device conducted along the overlapping region of the bending-beam structure and resistance layer, contact is produced between resistance layer and soft-magnetic bending-beam structure. In order to provide a position sensor which permits a precise tapping of voltage, the electrically conductively developed resistance layer has along its longitudinal direction a meander-like structure adjoined by taps which have contact surfaces on the regions opposite the soft-magnetic bending-beam structure.