Abstract: An azimuth meter using spin-valve giant magneto-resistive elements, which is simple in manufacturing process, can be made compact in size and contribute to power saving, is disclosed. The azimuth meter comprises a quadrilateral plane coil having two pairs of parallel opposed sides and four spin-valve giant magneto-resistive element pairs, each pair of the elements disposed on a plane parallel to the coil. The longitudinal directions of two elements of each pair orthogonally cross each other, and cross only a respective side or only the same side of a pair of the opposed sides of the plane coil at substantially 45 degrees. The pinned layer of one of the two elements is magnetized in its longitudinal direction, and that of the other element is magnetized in the same direction as the pinned layer of that one element. The paired elements are connected to each other at one end.

Abstract: Pressing means is provided to press a movable base to a surface of a reference base to make the movable base in contact with the surface of the reference base to thereby lock-down the movable base on the surface of the reference base. The movable base is moved while slightly floating with respect to the reference base. A movable floating mechanism is provided to float the movable base from the reference base against pressing force of the pressing means exerted on the movable base to thereby relieve the locking. A floating amount of the movable base from the reference base may be small enough to reduce or substantially remove sliding friction between the movable base and the reference base. For example, the floating amount may be as small as ten to several hundreds microns.

Abstract: A well (10) for producing water is characterized in that it includes a network of widely spaced electrodes (8) electrically coupled with measurement means (3) or with electric current generation means (1). By utilizing a measurement result, the progression of a salt water front heading for the well (10) may be detected.

Abstract: A safety switch with an electronic programmable system including a group of two single-contact relays connected in series, associated with a matching element, a proximity element associated with a support element, magnetic sensors to check the contact status of each of the two relays, two calculation units connected to an exit to the magnetic sensors through the relative control signal connectors and to one entry by a common connector and a magnet associated with the proximity element, with the checking of the status of the relays being managed by the calculation units and taking place by sending a fixed number of fixed-frequency pulse width modulation pulses to the magnetic sensors of each of the single-contact relays and through the connectors and checking the return of the same pulses through the common connector.

Abstract: Systems and processes for synchronous demodulation of signals in detection contexts in order to improve frequency, magnitude and/or phase response over pulsed signal methods. According to a preferred embodiment, a return signal is demodulated for the time corresponding to when its corresponding transmitting signal has been discontinued or has fallen below a certain level. Multiple transmission frequencies, transmitters, and or sensors, among other things, may be used.

Abstract: An inner diameter-side cylindrical member 37 of a supporting ring 36 is externally fitted on a shoulder 35 of an inner ring 3 constituting a hub. An encoder 29a is supported on the outer peripheral surface of an outer diameter-side cylindrical portion 38 constituting the supporting ring 36. Further, to a metal core 30a internally fitted to an outer ring 1 is supported and fixed a rotation-detecting sensor 21b, and also a proximal end portion of a seal member 44 is connected and fixed thereto. An edge of at least one of seal lips 45a, 45b, 45c of the seal member 44 is brought to be in sliding contact with the supporting ring 36 around the entire circumference. Since the rotation-detecting sensor 21b and the seal member 44 are supported by the core metal 30a, a rolling bearing unit can be downsized.

Abstract: A method for fabricating and testing an article having a thermal-spray coating thereon. The method includes providing a substrate article having a surface, thermally spraying a coating material onto the surface of the substrate article, wherein a surface of contact between the coating material and the substrate article is a bondline, and nondestructively testing the coated article. Nondestructively testing includes generating an eddy current in the coated article, measuring the eddy current in the coated article, and evaluating a near-bondline region of the coated article located adjacent to the bondline using the measured eddy current.

Abstract: Subterranean hydrocarbon reservoirs are analyzed by characterizing the relative presence and character of microfractures in rock samples from the reservoirs. Core samples are saturated with a suspension of magnetite particles of known concentration. The samples are then subjected to an applied magnetic field of known strength. The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, or AMS, of the samples is then observed, providing a measure of grain orientation in the samples. The characteristics of the microfractures in the samples are thus available to characterize the reservoirs, and in particular the contribution of the microfractures to the porosity and permeability of formations in the reservoirs.

Abstract: Magnetic field sensors, each generating an electrical output signal in proportion to the local magnetic field, are lithographically fabricated on a semiconductor substrate with a small spatial separation. The lateral dimension of the sensors and the separation length are the order of the minimum lithographic feature size. Comparing the electrical signals of the sensors results in a measurement of the local magnetic field gradient. Large field gradients, that vary on a small spatial scale, may be associated small magnetic structures such as microscopic magnetic particles. Detection of a field gradient can be used to infer the presence of a magnetic particle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for reliably transmitting the position of a control element to an electronic processing unit by way of electric signal lines, wherein the position signal is transmitted by way of several signal channels, and use thereof in a motor vehicle brake system. The present invention further describes a position transmitter for transmitting position signals with a magnetic encoder which is displaceable by a control element in relation to a magnetic transformer, wherein the magnetic transformer(s) along with an integrated electronic signal-conditioning circuit are arranged in an electronic sensor subassembly, as well as a receiving device for receiving a position signal comprising several processing channels for processing the position signals of the position transmitter.

Abstract: What is described is a configuration for determining the position of a body along a movement direction, wherein the body is in the form of a magnetized encoder with two magnetic tracks extending, on one surface of the body, along the movement direction, at least essentially in parallel with one another, wherein, at specified intervals along the movement direction, a first of the magnetic tracks exhibits magnetized sections in which the magnetic north poles are aligned so as to be at least largely coincident in a magnetization direction that is essentially at right-angles to the surface of the body, and wherein, at intervals specified to coincide with the above-mentioned intervals along the movement coordinate, the second of the magnetic tracks exhibits magnetized sections in which the magnetic south poles are aligned so as to be at least largely coincident in the said magnetization direction, and wherein, in each case, a magnetized section of one of the magnetic tracks is located at least largely centrally in

Abstract: A method for measuring a magnetic read width MRW of a magnetic read sensor directly from the derivative of a full track profile, with better accuracy and more advantages than the micro-track method was invented and also there is no need to use a separate wide write head. The magnetic write width MWW of the write head, without the influence of sensor side reading, can also be obtained by this method along with the MRW with no additional calculations.

Abstract: A limit and position sensing system includes a sensor assembly and an emitter. The sensor assembly includes first and second electrical conductors arranged in opposing parallel planes. The first electrical conductor is coiled outwardly from either end thereof in a clockwise fashion to form a first coil region and a second coil region. The second electrical conductor forms a single coil with portions of the single coil's rings lying between the first end and second end of the first electrical conductor being parallel to an axis of the first electrical conductor's plane. Ferromagnetic material is aligned with the first and second electrical conductors and spans beyond (a) the first and second ends of the first electrical conductor, and (b) the portions of the rings of the second electrical conductor's single coil that lie between the first end and second end of the first electrical conductor.

Abstract: Position sensing of movable elements including but not limited to machine components is disclosed. Motion of a movable element can produce motion of a magnetic field, which can be detected by magnetic sensors. The motion and/or variations of a magnetic field and/or a magnetic flux may be produced by any combination of a motion of the sensors, associated magnets, or associated magnetic material. Magnetic sensors may be capable of measuring either rotary, or linear motion, or both. Such sensors can provide indication of an incremental position change, an absolute position, or both. Absolute position and high-resolution position sensing may be produced for measurement of either linear and/or angular motion. Suitable magnetic sensors include, but are not limited to, Hall effect devices and/or magneto-resistive elements, and may include multi-element magnetic sensors. Suitable signal conditioning and/or control means such as control electronics can be used to receive output signals from the sensors.

Abstract: A motor-assisted turbocharger is composed of a turbine driven by energy of exhaust gas, a compressor rotated by the turbine and a rotary electric machine for assisting rotation of the compressor. The turbine, the compressor and the rotary electric machine are connected to each other by a common rotating shaft. A polygon nut having magnetic member facing fixed magnetic sensor is connected to an axial end of the rotating shaft. A magnetic field formed between the magnetic member and the magnetic sensor changes according to rotation of the rotating shaft. A rotational speed and a rotational position (or angle) of the compressor are detected based on the changes in the magnetic field. Operation of the turbocharger is electronically controlled based on the detected rotational speed and the rotational position.

Abstract: The comparator circuit includes an amplifier amplifying a voltage signal inputted from outside, a voltage dividing circuit dividing down a power supply voltage supplied from outside, thereby producing a reference voltage, a waveform dull circuit dulling the reference voltage, and a comparator comparing a voltage of the input voltage signal amplified by the amplifier with the reference voltage dulled by the waveform dull circuit.

Abstract: A proximity sensor that is capable of producing a relatively larger output signal than past proximity sensors, and in some cases, an output signal that is relatively independent of the speed at which a target passes the sensor. In one illustrative embodiment, the proximity sensor includes a first magnetoresistive resistor and a second magnetoresistive resistor connected in a bridge configuration. The first magnetoresistive resistor is spaced from the second magnetoresistive resistor along the path of a moving ferrous target. A bias magnet source is positioned behind the proximity sensor, and the ferrous target passes in front of the proximity sensor. The ferrous target alters the direction of the bias magnetic field in the vicinity of the first and second magnetoresistive resistors as the ferrous target passes by the proximity sensor. Flux concentrators are positioned proximate to each of the first and second magnetoresistive resistors.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing method and system include a die comprising a central location thereof. A group of magnetoresistive bridge circuits are located and configured upon the die. A magnetic biasing component is then utilized to bias the plurality of magnetoresistive bridge circuits with a magnetic field rotating about an axis of the central location of the die in order to generate a plurality of bridge output signals thereof. Finally, the plurality of bridge output signals are processed in order to determine position data thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to screen individuals specifically for paramagnetic or ferromagnetic objects they may be carrying or wearing, before they enter a security area. The device comprises either a screening portal or a compact, hand-held magnetic gradiometer and its electronics. The device places all of the sensor arrays in close proximity to all parts of a subject's body, for screening purposes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetoresistive sensing device, a system and a method for determining a density of magnetic particles in a fluid. The magnetoresistive sensing device has a substrate (1) with a layer structure (2) for supporting a fluid (3). The layer structure has a first surface area (4) in a first level and a second surface area (5) in another second level and a magnetoresistive element (6) for detecting the magnetic field of at least one magnetic particle (7) in the fluid, the magnetoresistive element being positioned near a transition (8) between the first and second surface area and facing at least one of the surface areas. A corresponding system and method is described as well.