Abstract: A set of magnets, e.g., electromagnets, are used to produce an in-plane magnetic field with respect to an article under test or manufacture. The set of electromagnets includes electromagnets that are positioned above and below the plane of symmetry respectively. The bottom electromagnets may be positioned below the surface of the chuck for example. The plane of the article and/or set of electromagnets are positioned so that the plane of symmetry approximately coincides with the article. The set of electromagnets may include individual electromagnets or C-core electromagnets, which may produce magnetic fields with complementary polarities near the field of symmetry both above and below the field of symmetry. Magnetic fields with the same polarity are positioned near each other on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry to produce the in-plane magnetic field. A second set of electromagnets may be used to provide field rotation if desired.

Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a guide device which guides an image-stabilizing optical element in a manner to allow the image-stabilizing optical element to move in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis, the guide device including at least one mechanical movement limit preventing movement of the image-stabilizing optical element in a guide direction; a driving device which moves the image-stabilizing optical element in the plane; and a drive controller which controls the driving device to move the image-stabilizing optical element within an image-stabilizing movement range so as not to reach the mechanical movement limit for correction of image shake during an image stabilizing operation, and which controls the driving device to move the image-stabilizing optical element to a standby position located outside of the image-stabilizing movement range in the guide direction, when the image stabilizer changes from an operating state to a non-operating state.

Abstract: A rotation angle detection apparatus includes a main rotatable body, a pair of sub rotatable bodies, and a control circuit. The sub rotatable bodies are rotated in a linked motion with the rotation of the main rotatable body and are overlapped with each other. The control circuit detects a rotation angle from a rotation of one of the sub rotatable bodies, and detects a rotation phase difference between the rotation of one sub rotatable body and the rotation of the other sub rotatable body of the pair of the sub rotatable bodies. From the two detected signals, the control circuit calculates a rotation angle of the main rotatable body.

Abstract: Damage and usage conditions in the vicinity of fasteners in joined structures are nondestructively evaluated using the fasteners themselves. Sensors or sensor conductors are embedded in the fasteners or integrated within the fastener construct, either in the clearance gap between the fastener and the structure material or as an insert inside the shaft or pin of the fastener. The response of the material to an interrogating magnetic or electric field is then measured with drive and sense electrodes both incorporated into the fastener or with either drive or sense electrodes external to the fastener on the material surface. In another configuration, an electric current is applied to one or more fasteners and the electric potential is measured at locations typically between the driven electrodes applying the current. The potential is measured circumferentially around the fastener at locations on the material surface or across pairs of fasteners throughout or along the joint.

Abstract: A coupled non-linear sensor system is provided for sensing a non-sinusoidal time-dependent target signal. The system comprises an odd number, other than one, of interconnected oscillatory sensors for sensing time-dependent changes in an external magnetic flux generated by the non-sinusoidal time-dependent target signal, the sensors coupled to each other by a coupling parameter characterized by a threshold value, so that each of the sensors oscillates in the presence of the non-sinusoidal time-dependent target signal as the coupling parameter exceeds the threshold value.

Abstract: An eddy current probe moves along a longitudinal axis and includes a support structure defining a surface, the surface including a set of panels. Conductor coils are distributed across said surface, each panel includes at least one coil section, each coil section lies transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor array includes a first three-dimensional magnetic sensor secured to a substrate in a central location of the substrate. A number of second three-dimensional magnetic sensors are secured to the substrate at a first distance from the first magnetic sensor. Additionally, a number of one-dimensional magnetic sensors are secured to the substrate at a second distance from the first magnetic sensor greater than the first distance. Additional magnetic sensors of any dimension may also be included. The magnetic field sensitivity of the first and second three-dimensional magnetic sensors may be less than the magnetic field sensitivity of the one-dimensional magnetic sensors. The sensing range of the first and second three-dimensional magnetic sensors may be greater than the sensing range of the one-dimensional magnetic sensors. The magnetic sensor array may also include a processing circuit coupled to the magnetic sensors.

Abstract: A magnetic induction switching circuit comprising a magnetic induction device for sensing a magnetic field and generating signals corresponding to the polarity of the field. A detection control unit detects the signals generated in response to a magnetic field and configures a programmable switching unit so that the first signal generated in response to a detected magnetic field having a first polarity is coupled through the switching unit and subsequent signals generated in response to detecting different polarity magnetic fields are not coupled through the switching unit.

Abstract: A transducer for measuring a displacement along an axis of movement of a first part relative to a second part, comprises a magnetic source for generating a magnetic field mounted to the first part, and a plurality of magnetic field sensing devices mounted to the second part to be movable relative to the magnetic field generated by the magnetic source. The sensing devices are spaced in the direction of the axis. A circuit arrangement is provided to which the sensing devices are connected to generate an output signal dependent on contributions from the sensing devices of the plurality. The magnetic source has North and South poles oriented in the direction of the axis. The sensing devices are each oriented to respond to an axially-directed component of magnetic field, and comprise at least two axially-spaced sensing devices whose contributions to the output signal are combined in a subtractive fashion.

Abstract: Combined wound and micro-fabricated winding constructs are described for the inspection of materials and the detection and characterization of hidden features or flaws. These constructs can be configured as sensors or sensor arrays that are surface mounted or scanned over conducting and/or magnetizable test materials. The well-defined geometry obtained micro-fabricated windings and from carefully wound coils with known winding positions permits the use of model based inversions of sensed responses into material properties. In a preferred embodiment, the primary winding is a wound coil and the sense elements are etched or printed. The drive or sense windings can also be mounted under fasteners to improve sensitivity to hidden flaws. Ferrites and other means may be used to guide the magnetic flux and enhance the magnetic field in the test material.

Abstract: A time-varying signal is applied to at least one coil in magnetic communication with at least a portion of a vehicle susceptible to deformation responsive to a crash. A sense resistor in series with the at least one coil provides for detecting a current therethrough responsive to a voltage thereacross. The current is responsive to a magnetic condition affecting the magnetic field generated by the at least one coil, responsive to the reluctance of a magnetic circuit with which the at least one coil is in magnetic communication, and responsive to associated eddy currents in proximal conductive elements, responsive to the magnetic field generated by the at least one coil.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing a parameter such as position, comprises: (i) an excitation winding for example coils (7, 9) in quadrature; (ii) a signal generator (41, 42, 43) operable to generate an excitation signals and arranged to apply the generated excitation signal to the excitation winding; (iii) a sense coil (11) that can be electromagnetically coupled to the excitation winding such that, in response to the excitation signal being applied to the excitation winding by the signal generator, a periodic electric signal is generated in the sense coil that is indicative of the value of the parameter to be measured by the sensor; and (iv) a signal processor (108) operable to process the periodic electric signal generated in the sensor winding to determine a value representative of the parameter being measured.

Abstract: The device for sensing a RF field comprises a flux-receiving loop (1) including a circumferential path having a defined path width (d), the flux-receiving loop (1) having a portion (10) that transforms the magnetic flux flowing through the flux receiving loop (1) into a high magnetic field. The portion (10) comprises a constriction of the flux-receiving loop (1) that concentrates the current lines in the circumferential path to define a current-field transformer. At least one very low noise magnetic field transducer (12) is located at a very close distance from the constriction.

Abstract: A device for administering a fluid product includes a measuring assembly for measuring a position between spaced apart elements of the apparatus that can be moved relative to each other. The measuring assembly includes at least one magneto-resistive sensor that is fixed to a first element, such as a casing, and is arranged opposite at least a second element, such as a sleeve, which can be moved relative to the first element. A magnetic device co-operates with the at least one sensor and is formed by a permanent magnet on the first element and a magnetized second element including a magnetic surface profile or including of a number of alternately arranged, different magnetic pole areas.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes: a substrate; a semiconductor region; a magnetic field detection portion; a pair of first electrodes; and two pairs of second electrodes. One pair of second electrodes includes first and second terminals, and the other pair includes third and fourth terminals. The first and third terminals are disposed on one side, and the second and fourth terminals are disposed on the other side. The first and fourth terminals are electrically coupled, and the second and third terminals are electrically coupled. The magnetic field detection portion and the first and second electrodes provide a vertical Hall element. One of the first and second electrodes supplies a driving current, and the other one detects the Hall voltage.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a displacement detector which can compensate a change in temperature coefficient of impedance of a coil to a displacement of a core. The detector comprises a constant-current supply unit for outputting a constant current including an alternating current, a coil portion, to which the constant current is supplied, a magnetic core supported to be movable relative to the coil portion in a movable range, and a signal processing circuit for determining a displacement of the core to the coil portion according to a change in output voltage of the coil portion under the supply of the constant current to the coil portion, characteristic-value extracting unit for extracting a characteristic value(V1) from the output voltage of the coil portion, and a level shift circuit for adding a level shift voltage (Vsh) to the characteristic value.

Abstract: To measure a magnetic field strength at each scan spacing s which is smaller than a loop size by scanning a magnetic field sensor (loop antenna) of the loop size. A magnetic field strength distribution is determined with spatial resolution of the spacing s along a scan direction, by performing arithmetic processing including addition and subtraction in relation to each of the measured magnetic field strength values. It is to be noted that the magnetic field sensor may be a magnetic field sensor array with plural magnetic field sensors placed at the spacing s.

Abstract: An inductive proximity switch with a housing formed of a nonmagnetic, high-grade steel, with a transmitting coil, two receiving coils which are connected in series in opposite directions and which are located symmetrically relative to the transmitting coil, and an evaluation circuit which is connected to the receiving coils. At a given size, the inductive proximity switch has a relatively large operating distance and the operating distance is largely stable, especially is largely independent of temperature, essentially in that, on the back of the receiving coils, opposite the influence side, there is a pre-damping element and the pre-damping properties of the pre-damping element at least approximately correspond to the pre-damping properties of the housing on the influence side.

Abstract: A variable reluctance type angle detector 1 with a rotor 5 and a stator 4. The rotor 5 is provided rotatably on the stator 4. The stator 4 has twelve teeth 2 disposed circumferentially. An excitation wire 7, a SIN output wire 8, and a COS output wire 9 are wound around the teeth 2.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes first through fourth GMR elements. The fixed layers of the first through fourth GMR elements have respective magnetization directions toward the X-axis positive, X-axis negative, Y-axis negative, and Y-axis positive directions. When a magnet is located at the initial position, the free layers of the first through fourth GMR elements have respective magnetization directions toward the Y-axis positive, Y-axis negative, X-axis negative, and X-axis positive directions. When the magnet is located at the initial position, the magnetization axis of the magnet passes through the centroid of the first through fourth GMR elements. The magnetic sensor detects, from the resistances of these GMR elements, changes in horizontal magnetic fields of the magnet which pass through the first through fourth GMR elements and which change in accordance with the moved position of the magnet, to thereby determine the position of the magnet.