Inductive Patents (Class 324/207.15)
  • Publication number: 20130127448
    Abstract: An array of induction coil sensors is used to monitor, from multiple locations, the strength of a magnetic field generated by a wire to be traced. The magnetic field strength data is used to determine the location and orientation of the wire. In one embodiment, the sensor array is incorporated into a test instrument. The screen of the test instrument provides a graphical user interface that shows the orientation of the wire and indicates the location of the wire relative to the instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: FLUKE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fluke Corporation
  • Patent number: 8446147
    Abstract: Provided is a position detecting device including a first magnetic-field generating unit including at least one magnetic-field generating coil and that generates a first magnetic field in a detection space where a detected object provided with a circuit including at least one built-in coil is disposed; a magnetic-field detecting unit having a plurality of detecting coils arrayed to detect an induced magnetic field generated from the built-in coil by the generated first magnetic field; and a second magnetic-field generating unit including at least one magnetic-field generating coil, that generates a second magnetic field, and including a magnetic-field component having a phase substantially opposite to the first magnetic field and entering the detecting coils, wherein the first magnetic-field generating unit and the detecting coils are disposed so that a generating direction of the first magnetic field and a detecting direction of the induced magnetic field intersect each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Atsushi Chiba, Akio Uchiyama, Atsushi Kimura, Ryoji Sato
  • Patent number: 8441251
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a proximity sensor having a first transmission coil, a second transmission coil, at least one reception coil, an excitation device which is connected to the first and second transmission coils, and an evaluation unit which is connected to at least one transmission coil and/or to the excitation device as well as to the at least one reception coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Sascha Thoss, Andre Lissner, Olaf Machul
  • Publication number: 20130113467
    Abstract: Provided is an angle detection device capable of detecting the angle with high sensitivity by a very simple assembly process without requiring complicated processing. The angle detection device is provided with: a rotor (5) which is formed by a disk plate body produced from a magnetic substance having uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, the disk plate body rotating around a center point within the disk plate surface; a stator (3) which is provided to face the plate surface of the disk plate body of the rotor (5), has approximately the same external shape as that of the rotor, and is divided into a plurality of fan-shaped regions, and in which an exciting coil or a detection coil is wound along the outer periphery of each of the divided regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Kyushu University, National University Corporation
    Inventor: Kyushu University, National Univesity Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130106405
    Abstract: A device for detecting the position of an actuator has a conductor arrangement, which detects magnetic fluxes flowing therethrough and converts same into a voltage signal that is dependent on the position, at which the magnetic flux penetrates the conductor arrangement. The induced voltage signal is proportional to the position of the magnetic flux, measured along a predetermined axis starting from a predetermined starting point. A position-determining unit is connected to the conductor arrangement for determining the position of a magnetic flux generated by the actuator and passing though the conductor arrangement. A transmission unit, by way of which the determined position is transmitted to a receiver, is arranged downstream of the position-determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicants: SEIBERSDORF LABOR GMBH, AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Manfred Bammer, Gernot Schmid
  • Patent number: 8432157
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods are provided for cancelling stray magnetic fields escaping out the back or sides of an inductive proximity sensor. The inductive proximity sensor includes a coil assembly with a sensing coil. The sensing coil detects magnetic flux escaping out the sides and/or back of the sensor. An active circuit couples to the sensing coil. The active circuit generates a canceling current based upon a current and/or electromotive force in the sensing coil due to the flux. The cancelling current drives a driven coil to generate a magnetic field which can reduce total flux through the sensing coil to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John Kenneth Fitch
  • Patent number: 8427138
    Abstract: The position sensor includes a moving member configured to be displaced in response to displacement of a measurement target, a resonant unit, an oscillation unit, a signal processing unit, an output unit, a signal absence detection unit, and a low-pass filter. The resonant unit includes a detection coil. The oscillation unit is configured to output an oscillation signal. The signal absence detection unit is configured to judge whether or not the oscillation signal is output from the oscillation unit. The low-pass filter is configured to have a cut-off frequency which passes the oscillation signal corresponding to the resonant frequency of the resonant unit in a normal condition, but blocks the oscillation signal output from the oscillation unit when the resonant unit sees an oscillation at an abnormal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kunitaka Okada, Masahisa Niwa
  • Publication number: 20130093413
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for detecting a position of an axially movable camshaft is provided. The sensor apparatus includes a coil block including a detection coil wound along an axial direction of the camshaft to define a bore into which the camshaft is inserted, and a control unit electrically connected to the detection coil and designed to output a signal based on a change in inductance of the detection coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Itonaga, Norihiro Ida
  • Patent number: 8421445
    Abstract: A system includes an object in a space to generate an induced field; coils that generate a driving field; a detecting coil that detects a synthetic field of the driving field and the induced field; a unit that detects a driving current through the coil in synchronization with field detection by the detecting coil; a calculating unit that calculates a position and a direction of the object based on a detection value of the synthetic field and a detection value of the driving current; and a unit that calculates a phase of a driving field component which corresponds to the driving field at the detection value of the synthetic field, based on the detection value. The calculating unit obtains a component having a phase difference approximately orthogonal to the phase of the driving field component and calculates the position and direction of the object based on the obtained component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Takahiro Iida
  • Patent number: 8421446
    Abstract: A rotation angle detection sensor system for a rotational body is provided, which has a reduced sensitivity against an interfering magnetic field and an interfering electric field. The rotation angle detection sensor system comprises an encoder structure that is attached to the rotational body of a machine and is movable along with this rotational body. A stationary sensor assembly is positioned opposite to this encoder structure and supplies at least one sensor signal for determining the angle position. The sensor assembly includes a first inductive element, the inductance of which is dependent on the angle position of the encoder structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Vogt Electronic Components GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Straubinger, Josef Bartl
  • Publication number: 20130088216
    Abstract: A device for determining a position of a movable, magnetizable and/or conductive body relative to a stator that has at least one pole winding. Apparatuses are provided for detecting a measurement signal that depends on the inductance of the pole winding, wherein the inductance is influenced by the position of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventor: Rolf Strothmann
  • Publication number: 20130082692
    Abstract: An inductive detector operable to measure displacement along a path comprises: a first inductive arrangement; a second inductive arrangement; said second inductive arrangement being spaced from said first inductive arrangement and extending along at least part of the measurement path; at least one of said inductive arrangements comprises a winding which extends along at least part of the measurement path; and said winding comprising at least four loops in electrical series; wherein adjacent loops have opposite magnetic polarity; and the pitch distance of said winding varies at least once along the measurement path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Howard, Darran Kreit
  • Patent number: 8410774
    Abstract: An electromagnetic motion sensor includes a base, an electromagnetic induction layer, a block, and an emitting coil. The electromagnetic induction layer with a plurality of induction coils is arranged on the bottom of the base. The block is movably connected to the base by a plurality of elastic members. The emitting coil is fixed to a center of the bottom of the block facing the induction layer. A circuit inside the block provides current to the emitting coil. The block moves with the jerk of the motion sensor when the motion sensor is jerked, causing the elastic members to be distorted. The relative movement between the block and the magnetic induction layer causes more than one of the induction coils generate and output voltage signals according to the change of magnetic flux through the plurality of induction coils caused by the moving of the emitting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Qiu Yang, Song-Ling Yang
  • Publication number: 20130076344
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an induction-based reference point locator is provided. The locator includes transmitter locatable at a position on a first side of a structure, the transmitter configured to generate an alternating magnetic field at a desired frequency; and a receiver locatable on a second side of the structure opposite the first side, the receiver configured to detect the magnetic field and provide a directional indication to the position of the transmitter relative to the second side of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: LABOR SAVING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Labor Saving Systems, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130057261
    Abstract: A rotor (1b) includes a first cylindrical portion (10), and a second cylindrical portion (20) including a first partial circumferential surface (21) having a width narrower than that of the first cylindrical portion (10) in the circumferential direction, and a second partial circumferential surface (22) having a radius smaller than a radius of the first partial circumferential surface; the rotor, further, including a first to-be-detected portion having a plurality of teeth (15), and a second to-be-detected portion having at least one tooth (25), and wherein the at least one tooth of the second cylindrical portion and the tooth of the first cylindrical portion corresponding to the at least one tooth are formed in one operation by machining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shunichi ODAKA
  • Publication number: 20130057263
    Abstract: A system for position sensing includes an incremental track including a plurality of sectors and a measurement subsystem. The measurement subsystem includes at least two differential read-heads each having at least one primary coil and at least two differential secondary coils, the at least two differential secondary coils of one of the at least two differential read-heads configured to generate output signals having their amplitudes modulated by the sectors of the incremental track and the at least two differential secondary coils of the other of said two differential read-heads configured to generate output signals having their amplitudes modulated by the sectors of the incremental track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: PERSIMMON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Martin Hosek
  • Patent number: 8384375
    Abstract: A non-contact position sensor includes a magnet, magnetoresistive elements arranged on a line extending in a predetermined direction on a pole surface of the magnet with predetermined intervals, and an object made of magnetic material displaceable in the predetermined direction. The magnetoresistive elements are connected serially between a power supply and a ground. A first magnetoresistive element is connected to the second magnetoresistive element at a first node. A second magnetoresistive element is connected to a third magnetoresistive element at a second node. The object includes a projection and a shaft connected to the projection. The projection can face the first to third magnetoresistive elements. The shaft is located away from the pole surface by a distance longer than a distance between the projection and the pole surface of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mikihiro Ohshima, Motoki Ogata, Yoshinori Takashima
  • Patent number: 8384377
    Abstract: A tachometer for supplying a signal representative of the rotational rate of a rotatable device includes a plurality of detection magnets, an index feature, and one or more non-rotationally mounted magnetic circuits. The detection magnets are coupled to, and spaced around, the device, to thereby rotate with the device when the device is rotated. The index feature is associated with the rotatable device, to thereby rotate with the device when the device is rotated. The index feature and the plurality of detection magnets are spaced evenly around the device. The magnetic circuits are spaced evenly around the device, and each magnetic circuit is configured to supply a first electrical signal each time one of the detection magnets rotates past the magnetic circuit and a second electrical signal each time the index feature rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Devlin M. Gualtieri, Dwayne Benson
  • Publication number: 20130043864
    Abstract: The N1(s) turns of a first output winding is divided by a split ratio ? into N1a(s) turns of a lower-layer first output winding and N1b(s) of an upper-layer first output winding. The lower-layer first output winding is continuously wound around all slots as the undermost layer. A second output winding is continuously wound around all slots over the lower-layer first output winding. An upper-layer first output winding is continuously wound around all slots over the second output winding. The split ratio ? is adjusted only in the slots where the detection accuracy decreases. This equalize the contribution of the first output windings and the second output winding to the flux linkage, thereby achieving high angle detection accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Ogawa, Yuichi Yoshikawa, Yasuji Echizen, Masahiko Kobayashi, Masaaki Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20130033256
    Abstract: Sensor with a one-layer or multi-layer sensor element operating in a contact-free manner and a housing comprising an electric/electronic connection and, in given cases, electronic components, where the sensor element comprises a coil arrangement whose windings have a defined line width, line thickness, and line spacing per layer and whose layers have a defined layer thickness and, in given cases, a defined layer spacing, characterized in that the sensor element is built up from ceramic layers in the sense of multi-layer ceramics and that with respect to traditional coil arrangements the line width is reduced and the number of windings per cross-sectional surface area is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: MICRO-EPSILON MESSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Torsten Thelemann, Tobias Schopf, Thomas Wisspeintner
  • Publication number: 20130021023
    Abstract: A position sensor includes a detection coil printed on a surface of a substrate formed of a dielectric material; and a detection body arranged in an opposing relationship with the detection coil and displaced along a specified orbit with respect to the detection coil in response to a displacement of a target object. The position sensor detects the displacement of the target object based on an inductance of the detection coil varying depending on the displacement of the detection body. At least one of the detection coil and the detection body is formed into such a shape that a change rate of the inductance of the detection coil with respect to the displacement of the detection body is kept constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahisa Niwa, Kunitaka Okada
  • Publication number: 20130021022
    Abstract: A resolver stator includes an annular first cover portion, an annular second cover portion, and a plurality of pillars. The first and second cover portions cover coils from both axial sides. The pillars couple the first and second cover portions, and are arranged between the adjacent teeth. Each pillar has circumferential side faces each of which has a radially inner end portion that is arranged with a labyrinth clearance left between the radially inner end portion and a radially inner end portion of the tooth next to the side face, and each of which is a concave curved surface so as to be further apart from the tooth from the radially inner end portion toward a radially outer end portion of the side face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki TAKEI, Kouji KITAHATA, Toshiki KUMENO, Yoshimichi HIGASHIYAMA
  • Patent number: 8350559
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus includes a position pointer having a coil and a sensor unit for detecting the position of the position pointer. The sensor unit has a sensor board including a plurality of loop coils juxtaposed and extending in a predetermined direction, and the sensor unit detects a signal generated in the loop coils by electromagnetic induction between the coil of the position pointer and the loop coils, to thereby detect the position of the position pointer. The sensor unit further includes a shield member disposed on the sensor board remotely from the position pointer for reducing noise, and a magnetic path sheet formed from a plurality of magnetic path members of a substantially rectangular shape having a higher magnetic permeability than that of the shield member and disposed between the sensor board and the shield member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masamitsu Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8344723
    Abstract: A phase difference type resolver is adapted such that a calculator calculates an angle from a phase difference at a detection-signal zero cross point, determines a velocity at the angle based on an angle calculated from a phase difference at a previous detection-signal zero cross point, calculates an estimated angle at a next detection-signal zero cross point based on the velocity, divides a difference between the estimated angle and the angle into predetermined minimum detection angles, and outputs a real-time signal based on the minimum detection angles in a range after the angle but before the estimated angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takumi Kamiya, Takehide Nakamura, Tetsuji Inoue, Hiroaki Miyazaki, Takeshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120313628
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a coil form (100) for mounting on a magnet core (118) for a rotating electrical machine or a resolver and to a corresponding magnet core. The present invention further relates to a magneto-electric angle sensor, in particular a reluctance resolver, the stator of which is constructed by the principles according to the invention. The coil form has a winding form (102) for applying a winding, the winding form (102) comprising a recess (124) for receiving a tooth (116) of the magnet core (118), at least one holding rib (114) being integrally formed and in cooperation with a holding structure (120) of the magnet core (118) fixing the coil form to the tooth. The magnet core comprises a plurality of lamellae (136) manufactured from sheet metal, which are layered on top of one another in a plane-parallel manner and interconnected, every two lamellae which lie on top of one another being rotated through an offset angle relative to one another to form the holding structure (120).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS BELGIUM EC BVBA
    Inventors: Steven Van Nimmen, Tom Ocket, Jurgen Verstraete, Jan Van Cauwenberge, Henk Maes
  • Publication number: 20120313627
    Abstract: An operation input apparatus includes an operating unit that is displaced by the action of an operation input; an actuator output shaft that is displaced in the same direction as the operating unit by the action of the operation input; an actuator that moves the operating unit via the actuator output shaft; and a detecting element that outputs a signal corresponding to an amount of displacement of the operating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Furukawa, Kensuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 8324888
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inductive angle sensor with improved common mode noise rejection and a signal processing method of the same, which can improve electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) characteristics and obtain an accurate output value by eliminating common mode noise. The signal processing method includes adding signals obtained from a pair of receiver coils by an adder, subtracting the signal obtained from one of the pair of receiver coils from the signal obtained from the other receiver coil by a subtracter, multiplying the value obtained from the adder by the value obtained from the subtracter by a first multiplier, multiplying the value obtained from the subtracter by itself by a second multiplier, and dividing the value obtained from the first multiplier by the value obtained from the second multiplier by a divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Truwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gi-Yeop Kim, Kyu-Won Jung, Cho-Soo Lee, Sung-Tae Kim, Yong-Jin Kang
  • Patent number: 8324887
    Abstract: A device for determining the rotational speed of a transmission shaft (12). The device includes a rotational speed indicator (3) connected, in a rotationally fixed manner, to the transmission shaft (12) and at least one rotation speed sensor (2) including at least one sensor element (10). By way of the sensor element (10), the speed of the transmission shaft (12) is detected via the speed indicator (3). The speed sensor (2) is attached to a shifting element (5) for actuating a sliding sleeve (4) of a clutch device (1) that is connected to the transmission shaft (12) in such a manner that the sliding sleeve (4) axially movable on but fixed so as not to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Publication number: 20120299585
    Abstract: An inductively operating sensor, particularly for measuring distances and positions of a metallic object, comprising at least a coil, a ferromagnetic or ferritic core and perhaps a housing comprising a sensor element, with the core being embedded in a single or multi-layered ceramic and jointly with the ceramic forming a coil body and with the coil body and the core being connected to each other in a form-fitting fashion. Furthermore, a method is suggested for producing such a sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: MICRO-EPSILON MESSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Reinhold Hoenicka, Sabine Schmideder, Günter Schallmoser
  • Patent number: 8314608
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention a method of determining a distance to a ferrous material comprises providing a plurality of magnetometers spaced at varying distances from a ferrous material, detecting a ferrous material with each of the plurality of magnetometers individually, establishing one of the plurality of magnetometers as a primary magnetometer, obtaining sensor readings from each of the plurality of magnetometers, forming a first ratio of the differences in the sensory readings of the primary magnetometer to the sensory readings of the other magnetometers, forming a second ratio of the differences in inversely cubed distances to the ferrous material from the primary magnetometer to inversely cubed distances to the ferrous material from the other magnetometers, setting the first ratio and the second ratio equal to each other, and calculating the distance to the ferrous material from the plurality of magnetometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Inventors: David R. Hall, David C. Wahlquist, Huntington Tracy Hall
  • Publication number: 20120268110
    Abstract: The invention relates, in particular, to an inductive proximity or distance sensor. The invention proposes that a core 9 of an inductive sensor unit 5 of the proximity sensor 1, which projects into a coil carrier 7, have a rectangular cross-sectional profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar TRUNK, Alan Lowell HOUP
  • Publication number: 20120268109
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for performing the method for the error-free conversion of the counting values of a segment counter including Wiegand sensors and the position values of a fine position sensor into a total position value using the last magnetization direction of the Wiegand wire of a segment counter as part of the information for an absolute synchronization of counting and position values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: WALTER MEHNERT, THOMAS THEIL
  • Patent number: 8294456
    Abstract: The leak detector comprises a basic unit that is connected to a probe by a hose. The probe tip is placed against test zones of the test object. In case that test gas escapes from the test object, this is detected by a test gas detector in the base unit. According to the disclosure, a position determining system is provided which comprises a transmitter, a receiver that is disposed inside the probe, and a supply and evaluation unit. Thereby, the presence of the probe tip in the individual test zones is monitored and confirmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Grosse Bley, Gerhard Küster
  • Patent number: 8278911
    Abstract: An inductive angle-of-rotation sensor includes a printed circuit board, on which one excitation conductor path, and a first, second as well as third receiving conductor path are applied. The angle-of-rotation sensor further includes a graduation element having a first and second graduation track. The first and second graduation tracks, and the first and second receiving conductor paths are arranged such that signals having a first period number are able to be generated by the first receiving conductor path, and signals having a second period number are able to be generated by the second receiving conductor path. The graduation element further has a third graduation track, so that signals having the first period number are able to be generated by the third receiving conductor path. In addition, a method is provided for operating an angle-of-rotation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Oliver Tiemann, Eva Silmbroth
  • Patent number: 8258778
    Abstract: A simplified micro-magnetic based sensor and a system built with it for detecting or measuring acceleration, speed, position, placement, tilt, and vibration are disclosed for a reduced product size, simplified manufacturing process, and reduced product cost. Both simplified micro-magnetic sensor and simplified micro-magnetic sensor system include a primary micro inductor and a secondary micro inductor coupled with a micro magnetically permeable dynamic medium element that is small, simple and low cost to manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Lustone Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Xu Hua Jiang
  • Patent number: 8258777
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an inductive proximity sensor that includes an oscillator having first and second inductor-capacitor circuits arranged such that an inductance of one of the inductor-capacitor circuits has substantially greater sensitivity to an external target than an inductance of the other inductor-capacitor circuit. The sensor also includes an alternating current drive to each of the inductor-capacitor circuits that is in-phase and depends on differences in voltage across the inductor-capacitor circuits. The sensor may be coupled to a calibration device that applies power and triggers a calibration routine within the sensor. In response to the trigger signal, a calibration processor within the sensor executes the calibration routine and adjusts the inductor-capacitor circuits and provides an indication of successful calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Inventor: Weihua Chen
  • Patent number: 8258782
    Abstract: An angle detecting apparatus includes a rotor fixed to a rotating shaft, a pair of magnetic sensors arranged close to the outer periphery of the rotor so as to have a difference in angle (?/2) with respect to the center of rotation of the rotor, a differential operational circuit performing differential operation on detection signals output by the magnetic sensors to output a differential signal, and the angle calculating circuit calculating the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft based on the differential signal. The planar shape of the rotor is such that the sum of the distances between the center of rotation and the respective two points where two straight lines crossing at the center of rotation at a crossing angle of (?/2) cross the outer periphery of the rotor is constant, and the planar shape is symmetric with respect to a straight line passing through the center of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Kaita, Hirokazu Miyamoto, Toshinao Kido, Junya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8258784
    Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and a method are disclosed for measuring a time varying magnetic field. In one aspect, a system comprises a plurality of induction coils arranged to measure the time varying magnetic field using at least one voltage induced in at least one of the induction coils in the plurality of induction coils, a plurality of snubber circuits connected to the plurality of induction coils, each of the snubber circuits of the plurality of snubber circuits arranged to suppress a resonance of a respective one of the induction coils of the plurality of induction coils, and a summing circuit connected to each of the snubber circuits of the plurality of snubber circuits, the summing circuit arranged to sum voltages induced in each of the induction coils in the plurality of induction coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Jeremiah Glen Pearce, Robert Rex Burnett, Richard Martin Ostermeier, William Mountjoy Savage
  • Patent number: 8253410
    Abstract: The invention provides a transformer probe for sensing movement of a body of magnetic material, having multiple output channels wherein the output in each output channel is substantially unaffected by faults in other output channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Weston Aerospace Limited
    Inventor: Nigel Philip Turner
  • Patent number: 8253411
    Abstract: A configuration of a pair of inductor coils within a local measuring range which can comprise a position range or an angle range. For the coil configuration, a nominal distance to a damping part is predefined which comprises an eddy current damping part which covers the coils, to a certain degree. In the evaluation circuit, the coils are connected to a capacitor, forming an oscillator part, whose inductance and capacitance determine a resonant frequency. The characteristic curve, oscillator frequency as a function of the position or the angle is linear. The rectangular inductors of the pair of coils overlap within the measuring range. The linear characteristic curves have a common point of rotation, outside of the measuring range, which is independent from interferences by the measuring configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Andreas Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8242774
    Abstract: An incremental displacement transducer and method for determining a displacement of a first object relative to a second object having a scanning unit linked or to be linked with the first object for scanning a spacing or division track linked or to be linked with the second object having first areas and second areas arranged in alternating manner with a period length, the first areas having a first physical property and the second areas a second physical property differing therefrom, and where the scanning unit has a plurality of sensors for scanning the first areas and the second areas on the basis of the first and/or second physical property, and having an evaluation unit linked with the scanning unit for determining the displacement on the basis of measuring signals of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Speckmann, Timo Galm
  • Publication number: 20120187941
    Abstract: A system for targeting an operation site includes an identifier having an electromagnetic field generator configured to produce electromagnetic fields. The system includes an implement that includes a handle, a blade portion, and an electromagnetic field sensor coupled to the blade portion. The electromagnetic field sensor is configured to produce a signal responsive to electromagnetic fields produced by the electromagnetic field generator. The system includes a control unit configured to access information indicating a position of the electromagnetic field sensor relative to the operation site, receive a signal from the electromagnetic field sensor that is indicative of a position of a tool relative to the electromagnetic field sensor, and determine a position of the tool relative to an operation site based on the received signal and the position of the electromagnetic field sensor relative to the operation site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin Wayne Belew
  • Patent number: 8228028
    Abstract: Methods for accurately tracking position and orientation of a magnetic-field sensor in a tracking volume when a large magnetic-field distorter is present in the tracking volume. In some of the methods, magnetic field data is collected from within the tracking volume both with and without the large magnetic-field distorter present in the tracking volume. This data is used to obtain correction information that is subsequently used during real-time operation of the magnetic-field sensor to correct the position and orientation solutions for the sensor for magnetic-field distortions caused by the presence of the large magnetic-field distorter in the tracking volume. Others of the methods involve modeling the large magnetic-field distorter using dipole and multipole modeling. Magnetic tracking systems for implementing the methods include hardware and software for carrying out the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ascension Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Mark R. Schneider
  • Patent number: 8222890
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inductive displacement sensor for determining a position of a first object relative to a second object having a coding device to be attached to the first object, having a sensor unit to be attached to the second object, said sensor unit comprising a plurality of inductive sensors for scanning the coding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
    Inventors: Caroline Schaeuble, Christian Speckmann, Bernhard Weiskopf
  • Patent number: 8222895
    Abstract: A compact sensing device capable of sensing a rotational angle and a rotational velocity, or a rectilinear moving distance and a moving velocity. A displacement sensing device that senses a rotational angle of a moving member rotation and a distance of a linear movement of the moving member, or senses an angular velocity of the moving member rotation and a velocity of a linear movement of the moving member, includes: a first movable member, moved together with the moving member by a linear movement of the moving member; a second movable member holding the first movable member in a rotatable manner, and rotated together with the moving member by rotation of the moving member; a first sensor outputting a signal in accordance with a linear movement of the first movable member; and a second sensor outputting a signal in accordance with a rotation of the second movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Norimi Asahara, Yukiko Nishida, Masahisa Niwa
  • Publication number: 20120176070
    Abstract: A method for analyzing signals from an angle sensor including at least two sensing elements which span a plane and including a rotatable element for varying the plane, the element being spaced from same. The angle sensor also includes a brushless electromotor which is controlled according to the method. The method for analyzing signals from an angle sensor comprises at least two sensing elements, said method producing high-definition measured results using sensing elements that map a full circle. This is achieved in that the sensing elements capture at least one first and one second vector of the field lying on the plane, the vectors being linearly independent of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 8207749
    Abstract: In a method and a sensor device for inductively producing an electrical measuring signal in dependence on a magnitude that is to be measured, there are provided at least two driver coils through which a current is caused to flow in turn at the clock pulse rate of a clock pulse circuit, this current induces a voltage which is dependent on the magnitude that is to be measured in a plurality of coils, the voltage being sub-divided at the clock pulse rate of the clock pulse circuit into voltage signals which are associated with the driver coils, where the voltage signals obtained thereby are evaluated for the purposes of obtaining the measuring signal, where at least two sensor coils are associated with the at least two driver coils, wherein either the sensor coils or the driver coils are connected up in the same sense, whereas the respective other coils are connected up in a mutually opposite sense, and the voltage signals of the sensor coil associated with the driver coils are sampled in certain time periods of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventor: Gerd Reime
  • Publication number: 20120150457
    Abstract: A sensing device includes: a magnetic field generating coil that generates an alternating magnetic field in a sensing-target region; a signal inducing coil in which is induced an electric signal corresponding to the alternating magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating coil; an amplifier that amplifies a third electric signal obtained from the difference between a first electric signal induced in the signal inducing coil in a state where a sensing-target magnetic body is present in the sensing-target region and a second electric signal induced in the signal inducing coil in a state where the magnetic body is not present in the sensing-target region; and a sensing unit that senses, on the basis of the third electric signal amplified by the amplifier, the magnetic body passing through the sensing-target region by sensing a change in the magnetic field resulting from magnetization reversal of the magnetic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seigo MAKIDA, Shoji YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8188622
    Abstract: An energy harvester comprising: a substrate; two magnets coupled to the substrate in close proximity to each other with like magnetic poles facing each other creating a flux gap; a coil coupled to the substrate and disposed within the flux gap, wherein the coil and the magnets are coupled to the substrate such that substrate acceleration causes relative elastic motion between the magnets and the coil thereby exposing the coil to a changing magnetic flux; and a resonant frequency tuner coupled to the substrate and configured to adjust the resonant frequency between the coil and the magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Richard Waters, Mark Fralick, Hugo Jazo, Brad Chisum
  • Patent number: 8188730
    Abstract: An inductive proximity sensor and related method for sensing a presence/position of a target, with mounting effect compensation, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes providing a proximity sensor having first and second coils that are both at least indirectly in communication with control circuitry. The method also includes receiving respective first and second signals at least indirectly indicative of respective first and second electromagnetic field components respectively experienced by the first coil as influenced both by a target and a structure supporting the sensor and the second coil as influenced by the supporting structure. The method further includes determining by way of the circuitry a third signal based at least in part upon the first signal, as modified based at least in part upon the second signal, whereby the third signal is indicative of the presence or position of the target relative to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Gong, Wei S. Qian, Weihua Chen