Device with at least one sensor for acquiring measurement data via a relative movement and a scale device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11959778-B2
Application number	US-202117531893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Nov 24, 2020
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A device has a sensor unit for detecting measurement data about a relative movement of two components that are moved relative to one another. The sensor unit includes a scale unit connected to one of the components and extending in a movement direction of the relative movement over a measuring section. The scale unit includes a structure having magnetic bodies repeating in a defined manner along the measuring section. The magnetic bodies are axially magnetized and are arrayed having identical magnetic poles along the measuring section and/or the magnetic bodies are radially magnetized and are arrayed in alternation with respect to their magnetic poles along the measuring section. The sensor unit includes a pre-tensioning unit which fixes the arrayed magnetic bodies using a pre-tensioning force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device with at least one sensor unit for detecting measurement data about a relative movement of two components that are movable relative to one another, the sensor unit comprising:
a scale unit connectable to one of the components and extending in a movement direction of a relative movement over a measuring section;
said scale unit having a structure with a plurality of arrayed magnetic bodies that repeat in a defined manner along said measuring section;
wherein:
said magnetic bodies are axially magnetized and said radially magnetized magnetic bodies are at least two different magnetic body types, including a first magnetic body type with a magnetic north pole arranged on a radially inner side and a magnetic south pole arranged on a radially outer side, and including a second magnetic body type with a magnetic north pole arranged on a radially outer side and a magnetic south pole arranged on a radially inner side, and wherein said first and second magnetic body types are arranged in alternation along said measuring section; and
at least one pre-tensioning unit configured to fix said arrayed magnetic bodies using a pre-tensioning force.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said sensor unit comprises at least one receptacle for receiving said structure with said arrayed magnetic bodies.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said pre-tensioning unit is configured for applying the pre-tensioning force in a targeted manner to said arrayed magnetic bodies to fix said magnetic bodies in a defined position in an event that said receptacle unit is bent during operation.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said pre-tensioning unit comprises at least one pre-tensioning spring disposed at least partially in said receptacle unit and configured to bias said magnetic bodies against at least one stop.

5. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the one component to which said scale unit is connectable is a piston rod or is formed to provide said receptacle unit, at least in part, and said magnetic bodies are arranged inside said piston rod.

6. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said receptacle unit is manufactured from a magnetically nonconductive material.

7. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said sensor unit comprises a detector head arranged outside said receptacle unit.

8. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said sensor unit comprises a rotation lock configured to fix said arrayed magnetic bodies against a rotation in said receptacle unit.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said radially magnetized magnetic bodies are at least partially circular disks and/or wherein said axially magnetized magnetic bodies are circular disks.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic bodies are formed with a through opening extending in an axial direction.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said radially magnetized magnetic bodies are open rings and/or wherein said axially magnetized magnetic bodies are closed rings.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic bodies are configured to generate a targeted magnetic field and said sensor unit is configured to detect the magnetic field by way of at least one detector head interacting with said scale unit and to ascertain therefrom at least one of a position of at least one of the components or a movement direction of at least one of the components or a velocity of a relative movement of the components.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein said detector head comprises a Hall sensor.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said sensor unit is configured to provide a measuring resolution of at least 10 μm and wherein said magnetic bodies have a height of at most 3 mm.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said scale unit comprises at least two structures and wherein said at least two structures are formed differently and differ with regard to dimensions of the respective said magnetic bodies.

16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said scale unit includes at least one absolute position mark provided by at least one of said magnetic bodies of said scale unit, with said one magnetic body having an adapted field strength.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said sensor unit is configured for determining a defined position in said scale unit by traveling along said measuring section at least once.

18. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said sensor unit is configured for calculating a defined position in said scale unit by way of evaluating a time curve of the relative movement.

19. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a controllable damper having two attachment units that are movable relative to one another and are operationally connected via at least one damper unit for damping shocks, wherein said sensor unit is configured for detecting measurement data about a relative movement of said attachment units in relation to one another and wherein said scale unit is connected to one of said attachment units of said damper and wherein one of the attachment units at least partially provides a receptacle unit for receiving said structure with said arrayed magnetic bodies.

20. The device according to claim 19 , wherein said pre-tensioning unit is disposed to provide a pre-tensioning force with a direction that is oriented against a direction of forces to be damped by the damper.

21. The device according to claim 19 , wherein said piston rod is connected to at least one damping piston and wherein said damping piston divides said piston rod into a first coupling rod section and a second coupling rod section disposed axially behind said first coupling rod section, and wherein said first coupling rod section is equipped with a fastener for fastening said damper and wherein said magnetic bodies are arranged in said second coupling rod section.

22. The device according to claim 19 , further comprising at least one damping valve assigned to said damping piston, said damping valve having at least one damping channel and a magnetorheological medium in said damping channel, and a magnetic field generating unit for generating and controlling a magnetic field in said damping channel.

23. A device, comprising:
a sensor unit for detecting measurement data about a relative movement of two components disposed to move relative to one another;
said sensor unit having at least one scale unit connectable to one of the components and extending in a movement direction of a relative movement over at least one measuring section; and
said at least one scale unit having a structure with a plurality of radially magnetized magnetic bodies repeating in a defined manner along said measuring section; and
wherein said radially magnetized magnetic bodies are at least two different magnetic body types, including a first magnetic body type with a magnetic north pole arranged on a radially inner side and a magnetic south pole arranged on a radially outer side, and including a second magnetic body type with a magnetic north pole arranged on a radially outer side and a magnetic south pole arranged on a radially inner side, and wherein said first and second magnetic body types are arranged in alternation along said measuring section.

Assignees

• Inventus Eng Gmbh

Inventors

• Battlogg Stefan

Classifications

• G01D5/145 Primary

  influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06) · CPC title

• G01D5/2451 Primary

  Incremental encoders (G01D5/2454 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01D2205/18

  using magnetic means not otherwise provided for in this subclass · CPC title

• G01D5/246

  by varying the duration of individual pulses · CPC title

• G01D5/252

  a combination of conductors or channels · CPC title