Inductive sensor for detecting a position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535340-B2
Application number	US-202318352207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2023
Priority date	Jul 15, 2022
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

An inductive sensor for detecting a position. In one example, the sensor includes an oscillator circuit which generates an AC voltage signal and couples it into an exciter coil, and a pair of receiving coils including first and second receiving coils which each form a repeating loop structure and whose arrangement forms a receiving geometry. The exciter coil is arranged to induce a signal in each receiving coil based on the coupled AC voltage signal. An evaluation circuit outputs a sensor signal that depends on the position to be detected, based on the signals induced in the receiving coils, and a movable coupling element influences the strength of the inductive couplings between the exciter coil and the receiving coils as a function of the position to be detected. The receiving coils are located in a geometrical position having an intermediate space between them and are electrically connected to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inductive sensor ( 9 ) for detecting a position, the inductive sensor ( 9 ) comprising:
an oscillator circuit which generates a periodic AC voltage signal and couples it into an exciter coil ( 23 ), a pair of receiving coils ( 31 ) comprising a first receiving coil ( 25 ) and a second receiving coil ( 30 ) disposed separately from the first receiving coil ( 25 ), which each separately form a respective periodically repeating loop structure and whose arrangement as a whole forms a receiving geometry, the exciter coil ( 23 ) being arranged to induce a signal in each receiving coil ( 25 , 30 ) based on the coupled AC voltage signal, an evaluation circuit ( 21 ) for outputting a sensor signal ( 19 ) that depends on the position to be detected, based on the signals induced in the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ), and a movable coupling element ( 16 ) which influences the strength of the inductive couplings between the exciter coil ( 23 ) and the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) as a function of the position to be detected, wherein the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) of the receiving coil pair ( 31 ) being located in a geometrical position having an intermediate space ( 32 ) between them and being electrically connected in parallel to each other.

2 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the loop structures of the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to a center of symmetry ( 8 ).

3 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the position to be detected is an angular position about an axis of rotation ( 8 ) and the center of symmetry is the axis of rotation ( 8 ), with respect to which the loop structures are arranged point-symmetrically.

4 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′) having a first receiving coil ( 25 ′) and a second receiving coil ( 30 ′), which each form a periodically repeating loop structure and whose arrangement as a whole forms a receiving geometry, the exciter coil ( 23 ) or a further exciter coil being arranged to induce a signal in each receiving coil ( 25 ′, 30 ′) of the further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′) on the basis of the coupled-in AC voltage signal.

5 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the movable coupling element ( 16 ) influences the strength of the inductive couplings between the exciter coil ( 23 ) or the further exciter coil and the receiving coils ( 25 ′, 30 ′) of the further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′) as a function of the position to be detected, and the evaluation circuit is arranged to output the sensor signal ( 19 ) depending on the position based on a comparison of the signals induced in the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) of the receiving coil pair ( 31 ) and the signals induced in the receiving coils ( 25 ′, 30 ′) of the further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′).

6 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 4 , further comprising a further movable coupling element ( 16 ′) which influences the strength of the inductive couplings between the exciter coil ( 23 ) or the further exciter coil and the receiving coils ( 25 ′, 30 ′) of the further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′) as a function of the position to be detected, the evaluation circuit ( 21 ) being set up to output the sensor signal ( 19 ) which is dependent on the position, based on the signals induced in the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) of the receiving coil pair ( 31 ) and the signals induced in the receiving coils ( 25 ′, 30 ′) of the further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′).

7 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the first receiving coil ( 25 ′) of the further receiving coil pair ( 31 ′) is arranged in the intermediate space ( 32 ) between the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) of the receiving coil pair ( 31 ) as viewed in a changing direction of the position to be detected.

8 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the receiving coil pairs ( 31 , 31 ′) are arranged on different sides of a printed circuit board ( 22 ).

9 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic component ( 34 , 35 ) arranged in the intermediate space ( 32 ).

10 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the electronic component ( 34 , 35 ) is an electromagnetic shielding element ( 35 ).

11 . The inductive sensor ( 9 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving coils ( 25 , 30 ) of the receiving coil pair ( 31 ) are located on opposite sides of the intermediate space ( 32 ).

Assignees

• Bourns Inc

Inventors

• Berner Sebastian
• Wischke Martin
• Prölss Christian
• Coskuner Hasan

Classifications

• G01D5/2073 Primary

  by movement of a single coil with respect to two or more coils · CPC title

• G01D5/204

  by influencing the mutual induction between two or more coils (G01D5/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01B7/30

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• G01B7/003 Primary

  for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination (coordinate measuring G01B7/004) · CPC title

• G01D5/2053 Primary

  by a movable non-ferromagnetic conductive element · CPC title