Magnetic proximity sensor having improved capabilities and efficiency

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9239248-B2
Application number	US-201213472272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2012
Priority date	May 17, 2011
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

Magnetic proximity sensor, comprising a magnetic sensor element, and a magnet assembly having a first pole surface and a second pole surface, wherein the first pole surface of the magnet assembly is positioned adjacent to a sensor target surface of the magnetic proximity sensor, and the sensor element is positioned at a first distance from the second pole surface of the magnet assembly remote from the sensor target surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A magnetic proximity sensor, comprising,
a sensor housing having a sensor target surface;
a magnetic sensor element; and
a magnet assembly having a first pole surface and a second pole surface
wherein the magnetic sensor element and the magnet assembly are embedded in the sensor housing;
wherein the first pole surface of the magnet assembly is positioned adjacent to the sensor target surface of the sensor housing;
wherein the magnetic sensor element is positioned at a first distance from the second pole surface of the magnet assembly, remote from the sensor target surface;
wherein the magnet assembly is arranged between the magnetic sensor element and the sensor target surface;
wherein the magnet assembly comprises an axial pole piece coaxially positioned within a magnet body; and wherein the axial pole piece extends beyond the magnet body toward the magnetic sensor element.

2. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor housing covers the first pole surface of the magnet assembly with a thickness of at least 0.1mm.

3. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is between 2.2 and 2.7mm.

4. A magnetic proximity sensor, comprising:
a sensor housing arrangeable opposite a target;
a magnetic sensor element; and
a magnet assembly;
wherein the magnetic sensor element and the magnet assembly are embedded within the sensor housing;
wherein when the sensor housing is arranged opposite the target, the magnet assembly is positioned between the magnetic sensor element and the target;
wherein the magnet assembly comprises an axial pole piece coaxially positioned within a magnet body; and wherein the axial pole piece extends beyond the magnet body toward the magnetic sensor element.

5. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 4 , wherein the magnetic sensor element is positioned at a distance of between 2.2 and 2.7 millimeters from the magnet assembly.

6. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 4 ,
wherein the sensor housing has a surface;
wherein when the sensor housing is arranged opposite the target, the surface is positioned between the magnet assembly and the target; and
wherein the magnet assembly is embedded in the sensor housing such that a gap of at least 0.1 millimeters exists between the surface and the magnet assembly.

7. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 4 ,
wherein when the sensor housing is arranged opposite the target, a first pole of the magnet assembly faces the target and a second pole of the magnet assembly faces the magnetic sensor element.

8. A magnetic proximity sensor, comprising:
a target;
a sensor housing arranged opposite the target;
a magnetic sensor element; and
a magnet assembly;
wherein the magnetic sensor element and the magnet assembly are embedded within the sensor housing such that the magnet assembly is positioned between the magnetic sensor element and the target;
wherein the magnet assembly comprises an axial pole piece coaxially positioned within a magnet body; and wherein the axial pole piece extends beyond the magnet body toward the magnetic sensor element.

9. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 8 , wherein the target is a disc having one or more teeth.

10. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic sensor element is positioned at a distance of between 2.2 and 2.7 millimeters from the magnet assembly.

11. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 8 ,
wherein the sensor housing has a surface;
wherein the surface is positioned between the magnet assembly and the target; and
wherein the magnet assembly is embedded in the sensor housing such that a gap of at least 0.1 millimeters exists between the surface and the magnet assembly.

12. The magnetic proximity sensor of claim 8 ,
wherein a first pole of the magnet assembly faces the target and a second pole of the magnet assembly faces the magnetic sensor element.

Assignees

• Zwijze Albert Ferdinand
• Sogge Dale Reed
• Sensata Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Zwijze Albert Ferdinand
• Sogge Dale Reed

Classifications

• G01D5/145 Primary

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

• G01R33/0005

  Geometrical arrangement of magnetic sensor elements; Apparatus combining different magnetic sensor types (G01R33/0206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01D5/142 Primary

  using Hall-effect devices (measuring magnetic variables using Hall-effect or other galvanomagnetic devices G01R33/06) · CPC title

• G01R33/072

  Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications · CPC title

• G01R33/07

  Hall effect devices · CPC title