Torque angle sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500543-B2
Application number	US-201514755843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	May 17, 2012
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A torque angle sensor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a torque sensor unit and an angle sensor unit at a housing centrally arranged with a rotation shaft, the torque sensor unit including a stator installed inside the housing, a torque magnet rotatably installed at a center of the stator in conjunction with rotary operation of the rotation shaft, a collector installed at the housing to transmit a magnetic field of the torque magnet, a magnetic device module formed with an individually operating first magnetic device and a second magnetic device in one package to detect the magnetic field transmitted by the collector, and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with the magnetic device module, wherein the PCB is arranged to a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the rotation shaft and installed at a distal end with the magnetic device module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque angle sensor, the torque angle sensor comprising:
a housing; and
a torque sensor unit disposed within the housing,
wherein the torque sensor unit comprises:
a torque magnet;
a stator disposed at an outer side of the torque magnet;
a collector configured to collect a change of magnetic field in response to rotations of the torque magnet;
a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) disposed at a lateral side of the torque magnet; and
a magnetic device module coupled to the PCB and configured to detect the change of magnetic field collected by the collector;
wherein one portion of the collector is connected with the magnetic device module and another portion of the collector is disposed at an outer side of the stator;
wherein the magnetic device module comprises a first magnetic device and a second magnetic device, the first magnetic device and the second magnetic device are individually operating and disposed within one package;
wherein the collector includes an upper collector arranged at an upper side of the stator, and a bottom collector arranged at a bottom side of the stator;
wherein the upper collector is integrally formed with a first transmission member surface-contacted with an upper surface of the magnetic device module; and
wherein the bottom collector is integrally formed with a second transmission member surface-contacted with a bottom surface of the magnetic device module.

2. The torque angle sensor of claim 1 ,
wherein the upper and bottom collectors are symmetrically provided.

3. The torque angle sensor of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic device module is provided in any one of an AMR (Anisotropic Magnetoresistive) IC and a Hall IC.

4. The torque angle sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic device and the second magnetic device are spaced apart at a predetermined distance, and
wherein the predetermined distance is greater than a width of the first magnetic device or a width of the second magnetic device.

5. The torque angle sensor of claim 1 , further comprising an angle sensor disposed within the housing, and
wherein the angle sensor comprises:
a main gear rotating in conjunction with a rotation of the rotation shaft formed with a steering input shaft and an output shaft coupled to a center of the rotation shaft;
a first sub gear gear-coupled to the main gear; and
a second sub gear gear-coupled to any one of the main gear and the first sub gear, and
wherein the second sub gear is rotated in a range of four to eight rotations, when the main gear is rotated one rotation.

6. The torque angle sensor of claim 5 , wherein the revolution ratio between the main gear and the first sub gear is 1:3.7778.

7. The torque angle sensor of claim 5 , wherein a number of teeth at the main gear is 68, a number of teeth at the first sub gear is 18, and a number of teeth at the second sub gear is 17.

8. The torque angle sensor of claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a main housing installed with the main gear, and a sub housing protrusively formed at an end of the main housing and installed with the first and second sub gears.

9. The torque angle sensor of claim 5 , wherein the first and second sub gears are installed with a magnet, and a surface of the sub housing opposite to the magnet installed at the first and second sub gears is provided with a magnetic device provided in any one of an AMR (Anisotropic Magnetoresistive) IC and a Hall IC detecting magnetic force of the magnet.

10. An Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system, the EPS comprising:
a housing; and
a torque sensor unit disposed within the housing,
wherein the torque sensor unit comprises;
a torque magnet;
a stator disposed at an outer side of the torque magnet;
a collector configured to collect a change of magnetic field in response to rotations of the torque magnet;
a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) disposed at a lateral side of the torque magnet; and
a magnetic device module coupled to the PCB and configured to detect the change of magnetic field collected by the collector,
wherein one portion of the collector is connected with the magnetic device module and another portion of the collector is disposed at an outer side of the stator;
wherein the magnetic device module comprises a first magnetic device and a second magnetic device, the first magnetic device and the second magnetic device are individually operating and disposed within one package;
wherein the collector includes an upper collector arranged at an upper side of the stator, and a bottom collector arranged at a bottom side of the stator;
wherein the upper collector is integrally formed with a first transmission member surface-contacted with an upper surface of the magnetic device module; and
wherein the bottom collector is integrally formed with a second transmission member surface-contacted with a bottom surface of the magnetic device module.

Assignees

• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Chang Hwan
• Lee Young Wuk
• Woo Myung Chul

Classifications

• B62D6/10

  characterised by means for sensing {or determining} torque · CPC title

• B62D15/0215

  by measuring on the steering column · CPC title

• G01B7/30

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

• G01L3/104 Primary

  involving permanent magnets · CPC title

• G01L3/101 Primary

  involving magnetic or electromagnetic means · CPC title