Magnetic sensor system
AssigneeHamlin Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
InventorSeong-Jae Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein are improved magnetic sensor systems for use in linear measurement systems. A magnetic sensor can be positioned offset from a center line positioned between two magnets. The two magnets can be oriented so as to provide opposite polarities. As the magnetic sensor traverses a path parallel to the magnets and parallel to the center line, the sensor can detect a magnetic flux density provided by the two magnets. Offsetting the magnetic sensor from the center line can improve the linear range of the magnetic sensor, thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of an output signal generated by the magnetic sensor based on the detected magnetic flux density.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first magnet,
- a second magnet, the second magnet separated from the first magnet by a gap distance;
- and
- a magnetic sensor movable along a sensor line, the sensor line offset from and parallel to a center line positioned between and parallel to the first and second magnets, wherein the magnetic sensor generates an output signal based on a magnetic flux density provided by the first and second magnets along the sensor line;
- wherein the sensor line is offset in a direction perpendicular to a plane that contains, and that is parallel to, the center line and that bisects, and is parallel to longitudinal axes of, the first and second magnets.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first magnet,
- a second magnet, the second magnet separated from the first magnet by a gap distance;
- a first magnetic sensor;
- and
- a second magnetic sensor, the first magnetic sensor positioned along a first sensor line, the first sensor line offset from and parallel to a center line positioned between and parallel to the first and second magnets, the second magnetic sensor positioned along a second sensor line, the second sensor line offset from and parallel to the center line and on a side of the center line opposite the first sensor line, wherein the first and second magnetic sensors each generate an output signal based on a magnetic flux density provided by the first and second magnets along the first and second sensor lines, respectively;
- wherein positions of the first and second magnets relative to the first and second magnetic sensors can be varied by at least one of:
- moving the first and second magnetic sensors in unison along the first and second sensor lines;
- and
- moving the first and second magnets in unison along paths parallel to the first and second sensor lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.