Sensor arrangement and method for determining a position and/or a change in the position of a measurement object

Abstract

A sensor arrangement for determining a position and/or a change in the position of a measurement object is described, wherein the sensor arrangement has a magnet and a magnetic field sensor which can be moved relative to one another in a direction of movement. The magnet generates a magnetic field. Movements of the magnet and of the measurement object or movements of the magnetic field sensor and of the measurement object are coupled. To achieve the greatest possible measurement range with a characteristic curve which is as linear as possible at the same time, the sensor arrangement comprises a rod-shaped body which is made from a ferromagnetic material and has a considerably larger dimension in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction. A relative movement takes place between the rod-shaped body and the magnet, wherein the rod-shaped body can be connected to the magnet. The magnetic field from the magnet is at least partially directed in the direction of the magnetic field sensor. In this case, the rod-shaped body is arranged parallel to the direction of movement. The magnetic field sensor is arranged on a longitudinal side of the rod-shaped body and is configured to generate a measurement signal from a portion of the magnetic field which emerges from the rod-shaped body at the magnetic field sensor. As a result, the position and/or change in the position of the measurement object can be determined from the measurement signal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.