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US 11,519,757 B2Granted
System and method for determining angular position in rotating machines
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsJoel Wagner, Michael Ezzell, Anthony Cline, William Taylor, Jon Gilreath, Ronald E. Strong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for determining angular position in rotating machines. A repeating sequence of segments are arranged in a track disposed at a diameter around a shaft of a rotor that rotates about an axis. A sensor is positioned to face the track and is fixed relative to the stator. The track and the sensor face to each other, which may be in directions that are parallel to the axis. The sensor generates an output that is decoupled from the diameter of the track and is related to the repeating sequence of segments.
Claims19
A system for determining angular position comprising:
- a first body including a shaft, a flat disk having a circumference, and a track having segments arranged around the shaft at a diameter of the track in a repeating sequence, the track located on the disk, the segments defined by ridges and grooves alternating around and extending from the circumference, the ridges being spiral shaped and identical, wherein a ridge-groove pair of the ridges and grooves defines one of the segments;
- and a second body, including a sensor facing the track, wherein the first and second bodies rotate relative to each other about an axis, wherein the track includes a height in each of the segments between a peak of a respective one of the ridges of the respective segment and a bottom of a respective one of the grooves of the respective segment,
- wherein the track and the sensor face each other;
- wherein the sensor is configured to generate an output that is decoupled from the diameter of the track and is related to the repeating sequence of segments,
- wherein an amplitude of the output is related to the height,
- wherein a period of the output is related to the repeating sequence of segments, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.
3 more elements
A method for determining angular position comprising:
- arranging a flat disk having a repeating sequence of segments in a track disposed at a diameter around a shaft of a first body, the disk having a circumference, the segments defined by ridges and grooves alternating around and extending from the circumference, the ridges being spiral shaped and identical, with a ridge-groove pair of the ridges and grooves defining one of the segments, the track including a height in each of the segments between a peak of a respective one of the ridges of the respective segment and a bottom of a respective one of the grooves of the respective segment;
- positioning a sensor on a second body, the sensor facing the track;
- configuring the first and second bodies to rotate relative to each other about an axis;
- mounting the track and the sensor to face each other;
- generating, by the sensor, an output that is decoupled from the diameter of the track, has an amplitude related to the height, and has a period related to a number of the repeating sequence of segments, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.
2 more elements
A system for determining angular position of an electrical machine, the system comprising:
- a rotor including a shaft, a flat disk having a circumference, and a track having segments arranged around the shaft at a diameter of the track in a repeating sequence, the track located on the disk, the segments defined by ridges and grooves alternating around and extending from the circumference, the ridges being spiral shaped and identical, wherein a ridge-groove pair of the ridges and grooves defines one of the segment, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about an axis, wherein the track includes a height in each of the segments between a peak of a respective one of the ridges of the respective segment and a bottom of a respective one of the grooves of the respective segment;
- a stator of the electrical machine;
- and
- a printed circuit board assembly stationary relative to the stator, the printed circuit board assembly encircling the shaft, including driver electronics of the electrical machine, and including a sensor facing the track,
- wherein the track and the sensor face each other in directions that are parallel to the axis,
- wherein the sensor is configured to generate an output that is decoupled from the diameter of the track and is related to the repeating sequence of segments,
- wherein a period of the output is related to the repeating sequence of the segments, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.