Variable reluctance position sensor

A variable reluctance position sensor comprising:

• a first element comprising a plurality of magnetic sensor sections equidistantly successively, and
• a second element moveable with respect to the first element and comprising an air-gap surface having a periodically meandering profile with at least two spatial meandering periods,
• wherein:
• each of the magnetic sensor sections is configured to conduct a magnetic flux to and from the second element via the airgap surface of the second element, and
• the magnetic sensor sections comprise excitation coils, first detection coils configured to produce a first alternating output signal when alternating excitation signal is supplied to the excitation coils, and second detection coils configured to produce a second alternating output signal when the alternating excitation signal is supplied to the excitation coils, amplitudes of the first and second alternating output signals being dependent on a position of the second element with respect to the first element so that envelopes of the first and second alternating output signals have a phase-shift with respect to each other,
• wherein a number N of the magnetic sensor sections of the first element is:
• N=1+n P2/P1,
• where P1 is a spatial shift between successive ones of the magnetic sensor sections, P2 is the spatial meandering period of the profile of the airgap surface of the second element, P2/P1 is an integer greater than one, and n is a positive integer.