Angular-position sensor

An apparatus, comprising:

• a support structure;
• a first sense coil comprising a first electrically-conductive material arranged at the support structure to define a first continuous path for a first electrical current to flow between a first location and a second location, the first continuous path comprising:
• a number of respective first path portions defining respective generally-clockwise paths for the first electrical current to flow around a number of respective first axes;
• and
• a number of respective second path portions defining respective generally-counter-clockwise paths for the first electrical current to flow around a number of respective second axes, the number of respective first path portions and the number of respective second path portions of the first continuous path alternatingly circumferentially arranged around a central axis;
• and
• a second sense coil comprising a second electrically-conductive material arranged at the support structure to define a second continuous path for a second electrical current to flow between a third location and a fourth location, the second continuous path comprising:
• a number of respective first path portions defining respective generally-clockwise paths for the second electrical current to flow around a number of respective third axes;
• and
• a number of respective second path portions defining respective generally-counter-clockwise paths for the second electrical current to flow around a number of respective fourth axes, the number of respective first path portions and the number of respective second path portions of the second continuous path alternatingly circumferentially arranged around the central axis,
• wherein the respective first path portions and the respective second path portions of the first continuous path and of the second continuous path respectively comprise a respective inner-circumferential portion and a respective outer-circumferential portion, the respective inner-circumferential portions located closer to the central axis than the respective outer-circumferential portions, respective radiuses of curvature of the respective inner-circumferential portions being greater than a respective radiuses of curvature of the outer-circumferential portions.

An apparatus comprising:

• a support structure;
• an electrically-conductive material arranged at the support structure to define a continuous path for an electrical current to flow between a first location and a second location, the continuous path comprising:
• a first path portion defining a first generally-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around a first axis;
• a second path portion defining a first generally-counter-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around a second axis;
• a third path portion defining a second generally-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around a third axis;
• a fourth path portion defining a second generally-counter-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around a fourth axis;
• the first path portion, the second path portion, the third path portion, and the fourth path portion circumferentially arranged substantially in a first plane around a central axis, the third path portion opposite the first path portion and the fourth path portion opposite the second path portion;
• respective ones of the first path portion, the second path portion, the third path portion, and the fourth path portion including a first inner-circumferential portion and a first outer-circumferential portion, the first inner-circumferential portion located closer to the central axis than the first outer-circumferential portion, a radius of curvature of the first inner-circumferential portion being greater than a radius of curvature of the first outer-circumferential portion;
• a fifth path portion defining a third generally-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around the first axis;
• a sixth path portion defining a third generally-counter-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around the second axis;
• a seventh path portion defining a fourth generally-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around the third axis;
• an eighth path portion defining a fourth generally-counter-clockwise path for the electrical current to flow around the fourth axis;
• the fifth path portion, the sixth path portion, the seventh path portion, and the eighth path portion circumferentially arranged substantially in a second plane around the central axis, the seventh path portion opposite the fifth path portion and the eighth path portion opposite the sixth path portion;
• and
• respective ones of the fifth path portion, the sixth path portion, the seventh path portion, and the eighth path portion including a second inner-circumferential portion and a second outer-circumferential portion, the second inner-circumferential portion located closer to the central axis than the second outer-circumferential portion, a radius of curvature of the second inner-circumferential portion being greater than a radius of curvature of the second outer-circumferential portion;
• and
• an oscillator coil arranged around the central axis;
• a target arranged to rotate about the central axis;
• and
• an integrated circuit to generate an output signal indicative of an angular position of the target.