Electric linear actuator with position sensing
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsEric S. Deuel, Shawn W. Lubeno
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electric linear actuator has a housing extending along a longitudinal axis. A spindle is provided in the housing and extends along the longitudinal axis. A rod is coaxially coupled to the spindle and extends from a proximal end located in the housing to a distal end located outside the housing. The rod is movable along the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the spindle. A circuit board is located in the housing adjacent the proximal end of the rod. The circuit board includes a linear inductive sensor having a linear axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis. The linear inductive sensor senses an actual position of the proximal end of the rod.
Claims15
An electric linear actuator comprising:
- a housing extending along a longitudinal axis;
- a spindle provided in the housing and extending along the longitudinal axis;
- a rod, made of a conductive metal, coaxially coupled to the spindle and extending from a proximal end located in the housing to a distal end located outside the housing, the rod being movable along the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the spindle;
- a circuit board located in the housing adjacent the proximal end of the rod, the circuit board comprising a linear inductive sensor having a linear axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a controller in communication with the linear inductive sensor;
- wherein the linear inductive sensor is configured to generate a magnetic field and to sense an actual position of the proximal end of the rod based on a sensed change in the magnetic field due to a presence of the rod;
- wherein the controller is calibrated using sensed values that the linear inductive sensor detects when the rod is in a fully retracted position with respect to the housing and when the rod is in a fully extended position with respect to the housing, and the controller is configured to store a relationship between the sensed values and a relative position of the proximal end of the rod with respect to the fully retracted position or the fully extended position;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to determine the actual position of the proximal end of the rod based on the stored relationship between the sensed values and the relative position of the proximal end of the rod with respect to the fully retracted position or the fully extended position.
An electric linear actuator comprising:
- a housing extending along a longitudinal axis;
- a spindle provided in the housing and extending along the longitudinal axis;
- a rod, made of a conductive metal, coaxially coupled to the spindle and extending from a proximal end located in the housing to a distal end located outside the housing, the rod being movable along the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the spindle;
- a linear inductive sensor coupled to the housing and having a linear axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis;
- a motor configured to rotate the spindle;
- and
- a controller configured to control the motor;
- wherein the linear inductive sensor is configured to generate a magnetic field and to sense an actual position of the proximal end of the rod based on a sensed change in the magnetic field due to a presence of the rod;
- wherein the controller is configured to control the motor based on the actual position of the proximal end of the rod;
- wherein the controller is calibrated using sensed values that the linear inductive sensor detects when the rod is in a fully retracted position with respect to the housing and when the rod is in a fully extended position with respect to the housing, and the controller is configured to store a relationship between the sensed values and a relative position of the proximal end of the rod with respect to the fully retracted position or the fully extended position;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to determine the actual position of the proximal end of the rod based on the stored relationship between the sensed values and the relative position of the proximal end of the rod with respect to the fully retracted position or the fully extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.