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US 2003/0080735 A1Published application
Sensor for detecting defects in a component
AssigneeCegelec
InventorGilbert Wache
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AssigneeCegelec
InventorGilbert Wache
Estimating the term…
A sensor for detecting defects in a component includes an electric coil fed with a varying electrical current to create a varying magnetic field penetrating at least partly into the component under test, and a defect detector including a magnetoresistor. The above components are accommodated in a protective housing having a detection face disposed near and parallel to a surface of the component under test. The coil has its axis Δ perpendicular to the detection face and the magnetoresistor is in the vicinity of the detection face. The magnetoresistor is a giant magnetoresistor and is disposed so that its sensitivity axis Δ1 sensitive to variations in a magnetic field is parallel to the detection face of the housing. The sensor further includes a first permanent magnet disposed so that it magnetically biases the magnetoresistor in the direction of its sensitive axis Δ1 to a value such that the operating point is a point on a curve, representing the output signal of the magnetoresistor as a function of the value of the component of the magnetic field in the direction of the sensitive axis, which is situated in the vicinity of the middle of a substantially rectilinear portion of the curve.
A sensor for detecting defects in a component, said sensor including an electric coil fed with a varying electrical current to create a varying magnetic field penetrating at least partly into said component under test, and defect detector means including a giant magnetoresistor, said components being accommodated in a protective housing having a detection face adapted to be disposed near and parallel to a surface of said component under test, said coil having its axis Δ perpendicular to said detection face, and said magnetoresistor being situated in the vicinity of said detection face and disposed so that its sensitivity axis Δ1 sensitive to variations in a magnetic field is parallel to said detection face of said housing, which sensor further includes a first permanent magnet disposed so that it magnetically biases said giant magnetoresistor in the direction of its sensitive axis Δ1 to a value such that the operating point is a point on a curve, representing the output signal of said giant magnetoresistor as a function of the value of the component of said magnetic field in the direction of said sensitive axis, which is situated in the vicinity of the middle of a substantially rectilinear portion of said curve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.