# US 2018/0023980 A1 · Sensor device having a torque sensor unit and an incremental sensor unit and motor vehicle having such a sensor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023980 A1 - Document ID: US20180023980A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/550,225 - Filed: 2016-02-11 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-12 - Assignees: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH - Applicants: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH - Inventors: Roman Schoepe; Hans-Jörg Liebfried; Ekkehart Fröhlich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023980A1 ## CPC - G01D 5/2451: {Incremental encoders (G01D5/2454 takes precedence)} - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The invention relates to a sensor device (100) having an incremental sensor unit (40, 40′, 40″) for a shaft rotatable about a rotational axis, in particular for a steering shaft of a motor vehicle, wherein the incremental sensor unit (40, 40′, 40″) is designed to acquire at least one defined rotational angle position of the shaft. The incremental sensor unit (40, 40′, 40″) comprises a transmitting element (41, 41″) and a housing-fixed receiving element (42), wherein a signal (MInk_planar) emitted by the transmitting element (41, 41″) and transmitted along a signal path is receivable by the receiving element (42) and it is recognizable on the basis of the signal (MInk_planar) received by the receiving element (42) whether the shaft is located in the defined rotational angle position (δdef) or not. If the shaft reaches the defined rotational angle position (δdef), a signal pulse can be generated. In this case, the transmitting element (41, 41″) is also arranged fixed on the housing, wherein a change of the signal (MInk_planar) can be caused by a rotational movement of the shaft. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle having a sensor device (100). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor device comprising: an incremental sensor unit for a steering shaft of a motor vehicle rotatable about a rotational axis, wherein the incremental sensor unit is for acquiring at least one defined rotational angle position of the shaft and comprises a transmitting element and a housing-fixed receiving element, wherein a signal emitted by the transmitting element and transmitted along a signal path is receivable by the receiving element, wherein it is recognizable on the basis of the signal received by the receiving element whether the shaft is located in the defined rotational angle position or not, wherein the incremental sensor unit is configured to generate a signal pulse upon reaching the defined rotational angle position of the shaft, wherein the transmitting element is arranged fixed on the housing, and wherein a change of the signal received by the receiving element is caused by a rotational movement of the shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the incremental sensor unit comprises a shielding element, which is coupled in a rotationally-fixed manner to the shaft and extends outward in the radial direction, wherein the shielding element influences the signal transmitted from the transmitting element to the receiving element as a function of a rotational angle position of the shaft so that a change of the signal received by the receiving element is caused by a rotational movement of the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting element and the receiving element are arranged spaced apart from one another in the axial direction in parallel planes, wherein the shielding element is coupled to the shaft such that the shielding element is movable in the circumferential direction, through between the transmitting element and the receiving element, by a rotational movement of the shaft between the planes in which the transmitting element and the receiving element are arranged. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the shielding element, upon reaching the defined rotational angle position of the shaft, extends into the signal path between the transmitting element of the incremental sensor unit and the receiving element (42) of the incremental sensor unit and interrupts the signal path between the transmitting element and the receiving element, wherein the shielding element can be is coupled to the shaft at a position in the circumferential direction associated with the defined rotational angle position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the shielding element, outside the defined rotational angle position of the shaft, extends into the signal path between the transmitting element of the incremental sensor unit and the receiving element of the incremental sensor unit and interrupts the signal path between the transmitting element and the receiving element, wherein the shielding element is coupled to the shaft at a position in the circumferential direction associated with the defined rotational angle position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the shielding element is a ring-disk-shaped segment, wherein the shielding element is a wing which is coupled to the shaft at a position associated with the defined rotational angle position or a ring disk open in the circumferential direction having a position of the opening of the ring disk in the circumferential direction associated with the defined rotational angle position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting element is a permanent magnet, and the receiving element is a Hall sensor, wherein the shielding element is made ferromagnetic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the magnetic sensor of the incremental sensor unit is configured as insensitive in the axial direction and sensitive in the tangential and/or radial direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the magnet forming the transmitting element of the incremental sensor unit is bipolar, wherein the magnet is formed in a disk shape. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The sensor device according to claim 7, wherein a partition plane which separates poles (N, S) of the magnet of the incremental sensor unit is oriented in the radial direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the partition plane for pole separation of the poles (N, S) of the magnet of the incremental sensor unit is oriented at an angle in relation to the radial direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting element is a light source and the receiving element is a light sensor, wherein the shielding element is made opaque and shading of the light sensor is caused by the shielding element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting element and the receiving element are each formed by at least one inductive coil, wherein the shielding element is made metallic and inductive coupling of the transmitting element with the receiving element is influenced by the shielding element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device further comprises a torque sensor unit, wherein the torque sensor unit is configured to acquire a torque applied to a shaft having a first part and a second part which can be twisted in relation to the first part, wherein the first and the second parts of the shaft are connected to one another by a torsion bar. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sensor device according to claim 14, wherein the torque sensor unit comprises a ring magnet connectable in a rotationally-fixed manner to the first part of the shaft, a housing-fixed torque magnetic sensor, and a stator connectable in a rotationally-fixed manner to the second part of the shaft for conducting a magnetic flux from the ring magnet to the torque magnetic sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The sensor device according to claim 15, wherein the shielding element of the incremental sensor unit is connected in a rotationally-fixed manner to the stator of the torque sensor unit, wherein the shielding element is fastened on a stator holder. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A motor vehicle comprising: a steering shaft; and a sensor device as claimed in claim 1 for acquiring at least one defined rotational angle position of the steering shaft.