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US 4,614,041 AGranted
Magnetic angular position sensor
AssigneeStandard Telephones and Cables Public Limited Company
InventorsKenneth S. Darton, Johnathan P. Larsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic angular position sensor having a ferrofluid filled spherical chamber in a cylindrical housing, within which floats a body comprising a buoyant core carrying a magnet which aligns itself and the body with the earth's magnetic field, and carrying an odd number of small permanent magnets. Hall effect devices are located in recesses in the ends of the housing. The housing also carries a calibration solenoid.
Claims10
A magnetic angular position sensor comprising a housing having a chamber therein;
- a ballasted body within the chamber, the chamber being filled with a ferrofluid, the body having a pair of magnetic poles and having a substantial neutral buoyancy so that the body floats centrally within the ferrofluid filled chamber with the magnetic poles aligned with the earth's magnetic field;
- magnetic flux detection means attached to the housing at the exterior of the chamber;
- and magnetic flux producing means asymmetrically disposed on the body for interacting with the flux detection means such that the flux detection means is responsive to relative rotation of the body and the housing about an axis passing through the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.