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US 5,314,036 AGranted
Steering angle sensor
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsShinji Kato, Soya Takagi, Akio Sato, Mizuho Sugiyama, Yuji Yokoya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steering angle sensor for accurately detecting the steering angle of a vehicle, which has a signal pattern based on partial changes of the electromagnetic characteristics formed at part of the steering rack bar of the steering gear box and reads the same by a signal detector provided opposing the steering rack bar so as to detect the absolute position of the steering rack bar.
Claims8
A steering angle sensor for a vehicle, comprising:
- a steering gear box having a steering rack bar for changing the steering angle of wheels subjected to a steering operation in a vehicle,
- a signal pattern formed as a plurality of discrete spots on said steering rack bar and having detectable electromagnetic characteristics, said pattern extending along the length of said steering rack bar, wherein a longitudinal density of said spots changes progressively in a direction of measurement extending along the length of said pattern, and
- a signal detector, provided at a position opposing said steering rack bar for sensing said steering angle of the wheels subjected to a steering operation by said steering rack bar, reading said signal pattern and detecting the absolute position of said steering rack bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.