Velocity sensor which senses differential velocity by sensing changes in magnetic flux

A velocity sensor comprising:

• means for generating a flux field;
• means for splitting said flux field into multiple flux paths, said means for splitting said flux including a plurality of pole pieces linked so that movement of one of said plurality of pole pieces along a sensitive degree of freedom clauses corresponding motion of the remaining pole piece or pole pieces to maintain a constant flux flow to said means for generating a flux field, each pole piece being disposed in a respective flux path for relative movement along said sensitive degree of freedom, each of said pole pieces being dimensioned and positioned in the respective flux path so that the magnitude of flux flowing through the respective flux path is sensitive to movement of the respective pole piece along said sensitive degree of freedom while being generally insensitive to movement of the respective pole piece in other degrees of freedom;
• said means for splitting said flux further including a core having a spine, an inner leg and a plurality of outer legs, said inner leg including said means for generating a flux, each of said outer legs being associated with one of said multiple flux paths;
• and
• flux responsive means respectively associated with each of said flux paths for generating a signal indicative of the rate of change of flux through the respective flux path thereby to indicate the velocity of the respective pole piece along said sensitive degree of freedom.

A velocity sensor comprising:

• an E-shaped core member including a magnet for creating a magnetic flux field, said E-shaped core having a central leg and first and second outer legs;
• a first pole piece disposed between said central leg and said first outer leg, said first pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said central leg and said first outer leg;
• a second pole piece disposed between said central leg and said second outer leg, said second pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said central leg and said second outer leg;
• means for interconnecting said first and second pole pieces for equal but opposite movement along a sensitive axis;
• first and second oppositely-wound, series-connected coils each respectively associated with respective flux return paths formed by said first and second outer legs for generating a voltage indicative of sensed velocity;
• whereby said velocity sensor is sensitive to differential velocity along said sensing axis while being generally insensitive to velocities in other degrees of freedom.

A velocity sensor comprising:

• an core member having a generally rectangular frame,
• a magnet extending from one side of said rectangular frame;
• a forked member extending from said magnet, said forked member including first and second portions extending toward a central portion of said rectangular frame;
• first and second legs extending from a side of said rectangular frame, ends of said at first and second portions of said forked member being juxtaposed with respective ends of said first and second legs;
• a first pole piece disposed between said first portion of said forked member and said first leg, said first pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said end of said first portion of said forked member and said first leg;
• a second pole piece disposed between said second portion of said forked member and said second leg, said second pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said end of said second portion of said forked member and said second leg, said first and second pole pieces being interconnected for movement along a sensitive axis;
• first and second oppositely-wound, series-connected coils each respectively associated with respective flux return paths formed by said first and second legs and said first and second portions of said forked member for generating a voltage indicative of sensed velocity;
• whereby said velocity sensor is sensitive to velocity along said sensing axis while being generally insensitive to velocities in other degrees of freedom.

A velocity sensor comprising:

• a generally S-shaped core member having a primary leg including a magnet and first and second secondary legs;
• a first pole piece disposed between said primary leg and said first secondary leg, said first pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said primary leg and said first secondary leg;
• a second pole piece disposed between said primary leg and said second secondary leg, said second pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said primary leg and said second secondary leg, said first and second pole members being interconnected for movement along a sensitive axis;
• first and second oppositely-wound, series-connected coils each respectively associated with respective flux return paths formed by said first and second secondary legs and said primary leg for generating a voltage indicative of sensed velocity;
• whereby said velocity sensor is sensitive to velocity along said sensing axis while being generally insensitive to velocities in other degrees of freedom.

A velocity sensor comprising:

• a generally H-shaped core member having a primary leg having a magnet, said primary leg connected to and extending between opposed first and second secondary legs;
• a first pole piece disposed between said first and second secondary legs in a region adjacent a first side of said primary leg, said first pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said first and second secondary legs;
• a second pole piece disposed between said first and second secondary legs in a region adjacent a second side of said primary leg opposite said first side, said second pole piece having a width that is generally wider than the width of said first and second secondary legs, said first and second pole members being interconnected for movement along a sensitive axis;
• first and second oppositely-wound, series-connected coils each respectively associated with respective flux return paths formed by said first and second secondary legs for generating a voltage indicative of sensed velocity;
• whereby said velocity sensor is sensitive to sensed velocity along said sensing axis while being generally insensitive to velocities in other degrees of freedom.