Micro magnetic proximity sensor apparatus and sensing method

Micro magnetic position sensor apparatus comprising:

• a mounting substrate;
• a magnet generating a magnetic field with magnetic field lines fixed adjacent the substrate;
• a fixed contact mounted on the substrate;
• a cantilever including magnetic material positioned in the cantilever to produce a torque on the cantilever in the magnetic field, the torque tending to align the cantilever with magnetic field lines in the magnetic field;
• and
• the cantilever being mounted on the substrate so as to provide the cantilever with a first position in electrical connection with the fixed contact and a second position in electrical disconnect with the fixed contact, the cantilever further being mounted in the magnetic field so as to be normally in the second position and movable to the first position when the magnetic field lines in the magnetic field are altered relative to the cantilever to produce the torque on the cantilever tending to move the cantilever to the first position.

Micro magnetic position sensor apparatus comprising:

• a magnet generating a magnetic field with magnetic field lines;
• a mounting substrate;
• first and second fixed contacts mounted on the substrate;
• a cantilever including magnetic material positioned in the cantilever to produce a torque on the cantilever in the magnetic field, the torque tending to align the cantilever with magnetic field lines in the magnetic field;
• and
• the cantilever being mounted on the substrate to provide the cantilever with a first position in electrical connection with the first fixed contact, a second position in electrical disconnect with the first and second fixed contacts, and a third position in electrical connection with the second fixed contact, the cantilever further being mounted so as to be normally in the second position and movable to one of the first and third positions;
• and
• a magnet movably mounted external and adjacent to the substrate for movement between first, second and third positions relative to the cantilever and movement of the magnet relative to the cantilever alters the magnetic field lines of the magnetic field relative to the cantilever, the cantilever being torqued to the first position when the magnet is moved to the first position, to the second position when the magnet is moved to the second position, and to the third position when the magnet is moved to the third position.