Inductive position sensor

An apparatus for determining a part position of a movable part, comprising:

• a transmitter coil, the transmitter coil generating electromagnetic radiation when the transmitter coil is excited by an a source of electrical energy;
• a receiver coil disposed in proximity to the transmitter coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the transmitter coil;
• and
• a coupler element, the coupler element being moveable and having a coupler element position correlated with the part position,
• the coupler element modifying the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is correlated with the part position.
• wherein the transmitter coil includes a first loop configuration and a second loop configuration, the first loop configuration and second loop configuration having opposite winding directions.

An apparatus for determining a part position of a movable part, comprising:

• a transmitter coil, the transmitter coil generating electromagnetic radiation when the transmitter coil is excited by a source of electrical energy;
• a receiver coil disposed in proximity to the transmitter coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to an inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the transmitter coil;
• a reference coil, generating a reference signal when the transmitter coil is excited due to a second inductive coupling between the receiver coil and the reference coil;
• and
• a coupler element, the coupler element being moveable and having a coupler element position correlated with the part position,
• the coupler element modifying the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is correlated with the part position, the reference signal being substantially independent of the coupler element position, the part position being determined using the receiver signal and the reference signal, the reference signal being used to compensate a variation in the receiver signal that is not correlated with the coupler position.