Off-road vehicle with redundant non-contact multi-revolution angle sensor

Device for determining the angular displacement of a rotating object, comprising:

• a cam configured to rotate about an axis at an identical angular speed as the object;
• a first sensor proximal to a facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the first sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam;
• a second sensor proximal to the facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the second sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam;
• and
• a processor operably connected with the first and second sensors and configured to determine an angular position of the object and a direction of rotation of the object based upon data generated by the first and/or the second sensor,
• wherein the distance between the facing outer surface of the cam and each of the first and second sensors in a first rotational direction of the cam changes gradually over a first portion of the outer surface and sharply reverses over a second portion of the outer surface;
• and
• wherein the processor is configured to determine the angular position of the object and a direction of rotation of the object based upon data generated by only the first sensor when the second portion passes the second sensor and by only the second sensor when the second portion passes the first sensor.

Device for determining the angular displacement of a rotating object, comprising:

• a cam configured to rotate about an axis at an identical angular speed as the object;
• a first sensor proximal to a facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the first sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam;
• a second sensor proximal to the facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the second sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam;
• and
• a processor operably connected with the first and second sensors and configured to determine an angular position of the object and a direction of rotation of the object based upon data generated by the first and/or the second sensor,
• wherein the distance between the facing outer surface of the cam and each of the first and second sensors in a first rotational direction of the cam changes gradually over a first portion of the outer surface and sharply reverses over a second portion of the outer surface;
• and
• wherein the processor is configured to recalibrate the determination of the angular position of the object when the second portion passes the first or second sensor.

Device for determining the angular displacement of a rotating object, comprising:

• a cam configured to rotate about an acis at an identical angular speed as the object;
• a first sensor proximal to a facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the first sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam;
• a second sensor proximal to the facing outer surface of the cam and being configured to determine a distance between the second sensor and the facing outer surface of the cam;
• and
• a processor operably connected with the first and second sensors and configured to determine an angular position of the object and a direction of rotation of the object based upon data generated by the first and/or the second sensor,
• wherein the distance between the facing outer surface of the cam and each of the first and second sensors in a first rotational direction of the cam changes gradually over a first portion of the outer surface and sharply reverses over a second portion of the outer surface;
• and
• wherein the processor is configured to compare the outputs of the first sensor and the second sensor to determine whether the first sensor or the second sensor is malfunctioning.