Double-coil inductive proximity sensor apparatus
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAnatoly Grinberg, Wayne R. Foster
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and/or methods are provided for a dual-channel inductive proximity sensor. The sensor can include a sensing element which includes a core having a first cavity and a second cavity, a first coil accommodated within the first cavity of the core, and a second coil housed within the second cavity of the core. Each coil can be independently driven by oscillators to generate respective magnetic fields. The magnetic fields can be monitored to determine whether detection of a target object occurs.
Claims20
An inductive proximity sensor, comprising:
- a first inductor coupled to a first oscillator, the first oscillator configured to excite the first inductor with a first wave signal to generate a first magnetic field;
- a second inductor coupled to a second oscillator, the second oscillator configured to drive the second inductor with a second wave signal to generate a second magnetic field;
- a core configured to house the first inductor and the second inductor;and
- a set of detection components configured to monitor the first oscillator and the second oscillator to identify whether the inductive proximity sensor detects a target object.
A method, comprising:
- driving a first coil of a proximity sensing device to generate a first magnetic field;
- driving a second coil of the proximity sensing device to generate a second magnetic field;
- monitoring the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field wherein the monitoring the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field comprises monitoring respective voltage levels of respective oscillators associated with the first and second coils:
- and
- identifying dampening of at least one of the first magnetic field or the second magnetic field.
An inductive proximity sensor, comprising:
- a first inductor coupled to a first oscillator, the first oscillator configured to excite the first inductor with a first wave signal to generate a first magnetic field;
- a second inductor coupled to a second oscillator, the second oscillator configured to drive the second inductor with a second wave signal to generate a second magnetic field;
- and
- a set of detection components configured to monitor the first oscillator and the second oscillator to identify whether the inductive proximity sensor detects a target object, wherein the set of detection components determines respective voltage levels associated with the first oscillator and the second oscillator.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations, comprising:
- driving a first coil of a proximity sensing device to generate a first magnetic field;
- driving a second coil of the proximity sensing device to generate a second magnetic field;
- monitoring the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field, wherein the monitoring the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field comprises monitoring respective voltage levels of respective oscillators associated with the first and second coils;
- identifying dampening of at least one of the first magnetic field or the second magnetic field.
A system, comprising:
- means for driving a first coil of a proximity sensing device to generate a first magnetic field;
- means for driving a second coil of the proximity sensing device to generate a second magnetic field;
- means for monitoring the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field, wherein the monitoring the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field comprises monitoring respective voltage levels of respective oscillators associated with the first and second coils;
- means for identifying dampening of at least one of the first magnetic field or the second magnetic field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.