Rotary position sensor

摘要

A sensor assembly for sensing a movable object which, in one embodiment, includes a housing defining an interior cavity. A rotor is retained in the cavity. The rotor defines a central bore and a magnet is mounted in an off-center pocket defined by the rotor. The rotor is coupled to the shaft of the movable object whose position is to be measured. A sensor is also retained in the cavity in a relationship at least partially overlying the magnet and adapted to sense at least the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet to generate an electrical signal indicative of the position of the movable object. In another embodiment, the rotor and sensor are mounted in separate interior housing cavities separated by an interior housing wall.

主权项

1. A sensor assembly for sensing the position of a movable object, comprising:
a housing defining an interior cavity; a sensor located in the housing; a rotor located and rotatable in the cavity, the rotor including a collar defining a bore and a rotational axis for the rotor and the collar being adapted to receive a shaft, the sensor being located in the housing in a horizontally spaced and off-axis relationship relative to the rotational axis of the rotor; a magnet located in a cavity defined in the rotor, the magnet and the cavity being located on the rotor in a horizontally spaced and off-axis relationship relative to the collar and the rotational axis of the rotor and the magnet and the sensor being located in a vertically overlying and spaced relationship relative to each other; and the magnet and the sensor being movable relative to each other and the sensor being adapted to sense the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field and generate an electrical signal in response to the magnetic field sensed by the sensor.