Steering wheel position sensor

摘要

A method and apparatus for sensing absolute rotative position of a steering wheel. A short section (10) of the steering shaft (12) is threaded and threadably engaged with a nut. The nut includes a sliding bar (16) which carries a magnetic irregularity (18, 18'). A sensor assembly (22) includes a galvanomagnetic sensor (30) mounted within a stationary channel (20). The channel receivably guides axial movement of the sliding bar as the steering shaft is rotated. Since the rotation of the steering shaft translates to axial movement of the sliding bar, and since the galvanomagnetic sensor has an electrical output indicative of axial position of the magnetic irregularity, the exact rotative position of the steering wheel is known from the output of the galvanomagnetic sensor.