Patent ID: 9696183
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: G01D

Claim:
1. An angular position detector comprising: a cylindrical rotor having an axis of rotation, the cylindrical rotor further including a first ring comprising a plurality of alternating teeth and valleys, a first first-ring magnetic sensor having a sensor surface facing the first ring and spaced from the rotor by a first gap, the first first-ring magnetic sensor being configured to produce a first signal in response to movement of the first ring past the first first-ring magnetic sensor; a second first-ring magnetic sensor having a sensor surface facing the first ring and spaced from the rotor by a second gap, the second first-ring magnetic sensor being configured to produce a second signal in response to movement of the first ring past the second first-ring magnetic sensor, the second first-ring magnetic sensor being circumferentially offset from the first first-ring magnetic sensor by a first angle; and a controller operatively connected to the first and second first-ring magnetic sensors and configured to produce a first output signal based on the first and second signals wherein the rotor includes a second ring comprising a plurality of alternating teeth and valleys axially adjacent the first ring; the angular position detector further including: a first second-ring magnetic sensor facing the second ring and spaced from the second ring by a first space, the first second-ring magnetic sensor being configured to produce a third signal in response to movement of the second ring past the first second-ring magnetic sensor; a second second-ring magnetic sensor facing the second ring and spaced from the second ring by a second space, the second second-ring magnetic sensor being configured to produce a fourth signal in response to movement of the second ring past the second second-ring magnetic sensor, the second second-ring magnetic sensor being circumferentially offset from the first second-ring magnetic sensor by a second angle; wherein the controller is operatively connected to the first and second second-ring magnetic sensors, and wherein the plurality of teeth of the first ring are axially aligned with the plurality of valleys of the second ring.