Patent ID: 7088095
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: G01D

Abstract:
1. A magnetic linear displacement sensor comprising: a Hall element having a sensor plate surface; and at least one magnet having a lengthwise dimension along which said Hall element detects a magnetic field component orthogonal to the sensor plate surface during displacement sensing, said magnet comprising first and second pole faces disposed on opposite lengthwise sides thereof and having a polarization axis aligned orthogonally with respect to the lengthwise dimension, said first pole face opposing said Hall element and having a non-planar surface contoured to generate a substantially linear orthogonal magnetic field component sensed by said Hall element during linear displacement sensing, wherein the surface contour of the first pole face is bounded at the ends of the lengthwise dimension of said magnet by lateral edges, such that the contour of the first pole face is characterized as generally sloping upward from each of the lateral edges and peaking at approximately the midpoint between the lateral edge; and wherein the contour of the first pole face slopes upward from each of the lateral edges in a convex manner.