Patent ID: 8890514
Filing Date: 2014-11-18
Classification: B62D,G01B,G01D

Abstract:
1. A magnetic position sensor comprising: at least a magnetized unit having multiple magnetic periods; a first magnetosensitive probe; and a second magnetosensitive probe, the first and second magnetosensitive probes being stationary relative to each other; the magnetized unit being movable with respect to the first and second magnetosensitive probes over a displacement travel and having an absolute position at each instant; the magnetized unit producing, in the vicinity of the first magnetosensitive probe, a magnetic field having, on the one hand, a normal component and, on the other hand, at least one tangential or transverse component varying sinusoidally and periodically over N periods distributed over the displacement travel, N being a number greater than 1; the first magnetosensitive probe being capable of measuring at least two of the three components of the magnetic field so as to determine a first datum indicative of the position of the magnetized unit relative to any one magnetic period of the multiple magnetic periods; and the second magnetosensitive probe being capable of measuring, in an absolute, incremental and reversible manner, a number of complete rotations of the magnetic field so as to determine a second datum indicative of the magnetized unit being positioned within one particular magnetic period of the multiple magnetic periods, whether or not this second magnetosensitive probe is powered, and the sensor including a circuit for calculating the absolute position of the magnetized unit from the first datum and the second datum.