Patent ID: 6474146
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: G01D

Abstract:
A rotary sensor, comprising:a housing having a bearing and a shaft hole; a drive shaft having a flat portion formed on a side thereof adjacent to press against an inner surface of to a forward end of said drive shaft, said drive shaft having a central axis about which said drive shaft rotates; a rotator rotatably disposed within said housing so as to rotate about the central axis of said drive shaft, said rotator having a shaft portion that is rotatably supported by the bearing of said housing, said rotator having a bearing portion that is slidably supported within the shaft hole of said housing, said bearing portion being provided with an engagement hole having an opening into which said forward end of said drive shaft is inserted, said opening having a flat inner wall portion extending in parallel with a central axis of said engagement hole, the flat portion of said drive shaft being disposed against said flat inner wall portion of said engagement hole; an elastic member having an elastic contact portion; and a rotation angle sensing member for detecting a rotation angle of said rotator; wherein said rotator further comprises a groove formed therein, said groove being formed in parallel with the central axis of said engagement hole, said groove being separate from said engagement hole and formed adjacent to the flat inner wall portion of said engagement hole; wherein said flat inner wall portion has an open portion in communication with said engagement hole and with said groove; and wherein said elastic member is affixed to said rotator by being inserted into said groove with said elastic contact portion being projected towards the central axis of said engagement hole through said open portion, said elastic contact portion being in resilient contact with said flat portion of said drive shaft so as to cause an outer surface of said drive shaft to press against an inner surface of said engagement hole.