Patent ID: 9080895
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: G01D

Abstract:
1. A magnetic rotational position sensor assembly for measurement of a rotational angular position of a rotating structure, comprising: a shaft member extending along a primary rotational axis, said shaft member structured and configured for primary rotational movement about said primary rotational axis in response to rotation of the rotating structure; a motion conversion member operatively engaged with said shaft member, said motion conversion member structured and configured to transform said primary rotational movement of said shaft member into secondary movement of said motion conversion member different from said primary rotational movement; a magnet member secured to said motion conversion member, said magnet member structured and configured for displacement along a travel path in response to said secondary movement of said motion conversion member; and a non-contact magnetic sensor structured and configured to sense a change in position of said magnet member by sensing a corresponding variation in a magnetic field generated by said magnet member during said displacement of said magnet member along said travel path in response to said rotation of the rotating structure, said non-contact magnetic sensor generating an output signal representative of a relative rotational angular position of the rotating structure; said shaft member comprises a first gear member structured and configured for rotation about said primary rotational axis; said motion conversion member comprises a second gear member structured and configured for rotation about a secondary rotational axis laterally offset from said primary rotational axis, said second gear member intermeshingly engaged with said first gear member; and said primary rotational movement of said first gear member rotationally drives said second gear member and reduces said primary rotational movement of said first gear member about said primary rotational axis into secondary rotational movement of said second gear member about said secondary rotational axis; said magnet member is rotationally displaced along a circumferential travel path extending about said secondary rotational axis in response to said secondary rotational movement of said second gear member; and said non-contact magnetic sensor senses said change in position of said magnet member along said circumferential travel path in response to said rotation of the rotating structure and generates an output signal representative of said relative rotational angular position of the rotating structure, wherein said non-contact magnetic sensor is arranged generally along and intersected by said secondary rotational axis.