MAGNETIC POSITION SENSOR

Abstract: In a magnetic detector (6) for receiving a reference posi­ tion signal in movement from an encoder track (41, 41A) and a reference track (42, 42a, 42A) arranged on a member (3, 3A) included in a magnetic position sensor, magnetic pickups re­ spectively confronting to the encoder track and the reference track are provided and both tracks jointly yield a position refer­ ence signal.

Description: The present invention relates to a position sensor and in particular to a magnetic position sensor provided with a reference position of movement. In general, a magnetic position sensor is composed of a combination of a member having an encoder track comprising a plurality of magnets and a stationary magnetic detector. This member is attached to a desired moving device. As the moving device moves, magnetic lines of force produced by a magnet which moves in face to the stationary detector crossing an encoder element provided on the magnetic detector. This encoder element provided in the magnetic detector detects the amount of the movement of the device in the form of the frequency of change in the electromotive force or electrical resistance. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62875/69 (laid open on May 21, 1979) discloses in addition to the encoder track a reference track using a reference magnetic pole for providing a reference position signal of the above described member. As for the quality of this reference position signal, the signal width must be sufficiently narrow and the signal amplitude must be large so that one of signals produced by a plurality of magnets in the above described encoder track may be specified as a standard or reference position. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic position sensor yielding without increasing the number of tracks a position reference signal which is narrow in width as compared with the encoder signal and is large in amplitude for assuring noise immunity. The US-A-4 262 526 concerns a magnetic position sensor having a moving member with an encoder track and a reference track being adjacent to each other, and having a magnetic detector consisting of a first and a second magnetic pickup means which jointly produce a reference signal as the moving member moves. The magnetic position sensor of the present invention is defined in the claims The present invention is best understood by referring to the specification and the following figures, in which Figs. 1 to 9 are provided for explanatory reasons wherein; Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a disk-shaped rotary sensor; Fig. 2A is an enlarged arrangement diagram of a magnetic substance in the rotary sensor; Fig. 2B is an enlarged arrangement diagram of a magnetic detector in the rotary sensor; Fig. 3 is a schematic developed diagram illustrating an expanded arrangement of the magnetic substance and the magnetic detector; Fig. 4 is a diagram of waveforms obtained by using the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 when the rotary sensor is revolved; Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are diagrams of circuits included in the magnetic detector; Fig. 6 is a schematic developed diagram illustrating an of arrangement of a magnetic substance and magnetic detector Fig. 7 is a diagram of a waveform which is obtained by using the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a diagram of a circuit included in the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a pattern diagram illustrating an actual example of arrangement of the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is a diagram of an internal configuration of a first embodiment of a magnetic detector according to the present invention; Fig. 11A and Fig. 11B are a diagrams of circuits in the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a diagram of waveforms obtained by using the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a diagram of a configuration of another embodiment of a drum-shaped rotary sensor according to the present invention; Fig. 14 is a diagram of a configuration of another embodiment of a magnetic detector according to the present invention; and Fig. 15 is a diagram of waveforms obtained by using the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 14. Fig. 1 shows a rotary sensor wherein a magnetic signal is written onto a magnetic substance 4 attached to a rotary member 3 which is mounted on a rotary shaft 2 of a rotating device 1 and revolution of the rotating device 1 is detected as change in resistance value of a magneto-resistor included in a magnetic detector 6 which is attached onto a fixing plate 5 and confronted by the magnetic substance 4 through a small gap. Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B are views of the rotary sensor illustrated in Fig. 1 seen from the rotary shaft direction. Symbols N and S respectively represent an N pole and an S pole of a magnet. These magnets may be replaced by one sheet of magnetic tape which is so magnetized that N poles and S poles may appear alternately. Referring to Fig. 2A, the magnetic detector 6 is composed of an encoding element group 61 for producing signals composed of several ten to several hundred pulses per revolution and a reference element group 62 for producing one reference signal per revolution. In addition, an encoder track 41 composed of a number of magnets and a reference track 42 including one magnet composed of an N pole and an S pole are formed on the magnetic substance 4. And the encoder track 41 confronts the encoding element group 61 and the reference track 42 confronts to the reference element group 62. Fig. 2B shows a reference track 42a having two magnets. Fig. 3 is a schematic enlargement diagram illustrating the pole arrangement in the magnetic substance and the magnetic detector illustrated in Fig. 2A or 2B. In Fig. 3, the same symbol used in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 represents the identical portion. Marks R₁ to R₄ denote magneto-resistors. Magneto-resistors R₁ and R₂ confront the encoder track 41. Magneto-resistors R₃ and R₄ confront the reference track 42. Magneto-resistors R₁ and R₂ are used to obtain an encoder pulse signal. Magneto-resistors R₃ and R₄ are used to obtain a reference pulse signal. In the configuration illustrated in Fig. 3, the magnetic substance 4 attached to the rotary member 3 is moved as indicated by an arrow according to the movement of the rotary member 3. The letter λ denotes a pitch of the recorded signal in the encoder track 41, i.e., wavelength relating to a distance between an S pole and an N pole. The resistance value of a magneto-resistor is lowered when either a rightward or leftward magnetic field between N and S poles crossing the magneto-resistor as illustrated by a broken line in Fig. 3 is applied to the magneto-resistor. If the magnetic substance 4 moves in the direction represented by the above described arrow, resistors R's vary as illustrated by the waveforms of Fig. 4. The resistance value is minimized when the magneto-resistor just confronts to a boundary between an S pole and an N pole. Since the magneto-resistor R₄ is arranged in parallel to the magnetic field, the resistance value of R₄ is not changed. As described later, the magneto-resistor R₄ is used as a dummy resistor. Under such configuration and operation, magneto-resistors R₁ and R₃ are respectively connected in series with R₂ and R₄ between the power supply V and the ground as illustrated in circuit diagrams of Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B. From the series connection point for the encoding element group 61, an encoder signal having the waveform e₁ with the bias V/2 as illustrated in Fig. 4 is obtained. From the series connection point for the reference element group 62, a reference position signal having the waveform e₀ with the bias V/2 as illustrated in Fig. 4 is obtained. As shown in Fig. 4, a width w₁ in the waveform of the reference signal e₀ is larger than the wavelength λ relating to the pitch of the recorded signal on the above described encoder track 41. This is because the magnetic flux is apt to spread to the outside of the recording portion since only a magnetic signal composed of a pair of S and N poles is recorded on the reference track 42. On the other hand, magnetic signals composed of S and N poles are consecutively recorded on the encoder track 41. Therefore, the magnetic flux is not spread due to attraction between successive magnetic poles. As a result, the width w₁ of the reference signal becomes larger than the wavelength width λ of the encoder signal. For the use as a rotary sensor, it is necessary to narrow the reference signal width as far as possible in order to suppress the reference position error and improve accuracy. The amplitude of the encoder signal output e₁ which is defined by magneto-resistors R₁ and R₂ is large because R₂ decreases while R₁ is increasing and R₂ increases while R₁ is decreasing. The output voltage e₀ of the reference signal is small as compared with the encoder signal output e₁ because of the use of the magneto-resistor R₄ as a dummy resistor as shown in Fig. 4. Assuming that the magneto-resistor R₃ is varied from its standard value R by 2% in the circuit of Fig. 5B, the output voltage e₀ of the reference signal is represented as That is to say, the variation of the output voltage e₀ with respect to the applied voltage is 0.5%. Fig. 6 is a schematic enlargement drawing illustrating an embodiment which is different from the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3. Although magneto-resistors for the encoder signal corresponding to R₁ and R₂ represented by hollow boxes in Fig. 3 are not illustrated in Fig. 6, they may be configured in the same way as Fig. 3 or arbitrarily. In Fig. 6, symbols found in Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 represent equivalent portions. In addition, numeral 6a denotes a magnetic detector. Numerals 62a and 62b respectively denote a pair composed of magneto-resistors R₁₁ and R₁₂ and another pair composed of magneto-resistors R₁₃ and R₁₄. These pairs jointly produce the reference signal representing the reference phase position in revolution. Magneto-resistors R₁₁ and R₁₂ set at a space of 3λ/4 confronts the encoder track 41 illustrated in Fig. 6. Magneto-resistors R₁₃ and R₁₄ set at a space of λ/4 confronts to the reference track 42. Since the space between R₁₁ and R₁₃ is λ/4, the space between R₁₁ and R₁₄ is 2λ/4. On the encoder track 41 illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, magnetic poles are arranged over its entire periphery at a repetition wavelength λ. On the reference track, a pair composed of an N pole and an S pole having the same wavelength λ as the encoder track 41 is so arranged that the N pole and S pole will be respectively adjacent to one of N poles and one of S poles on the encoder track, i.e., the identical polarity arrangement will be established. Resistance values of magneto-resistors R₁₁ to R₁₄ are varied as illustrated in Fig. 7 since magnetic fields applied to respective magneto-resistors vary while the magnetic substance 4 is moving in a direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 6. Due to movement of the magnetic substance 4, the resistance value of R₁₁ reaches a peak P as illustrated in Fig. 7. When the magnetic substance 4 further advances by a distance corresponding to 3λ/4, the resistance value of R₁₂ reaches its peak Q. In other words, the waveform of R₁₂ lags by 3λ/4 in phase as compared with that of R₁₁. The difference between the phase of R₁₃ and that of R₁₄ is λ/4. These four magneto-resistors are connected in a bridge form as illustrated in Fig. 8. That is to say, serially connected R₁₁ and R₁₄ are coupled in parallel with serially connected R₁₂ and R₁₃ to form the bridge circuit. The magneto-resistors R₁₁ to R₁₄ are obtained by plating permalloy by vapor deposition techniques and then etching it. Actual examples of patterns of R₁₁ to R₁₄ are illustrated in Fig. 9. In Fig. 9, the wavelength is chosen as λ = 100µ. To ends of the bridge circuit illustrated in Fig. 8, a first power supply voltage V and a second power supply voltage such as the ground are connected. A first output voltage e₁₁ is taken out from the coupling point between R₁₁ and R₁₄. A second output voltage e₁₂ is taken out from the coupling point between R₁₃ and R₁₂. Since the resistance values of respective magneto-resistors are nearly equal when magnetic fields are not applied to them, the output voltages e₁₁ and e₁₂ are both biased to V/2. When the resistance values of magneto-resistors R₁₁ to R₁₄ are varied due to revolution of the rotary member 3, the above described first and second output voltages vary as represented by curves e₁₁ and e₁₂ in Fig. 7. The potential difference between the first output voltage and the second output voltage changes as represented by a curve denoted by e₁₃ = e₁₁ - e₁₂ in Fig. 7. In a span partitioned by two reference lines R-R' and P-P', the values of R₁₁ and R₁₂ are larger than their respective average values and the values of R₁₃ and R₁₄ are smaller than their respective average values. Such a situation is represented by arrows added to respective magneto-resistors in Fig. 8. In the above described span, it may be recognized that the value of e₁₁ is lower than its average value whereas the value of e₁₂ is higher than its average value and the value of e₁₃ is extremely lower than its average value. Assuming that the resistance values of respective magneto-resistors vary ±2% due to movement of the magnetic substance 4, the output voltage of the bridge circuit may be represented as That is to say, the output voltage e₁₃ of the bridge circuit is decreased by 2% with respect to the applied voltage V. The decrease ratio of 2% is larger than the change ratio 0.5% of the voltage e₀ as illustrated in Fig. 4. The pulse width w₂ of e₁₃ is narrower than the pulse width w₁ of e₀ illustrated in Fig. 4. In addition, e₁₃ has the bias voltage of 0V as illustrated in Fig. 7 whereas e₀ is biased to the DC bias voltage of V/2 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The outputs of magneto-resistors R₁₁ and R₁₂ mainly contribute to a portion of e₁₃ which is above the 0V - axis and the outputs of magneto-resistors R₁₃ and R₁₄ mainly contribute to a portion which is below the 0V - axis. At positions other than the reference position, i.e., on the left and right positions in Fig. 7 excluding the width w₂ of the above described difference between the outputs e₁₁ and e₁₂, the signal from the encoder track 41 produces reverse voltage of e m having a polarity which is opposite to that of the reference position signal. As a result, resolution of the reference position signal is improved and the external noise immunity is enhanced. Thus, the probability of false operation is lowered. Instead of the spacing λ/4 between the magneto-resistors R₁₃ and R₁₄, a spacing not exceeding λ/2 may be adopted. However, a spacing exceeding λ/2 is not desirable since the pulse height of the output e₁₃ is lowered. In the arrangement of magneto-resistors illustrated in Fig. 6, R₁₁ is λ/4 apart from R₁₃ and 3λ/4 apart from R₁₂. It is also permitted to displace R₁₁ to the left by λ so that R₁₁ will be 5λ/4 from R₁₃ and 7λ/4 from R₁₂. It is also permissible to displace R₁₁ to the left by 2λ so that R₁₁ will be 9λ/4 apart from R₁₃ and 11λ/4 apart from R₁₂. In general, the position of R₁₁ may be chosen as (1/4 + n/2)λ where n is 0 or an integer. (5) Fig. 10 shows the schematic configuration of a magnetic detector in a first embodiment of a rotary sensor according to the present invention. In Fig. 10, a symbol already used in Fig. 6 denotes the identical portion. Numeral 6b denotes a magnetic detector and numeral 61b represented by a hollow box denotes an encoding element group for yielding an encoder signal. R₁ and R₂ denote magneto-resistors of the encoder section 61b. That is to say, the rotary sensor according to this embodiment is configured by using a magnetic detector 6b instead of the magnetic detector 6a illustrated in Fig. 6. The magnetic substance 4 is not illustrated since it is the same as the magnetic substance 4 illustrated in Fig. 6 Magneto-resistors R₁₁, R₁₂, R₁₃ and R₁₄ are arranged in the same way as Fig. 6. Magneto-resistors R₁ and R₂ of the encoding element group 61b are arranged (1/2 + L)λ (L being zero or integer) apart each other as illustrated in Fig. 10. The magneto-resistor R₁ is displaced from the magneto-resistor R₁₃ for detecting the reference position by λ/8 and the magneto-resistor R₂ is displaced from the magneto-resistor R₁₂ by λ/8 as illustrated in Fig. 10. And the magneto-resistors R₁ and R₂ are so arranged as to confront the encoder track 41. Under such an arrangement, the magneto-resistors R₁₁ and R₁₃ are respectively connected in series with R₁₄ and R₁₂ to form a resistance bridge as illustrated in Fig. 11A. The difference between e₁₁ and e₁₂ is used as the reference signal output voltage e₁₅. In addition, the magneto-resistors R₁ and R₂ are serially connected as illustrated in Fig. 11B to yield an encoder signal output e₁₄. The relationship between e₁₄ and e₁₅ is illustrated by waveforms in Fig. 12. The encoder signal e₁₄ may be coincident in phase with the reference position signal e₁₅. This coincidence may be explained as follows. Referring to Fig. 7, an intermediate position between the respective lowest points of waveforms R₁₃ and R₁₄ defines the position S-S' of the lowest point in the waveform e₁₃. Therefore, it is understood that the minimum value of the encoder signal may be attained at the position S-S' by placing R₁ which is one of two magneto-resistors for yielding the encoder signal at an intermediate position between R₁₃ and R₁₄ as illustrated in Fig. 10. According to the above described embodiment, it becomes unnecessary to shift the relative position of the reference track with respect to the encoder track for phase alignment. If the above described phase alignment is attempted by shifting the relative position of the reference track with respect to the encoding track when recording a signal on the magnetic substance 4 illustrated in Fig. 6, leakage of magnetic flux from the encoding element group onto the reference element group is brought about. It is not permitted to change the positional relationship, or coincident phase relationship between S-N pairs in tracks 41 and 42. Unless the identical wavelength λ is used for recorded signals in both the encoding element group and the reference element group as described before for the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6, leakage of magnetic flux is similarly incurred. Whereas Fig. 6 and Fig. 10 pertain to a rotary sensor wherein the rotary member having the magnetic substance is disk-shaped, Fig. 13 shows schematic configuration of an embodiment of a drum-type rotary sensor having a drum-shaped rotary member. In Fig. 13, numeral 1 denotes a rotating device and numeral 2 denotes a rotary shaft. Numerals 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A denote a drum-shaped rotary member, a magnetic substance, a fixing plate and a magnetic detector, respectively. A numeral 41A denotes an encoder track and 42A denotes a reference track. And magneto-resistors on the magnetic detector 6A are arranged relative to the magnetic substance 4A in the same way as the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6 or Fig. 10. Accordingly, an equivalent effect may be expected. Fig. 14 shows the schematic configuration of another embodiment of a magnetic detector according to the present invention. The magnetic detector is denoted by 6c. Four magneto-resistors are denoted by the same symbols as those in Fig. 6. As compared with the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 6, magneto-resistors R₁₁ and R₁₂ illustrated in Fig. 14 are so displaced as to approach each other respectively by λ/8. These four magneto-resistors are connected in the same way as Fig. 8. Fig. 15 shows waveforms produced by the arrangement of magneto-resistors illustrated in Fig. 14 due to movement of the magnetic substance 4 illustrated in Fig. 6. Points P' and Q' illustrated in Fig. 15 corresponding to the points P and Q illustrated in Fig. 7 approach each other so that they will be at a distance of λ/2. An output voltage waveform e₁₇ is derived from waveforms of magneto-resistors R₁₂ and R₁₃. And an output voltage waveform e₁₆ is derived from waveforms of magneto-resistors R₁₁ and R₁₄. These waveforms e₁₇ and e₁₆ respectively correspond to the waveforms e₁₂ and e₁₁ illustrated in Fig. 7. Accordingly, the output voltage of the bridge circuit composed of R₁₁ to R₁₄ has a waveform represented as e₁₈ = e₁₆ - e₁₇ in Fig. 15. The waveform of e₁₈ has a pulse width w₃ which is slightly wider than the pulse width w₂ of the reference signal in the waveform e₁₃ illustrated in Fig. 7. The reverse bias voltage e m ' of the waveform e₁₈ is slightly larger than the reverse bias voltage e m of the waveform e₁₃. The above described displacement of R₁₁ and R₁₂ by λ/8 means displacement of (1/4 + n/2)λ expressed before in (5) by approximately (1/8 + K/2)λ (K being zero or integer). This permissible tolerance of a magneto-resistor is useful in fabrication. This embodiment is also effective for the shift of a magneto-resistor by λ/8 or less. Further, the spacing between R₁₃ and R₁₄ may be an arbitrary value not exceeding λ/2 as described before. Further, the magneto-resisters used in the embodiment of the invention may be substituted for other magnetic elements such as Hall effect elements. Above embodiments are related to a magnetic rotary sensor having a rotary member and a magnetic detector. According to other embodiments of the invention, a magnetic position sensor having a member moving in a linear direction and a magnetic detector may be provided. In this case, a pair of magnets are provided on a reference track of a linear member. As the linear member moves at the detector, the magnetic detectors provide voltage signals shown in Fig. 7 in the same manner as already mentioned.

Claims: A magnetic position sensor comprising: a moving member (3, 3A) having an encoder track (41, 41A) and a reference track (42, 42a, 42A), said encoder track being composed of consecutive N poles and S poles arranged alternately on said moving member, and said reference track (42, 42a, 42A) being adjacent to said encoder track and including at least one pair of N and S poles arranged on said moving member; and a first magnetic detector (62a, 62b) having a first magnetic pickup means (R₁₁, R₁₂) which is close to and faces said encoder track and a second magnetic pickup means (R₁₃, R₁₄) which is close to and faces said reference track, said first and second magnetic pickup means jointly producing a reference signal characterised in that said first magnetic pickup means (R₁₁, R₁₂) is a first pair of first and second magnetic pickup elements (R₁₁, R₁₂), and said second magnetic pickup means (R₁₃, R₁₄) is a second pair of third and fourth magnetic pickup elements (R₁₃, R₁₄), and in that said magnetic position sensor further comprises a second magnetic detector (61b) having a third magnetic pickup means (R₁, R₂) which is close to and faces said encoder track, said second magnetic detector producing an encoder signal based on said consecutive N poles and S poles so as to detect the movement position of said moving member according to said reference signal. A magnetic position sensor according to Claim 1, wherein the distance along the moving direction of said moving member from one of said second pair of magnetic pickup elements (R₁₃, R₁₄) to a closest one of said first pair of magnetic pickup elements (R₁₁, R₁₂) is approximately (1/4 + n/2)λ assuming that the repetition spacing of said N poles and S poles is λ and n is zero or an even integer. A magnetic position sensor according to Claim 2, wherein said first pair of said magnetic pick-up elements consists of first and second magneto-resistors (R₁₁, R₁₂) set approximately (1/4 + M/2)λ apart where M is zero or an odd integer, said second pair of said magnetic pick-up elements consists of third and fourth magneto-resistors (R₁₃, R₁₄) set λ/2 or less apart, and said third magnetic pickup means has fifth and sixth magneto-resistors (R₁, R₂) set approximately (1/2 + L)λ where L is zero or an integer. A magnetic position sensor according to Claim 1, wherein said first, second and third magnetic pickup means are composed of Hall effect devices. A magnetic position sensor according to Claim 3, wherein a first series circuit formed by connecting said first and fourth magneto-resistors (R₁₁, R₁₄) in series via a first coupling point and a second series circuit formed by connecting said second and third magneto-resistors (R₁₂, R₁₃) in series via a second coupling point are connected in parallel with a terminal of said first magneto-resistor (R₁₁) coupled to a terminal of said third magneto-resistor (R₁₃) and a terminal of said second magneto-resistor (R₁₂) coupled to a terminal of said fourth magneto-resistor (R₁₄) for forming a parallel circuit, a DC voltage being applied across said parallel circuit, and said reference signal (e₁₃) being taken out from said first and second coupling points. A magnetic position sensor according to one of the Claim 1 to 5, characterised in that said moving member (3, 3A) has a shape of a drum rotary around a center thereof. A magnetic position sensor according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that an N pole and an S pole arranged on said reference track (42, 42a, 42A) are respectively adjacent to an N pole and a neighboring S pole arranged on said encoder track (41, 41A) which is contiguous to said reference track, and an identical pitch between an N pole and an S pole applies to both of said reference track and said encoder track. A magnetic position sensor according to Claim 3, wherein a space between said third and fourth magneto-resistors is approximately λ/4. A magnetic position sensor according to Claim 3, wherein a space between said second and third magnetic pickup means is approximately (1/8 + K/2)λ where K is zero or an integer. A magnetic position sensor comprising: a magnetic detector for receiving magnetic fields from an encoder track (41) composed of consecutive N poles and S poles arranged on a moving member and a reference track (42) arranged on said moving member adjacent to said encoder track, and comprising a pair consisting of an N pole and an S pole, so as to yield a reference signal voltage which defines a position as said moving member moves, said magnetic detector comprising first magnetic pickup means (R₁₁, R₁₂) arranged on said magnetic detector (6) so as to face said encoder track and second magnetic pickup means (R₁₃, R₁₄) arranged on said magnetic detector (6) so as to face said reference track, characterised by said first magnetic pickup means (R₁₁, R₁₂) being a first pair of first and second magnetic pickup elements (R₁₁, R₁₂), and said second magnetic pickup means (R₁₃, R₁₄) being a second pair of third and fourth magnetic pickup elements (R₁₃, R₁₄), and said first and second magnetic pickup elements being placed at a space which is approximately half of a repetition pitch of N poles and S poles on said encoder track; said third and fourth magnetic pickup elements being placed at a space which is approximately a quarter of said repetition pitch; and by said magnetic detector further comprising means for yielding an output which is the difference between a first output (e₁₆) obtained by coupling said first and fourth magnetic pickup elements and a second output (e₁₇) obtained by coupling said second and third magnetic pickup elements.

Inventors: KAWAMATA, SYOOICHI, MIYASHITA, KUNION, TAKAHASHI, TADASHI
Applicants: HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G01D5
IPC codes: G01P3, G01D5, H03M1