AN IMPROVED NON-CONTACT TYPE PATTERN SENSOR

Abstract: In construction of a non-contact type pattern sensor for detecting pattern output from a recording medium, at least a pair of detecting elements such as magnetic resistor elements are ar­ ranged facing different surfaces of the recording medium with equally spaces clearance and outputs from the detecting elements are electrically processed so that detected pattern output from the pattern sensor should not be influenced by fluctuation in clearance to be caused by low production precision and/or warping of the recording medium.

Description: Background of the invention The present invention relates to a non-contact type pattern sensor comprising a detecting element arranged facing a magnetized pattern track on a recording medium, a clearance sensor arranged near the recording medium for generation of a clearance signal corresponding to an instant clearance between the detectingelement and the magnetized pattern track, and control means for compensating an output signal of the pattern sensor in response to the clearance signal. A known sensor of this kind is described in US Patent No. 3,706,861. In the case of such a non-contact type pattern sensor, the clearance between the pattern track on the recording medium and the detecting element tends to fluctuate due to low working and/or mounting precision of the recording medium as well as due to age warping of the recording medium after long use. Such fluctuation in clearance wields malign influence on output from the sensor. In particular, distortion of output wave shape and variation in output level greatly lowers the S/N ratio, degree of dissolution and precision in output. In order to remove such ill influence of fluctuation in clearance, a unique non-contact type pattern sensor has already been proposed. In the case of this pattern sensor, a pair of magnetic resistor elements are arranged side by side facing the lower face of a rotary recording media and a pair of magnetic resistor elements are arranged facing the upper face of the recording media also. These four magnetic resistor elements form a bridge circuit in combination with a pair of ordinary resistor elements. Drive voltage is applied to the input terminal and output voltage is taken out from the output terminals. The sensor changes its resistance on detection of the pattern stored in the recording media. Further, this sensor takes the form of a bridge circuit including a variating section made up of the magnetic resistor elements whose resistances change in response to the fluctuation in clearance and a constant section made up of the ordinary resistor elements of constant resistances. It is assumed with this sensor that the resistances of the magnetic resistor elements at zero magnetic field are equal to R, change in resistance corresponding to the maximum fluctuation in clearance is equal to Δ R max, change in resistance caused by detection of the pattern on the recording medium is equal to K₁ and K₂, and the resistances of the ordinary resistor elements are equal to 2R. When the lower side clearance is minimal and the upper side clearance is maximal, the resistance of the lower side magnetic resistor element is equal to K₁(R+Δ R max), the resistance of one upper side magnetic resistor element is equal to K₁(R-Δ R max ), the resistance of the other lower side magnetic resistor element is equal to K₂(R+Δ R max ) and resistance of the other upper side magnetic resistor element is equal to K₂(R-Δ R max ). When the maximum degree of resistance change by detection of the stored pattern is 4%, K₁ is equal to 1.04 and K₂ is equal to 0.96. Then the voltage V₁ between the one lower and upper magnetic elements and the voltage V₂ between the other lower and upper magnetic elements are given by the following equation: V₁=2.08R·V/4R=0.52V V₂=2R·V/4R=0.5v Then, the voltage Vout between the output terminals of the bridge circuit is given by the following equation. Vout=V₁-V₂=0.02V From the foregoing, it is clear that the output of this early proposed sensor is dependent on the voltage only without any influence by the clearance. Despite this merit, the sensor requires use of ordinary resistor elements as outer components and the low output voltage (0.02V) causes a SN ratio problem. Summary of the invention It is the basic object of the present invention to completely remove the above-described ill influence of fluctuation in clearance on output of a non-contact type pattern sensor without use of any outer components. In accordance with the present invention, a non-contact type pattern sensor of the above-specified type is characterized in that a biased magnetic field is applied to the detecting element by the control means to compensate distorsion in the wave shape of said output signal without changing the position of the detecting element. Said detecting element is preferably a magnetic resistor element. Brief description of the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a non-contact type pattern sensor according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a simplified perspective view for showing the outline construction of the pattern sensor shown in Fig. 1. One embodiment of a non-contact type pattern sensor having a single detecting element is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the sensor takes the form of a magnetic encoder generative of sine wave output signals and biased magnetic field is applied to the detecting element for compensation of the sensor output. The recording medium 1 takes the form of a circular disc rotatable about its center axis 0. Magnetized patterns 2 are formed on the recording medium 1 by a sine wave signal. Spacedly but closely facing a magnetized pattern 2 on the recording medium 1 is arranged a magnetic resistor element 3 which, as the recording medium 1 rotates, periodically changes its resistance under influence by a periodically changing magnetic field generated by the magnetized pattern 2 on the recording medium 1. In the case of this embodiment, the magnetic resistor element 3 includes two patterns A and B having a phase lag of 90° with respect to the magnetized pattern 2 on the recording medium 1. This change in resistance of the magnetic resistor element 3 is picked up by a measuring unit 4 which generates a required sine wave output depending on the periodical change in resistance of the magnetic resistor element 3. A magnetic field generator 5 is arranged spacedly facing the magnetic resistor element 3 in order to apply an uniform bias magnetic field to the all part of the magnetic resistor element 3. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, this magnetic field generator 5 is made up of a core 5a and a coil 5b wound about the core 5a. A control unit 6 is connected to the magnetic field generator 5 in order to adjust the intensity of the magnetic field to be generated by its output current to be passed to the coil 5b. As later described in more detail, the control unit 6 is connected to a clearance sensor 7 and varies the magnitude of its output current in response to the detection signal from the clearance sensor 7. The clearance sensor 7 detects instant clearance between the magnetized pattern 2 on the recording medium and the face of the magnetic resistor element 3 in order to pass a corresponding detection signal to the control unit 6. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, an electrostatic capacity type sensor is used. That is, the clearance sensor 7 includes a metal plate 8 arranged at a constant distance from the magnetic resistor element 3 and a detection circuit 9 connected to the metal plate 8, the recording medium 1 and the control unit 6. Thus the electrostatic capacity between the metal plate 8 and the recording medium 1 varies depending on the clearance between them and instant clearance is detected through measurement of the electrostatic capacity. As long as the distance between the magnetic resistor element 3 and the metal plate 8 is kept constant, they may be arranged separately from each other, too. The operation will now be explained. Periodically changing magnetic field is applied to the magnetic resistor element 3 by the magnetized pattern 2 on the recording medium 1 which is rotating and corresponding change in resistance of the magnetic resistor element 3 is picked up by the measuring unit 4 for generation of the required sine wave output. Fluctuation in clearance between the recording medium 1 and the magnetic resistor element 3 changes the influence of the magnetic field produced by the magnetized pattern 2 on the magnetic resistor element 3, thereby causing undesirable distortion of the output wave shape. In the case of this embodiment, the magnetic field generator 5 applies a bias magnetic field to the magnetic resistor element 3, which corresponds to the instant size of the clearance. More specifically, the instant clearance between the recording medium 1 and the magnetic resistor element 3 is detected by the clearance sensor 7 through measurement of the electrostatic capacity and the control unit 6 adjust the magnitude of the current to be passed to the magnetic field generator 5 in response to the detection signal from the clearance sensor 7, thereby adjusting the intensity of the bias magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator 5. In this adjustment, the intensity of the bias magnetic field is made larger as the clearance increases so that distortion of the output wave shape should be compensated. That is, the magnitude of the current to be passed to the coil 5b is adjusted so that the degree of distortion should be minimized over the entire range of the sine wave. As a consequence, the measuring unit 4 can issue a constant sine wave without any distortion in the wave shape. In one actual example, a magnetic resistor element of 5kΩ was formed of a Ni-Fe alloy and the output bias magnetic field by the magnetic field generator was adjusted in a range from 10⁻³ to 1,8·10⁻³ T (10 to 18G)corresponding to clearance fluctuation in a range from 5 to 10 µ m. A bias magnetic field of 1,8·10⁻³ T (18G) was employed for 5 µ m clearance, and a bias magnetic field of 10⁻³ T (10G) was for 10 µ m clearance. The degree of distortion for the 5 µ m clearance was 4%(1kHz) and that for the 10 µ m clearance 6%(1kHz). The output sine wave was substantially free of ill influence by clearance fluctuation. When no adjustment by the bias magnetic field was employed, the degree of distortion for the 5 µ m clearance was 32%(1kHz) and that for the 10 µ m clearance 5%(1kHz). No stable output of sine wave could be attained. When removal of distortion of wave shape is satisfactory under use of a constant bias magnetic field, a permanent magnet is usable for the magnetic field generator 5. In an alternative, current of a constant magnitude may be applied to the coil 5b.

Claims: A non-contact type pattern sensor comprising a detecting element (3) arranged facing a magnetized pattern track (2) on a recording medium (1), a clearance sensor (7) arranged near the recording medium for generation of a clearance signal corresponding to an instant clearance between the detecting element and the magnetized pattern track, and control means (5, 6) for compensating an output signal of the pattern sensor in response to the clearance signal, characterized in that a biased magnetic field is applied to the detecting element (3) by the control means (5, 6) to compensate distortion in the wave shape of said output signal without changing the position of the detecting element. A non-contact type pattern sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that said detecting element is a magnetic resistor element.

Inventors: HAYASHI, YOSHINORI, IIJIMA, KENZABUROU, KURAHASHI, KAZUO
Applicants: YAMAHA CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G01D5
IPC codes: G01D5