Abstract:
A rotation detecting device for detecting a rotating object includes a housing having a bearing and an mounting surface, a rotor member having magnetic peripheral portion and a rotary shaft that is supported by the bearing, a biasing permanent magnet for providing magnetic field around the mounting surface and the magnetic peripheral portion, an IC sensor chip including plural magnetic sensor elements disposed on the mounting surface to provide a sensing signal related to change in magnetic field around the sensor elements, and an IC signal processing chip that provides a rotation signal according to the sensing signal. In this device, the bearing and the mounting surface are integrally formed into the housing at a prescribed distance to secure an unchanged air gap distance.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Applications 2004-319566, filed Nov. 2, 2004 and 2005-56327, filed Mar. 1, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a rotation detecting device for detecting rotation of a vehicle engine, wheel rotation speed or the like and, particularly, a rotation detecting device that employs magnetoresistance elements or hall elements.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,079 B1 or JP-A-2001-153683, which is a publication of its counterpart Japanese patent application, discloses a common rotation detecting device. Such a rotation detecting device provides rotation data of an engine crankshaft by detecting changes in a magnetic field caused by rotation of a rotary magnetic member that is rotated by the engine crankshaft. As shown in  FIG. 6 , such a rotation detecting device includes a bridge circuit  3  of four magnetoresistance sensors MRE  1 , MRE  2 , MRE  3 , MRE  4  and a signal processing circuit, which are formed in an IC chip. The IC chip is disposed on a surface of a member formed at a distance L from the rotary magnetic member. The signal processing circuit includes a differential amplifier  4  and a comparator  5  The IC chip is covered with a coating member of resinous material, from which electric terminals including a power terminal to be applied a voltage (+V), an output terminal T 2  and a ground terminal are drawn out. In that common rotation detecting device, a variation in the distance between the magnetoresistance sensors and the rotor member causes one of major errors in the rotation data.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,694 B2 or its counterpart Japanese patent application JP-A-2004-301645 discloses another common rotation detecting device. In this rotation detecting device, a similar problem is caused by a variation in the distance between the magnetoresistance sensors and the rotor member.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an improved rotation detecting device having magnetic sensors that can be set at a more accurate distance from a rotary magnetic member.  
         [0008]     Another object of the invention is to provide a rotation detecting device that is easy to correct detection errors.  
         [0009]     According to a main feature of the invention, a rotation detecting device for detecting a rotating object includes a housing having a bearing and an mounting surface, a rotor member having magnetic peripheral portion and a rotary shaft that is connectable to the rotating object and is supported by the bearing, a biasing permanent magnet for providing magnetic field around the mounting surface and the magnetic peripheral portion, a semiconductor chip including plural magnetic sensor elements disposed on the mounting surface, means for providing a rotation signal according to the sensing signal provided by the semiconductor chip.  
         [0010]     In the above rotation detecting device, the bearing and the mounting surface are integrally formed with the housing at a prescribed distance. Further, the semiconductor chip further includes a signal processing circuit that includes a nonvolatile memory for storing adjusting data to adjust a variation of the sensing signal due to the prescribed distance.  
         [0011]     The magnetic sensor element may include a magnetoresistance element. Preferably, the magnetic peripheral portion is a gear-teeth type member, and the mounting surface is formed perpendicular to the rotary shaft on an imaginary plane cutting the rotor member at the axially middle thereof. In this embodiment, the biasing permanent magnet may have a cylindrical shape surrounding the semiconductor chip.  
         [0012]     In the rotation detecting device as described above, the conductor chip may further include a data-input terminal extending from the nonvolatile memory for inputting data from outside after the conductor chip is mounted on the mounting surface.  
         [0013]     Another object of the invention is to provide a rotation detecting device that can detect an accurate rotation state even if there is a variation in the distance between the rotor member and the semiconductor chip.  
         [0014]     According to another feature of the invention, a rotation detecting device for detecting a rotating object includes a pair of magnetic sensor units disposed to apart from each other at a prescribed pitch to provide magnetic vector detection signals, a biasing permanent magnet, a rotor member having first means for changing magnetic field around the magnetic sensor units, and second means for comparing the detection signals with a threshold level to provide a binary signal. Further, the first means includes a plurality of members on the periphery of the rotor member each of which is disposed at the same prescribed pitch from another to face the magnetic sensor units at a close distance.  
         [0015]     This rotation detecting device may further include an offset adjusting circuit for removing an offset component included in the magnetic vector detecting signals. The offset adjusting circuit may include a coupling capacitor and voltage dividing resistors.  
         [0016]     This rotation detecting device may include a differential amplifier connected to the pair of magnetic sensors. The first means may include a gear type magnetic rotor having a plurality of teeth on the periphery thereof or magnetic poles of a permanent magnet. The magnetic sensor unit may be a magnetoresistance element or a hall element. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention as well as the functions of related parts of the present invention will become clear from a study of the following detailed description, the appended claims and the drawings. In the drawings:  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic and perspective view of a rotation detecting device according to the first embodiment of the invention from which a cover is taken off;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the rotation detecting device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the rotation detecting device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is an equivalent circuit diagram of a semiconductor chip of the rotation detecting device according to the first embodiment;  
         [0022]      FIGS. 5A-5F  illustrate steps of manufacturing the rotation detecting device according to the first embodiment; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is an equivalent circuit diagram of a semiconductor chip of a prior art rotation detecting device;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a rotation detecting device according to the second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged view showing details around magnetic sensor elements and a rotor member;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is an equivalent circuit diagram of a semiconductor chip of the rotation detecting device according to the second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 10A, 10B  and  10 C forms a time chart showing signal waves in the equivalent circuit shown in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0028]      FIGS. 11A and 11B  are graphs respectively showing relationship between rotation angles of the rotor member and deflection angles of a magnetic vector;  
         [0029]      FIG. 12  is an equivalent circuit diagram of a semiconductor chip of the rotation detecting device according to the third embodiment of the invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of a variation of the magnetic sensor elements of the rotation detecting device according to the invention; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram showing a variation of a rotor member and the magnetic sensor elements of the rotation detecting device according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]     A rotation detecting device according to the first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-4  and  FIGS. 5A-5F .  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the rotation detecting device is comprised of a housing  10 , a gear-teeth type magnetic rotor member  20 , a magnet-sensing semiconductor chip  30 , a biasing permanent magnet  40  and a cover  50 .  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the housing  10  is made of an insulative resinous member that has a bearing portion  11  for supporting one end of a rotary shaft  21  of the rotor  20  and a chip mounting surface  10 a that is formed perpendicular to the rotary shaft  21  on an imaginary plane x extending through the axially middle portion of the rotor member  20 . The semiconductor chip  30 , which includes a magnetic sensor chip  31  and a signal processing chip  32 , is directly fixed to the chip mounting surface  10   a.  Because the bearing portion  11  and the chip mounting surface  10   a  are integrally formed with the housing  10 , it is easy to provide an accurate distance between the rotor member  20  and the magnetic sensor chip  31  or the magnetic sensor elements. It is also easy to adjust the wave form of the output signal of the semiconductor chip  30  even if there is an error in the distance between rotor member  20  and the semiconductor chip  30 .  
         [0035]     The rotor member  20 , which is supported by the rotary shaft  21 , is connected to an engine crankshaft by a linking mechanism  22  that includes gears and the like. In this case, the rotation detecting device detects rotation data of the crankshaft from the output signal of the semiconductor chip  30 .  
         [0036]     The biasing permanent magnet  40  has a cylindrical shape that surrounds the semiconductor chip  30  to form a magnetic field around it. A cylindrical cap  41  is fitted to a projecting portion of the housing to cover the semiconductor chip  30  and the biasing permanent magnet  40 . The cover  50  is fitted to the housing  10  to cover all the elements of the rotation detecting device. The cover  50  has a bearing portion  51 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , which supports the other end of the rotary shaft  21 . The housing  10  and the cover  50  may have vent holes for cooling the rotation detecting device.  
         [0037]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sensor chip  31  includes four magnetoresistance elements, and the signal processing chip  32  provides a binary signal, as its output signal, from the output signal of the sensor chip  31 . The magnetoresistance element changes its resistance when the rotor member  20  rotates, thereby changing magnetic field caused by the biasing permanent magnet. The signal processing chip  32  includes a nonvolatile memory that stores adjusting data so as to adjust or correct the wave form of the output signal. The sensor chip  31  and the signal processing chip  32  are respectively connected to an electric power source terminal T 11 , an output terminal T 12  and a ground terminal T 13 . One ends of the terminals T 11 , T 12  and T 13  are insert-molded in a peripheral portion of the housing  10  and the other ends thereof extend outward, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The output terminal T 12  is connected to an ignition timing control device, for example, to send the output signal of the signal processing chip  32 .  
         [0038]     A data-input terminal T 14  is drawn out from the housing through an open groove  12 , which is shown in FIGS.  3  and  FIG. 5A-5F , to input the adjusting data to the nonvolatile memory. In other words, the housing has a groove  12  for exposing the terminals T 11 , T 12 , T 13  and T 14  to an outside. When the adjusting data are inputted, the opening portion of the groove  12  is covered with insulating material. The terminal T 14  may extend outward as the terminals T 11 , T 12 , T 13 .  
         [0039]     The semiconductor chip  30  includes the sensor chip  31  and the signal processing chip  32 , which may be separated or integrated into one chip. The sensor chip  31  includes a bridge circuit of four magnetoresistance elements MRE  11 -MRE  14 . Elements MRE  11  and MRE  12  are connected in series to form a half bridge circuit, elements MRE  13  and MRE  14  are also connected in series to form another half bridge circuit. Elements MRE  11  and MRE  13  and elements MRE  12  and MRE  14  are respectively connected so that both series circuit are connected in parallel to form a full bridge circuit. The joint of elements MRE  11  and MRE  13  is connected to the terminal T 11  from which constant voltage +V (e.g. 5 V) is applied to bridge circuit. The joint of the elements MRE  12  and MRE  14  is grounded via the terminal T 13 . The joint of the elements MRE  11  and MRE  12  and the joint of the elements MRE  13  and MRE  14  are respectively connected to a differential amplifier  32   a  of the signal processing chip  32  to send voltage signals Va and Vb.  
         [0040]     The signal processing chip  32  includes the differential amplifier  32   a,  a comparator  32   b  and a memory circuit  32   c  that includes a nonvolatile memory. The differential amplifier  32   a  amplifies the difference between the voltage signals Va and Vb and sends the amplified signal to the comparator  32   b,  which converts the amplified signal into a binary signal or a pulse signal. The comparator  32   b  provides the binary signal with a threshold level Vth that is a fraction of the constant voltage +Vc provided by a voltage dividing series circuit of resistors R 1  and R 2 . The memory circuit  32   c  is powered via the terminal T 11  and sends the differential amplifier  32   a  a voltage signal (analog signal) that is based on the adjusting data stored in the nonvolatile memory via the data-input terminal T 14 . The memory circuit  32   c  functions to adjust an offset value of the amplified signal of the differential amplifier  32   a  and its variation due to temperature change.  
         [0041]     When the adjusting data are stored, a serial voltage modulation signal is inputted into the nonvolatile memory via the data-input terminal T 14 . The voltage modulation signal includes a clock signal and adjusting data, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The memory circuit  32   c  demodulates the voltage modulation signal into the clock signal and the adjusting data to write the adjusting data into prescribed addresses of the nonvolatile memory. In more detail, a piece of the adjusting data that corresponds to each clock signal is latched in a prescribed address of the nonvolatile memory. Meanwhile, a writing voltage signal (e.g. 12.6 V) is applied to the nonvolatile memory via the data-input terminal T 14 . Thus, the adjusting data are stored into the nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory has a function of reading out the adjusting data, so that the relation between the stored adjusting data and an adjusting magnitude or an offset of the output signal of the differential amplifier  32   a  can be detected.  
         [0042]     When the rotor member  20  rotates, the processing chip  32  provides a binary signal that corresponds to a position of the engine crankshaft at the output terminal T 2 . The wave shape of the output signal provided at the output terminal T 12  is adjusted or corrected so that an error due to the variation of the distance between the magnetoresistance elements MRE  11 -MRE  14  and the rotor member  20  can be reduced or eliminated.  
         [0043]     The rotation detecting device is assembled as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5F . As shown in  FIG. 5A , the mounting surface  10   a,  together with the bearing portion  11 , the power source terminal T 11 , the output terminal  12 , the ground terminal T 13 , the adjusting-data input terminal T 14  and the grooves  12 , is formed in the housing  10  beforehand. Then, the sensor chip  31  and the signal processing chip  32  are fixed to the mounting surface  10   a  via an adhesive agent such as Ag-paste, as shown in  FIG. 5B . Thereafter, the power source terminal T 11 , the output terminal T 12 , the ground terminal T 13  and the adjusting data-input terminal T 14  are respectively connected by bonding wires to the sensor chip  31  and the signal processing chip  32 , as shown in  FIG. 5C . Subsequently, a protection cover or film is covered on those on the mounting surface  10   a.  Thus, the sensor chip  31 , the signal processing chip  32  are integrally fixed to the housing  10 . In the next step shown in  FIG. 5D , the biasing permanent magnet  40  is fixed to the housing  10  to surround the sensor chip  31 . Then, the cylindrical cap  41  is fitted and glued to a projecting portion of the housing  10  to cover the semiconductor chip  30  and the biasing permanent magnet  40 , as shown in  FIG. 5E . Thereafter, the rotary shaft  21  is inserted to the bearing portion  11  of the housing  10  to set the rotor member  20  to the housing  10 , so that the distance between the magnetoresistance elements MRE  11 -MRE  14  and the rotor member  20  can be set at a high accuracy. Thereafter, adjusting data are sent via the data-input terminal T 14  to the nonvolatile member of the signal processing chip  32  and written into the nonvolatile memory. Therefore, even if the distance between the magnetoresistance elements MRE  11 -MRE  14  and the rotor member  20  is not very accurate, the wave shape of the output signal provided at the output terminal T 12  can be adjusted according to the adjusting data stored in the nonvolatile memory. Finally, the opening portion of the groove  12  is covered with a member  12   a  made of insulating material, as shown in  FIG. 5F .  
         [0044]     The groove  12  may be omitted if the adjusting data can be sent to the nonvolatile memory via the data-adjusting terminal T 14  by a some other way. The biasing permanent magnet  40  can be shaped differently or disposed around the semiconductor chip differently if it can provide substantially the same magnetic field. The position of the semiconductor chip  30  can be also changed if it performs substantially the same function. The magnetoresistance elements can be replaced by other sensors that sense magnet field, such as pick-up coils, if the sensors function in substantially the same way. The housing  10  may be made of other than resinous material if the bearings and the semiconductor-chip mounting surface are integrally formed with the housing  10 .  
         [0045]     A rotation detecting device according to the second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 7-11 . Incidentally, the same reference numeral as the first embodiment used in the following drawings indicates the same or substantially the same part portion or composition as the first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0046]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a sensor unit S is comprised of a sensor chip  32  and a biasing permanent magnet  40 . The sensor chip  32  is disposed at a position opposite a rotor member  20  so as to be surrounded by the biasing permanent magnet  40 . The rotor member  20  has gear shaped teeth at its periphery.  
         [0047]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the sensor chip  32  includes a half bridge circuit of magnetoresistance elements MRE  11  and MRE  12  and another half bridge circuit of magnetoresistance elements MRE  13  and MRE  14 . The two half-bridge circuits form a bridge circuit B. The elements MRE  11  and MRE  12  are disposed to incline to a first line that is parallel to the axis of the biasing permanent magnet  40  to form an inverted V shape, and the elements MRE  13  and MRE  14  are also disposed to incline to a second line that is parallel to the axis of the biasing permanent magnet  40  to form the same inverted V shape. The distance or pitch PT between the first line and the second line is equal to a half of the pitch between two teeth (or a pitch between the center of the teeth and the center of the bottom formed between the two teeth). It is preferable that the pitch PT (e.g. 2.5 mm) is equal to the tooth width TP as well as the bottom width BT between two teeth.  
         [0048]     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the bridge circuit B is connected to a constant voltage source PS at the joint of elements MRE  11  and MRE  13 . The joint of the elements MRE  12  and MRE  14  is grounded. The joint of the elements MRE  11  and MRE  12  and the joint of the elements MRE  13  and MRE  14  are respectively connected to an operational amplifier OP 1  and an operational amplifier OP 2 . The operational amplifiers OP 1 , OP 2  have respective gains that are set by resistors r 2 , r 3  and r 4 . The output voltage wave of the operational amplifier OP 2  is sent to the inverted input terminal of a comparator  32   b  via a coupling circuit AC. The coupling circuit AC includes a coupling capacitor C 2  and a series circuit of resistors R 11 , R 12 . Accordingly, an offset voltage or a dc component of the output voltage of the operational amplifier OP 2  is removed by the coupling capacitor C 2 , and an offset voltage or a dc component is provided by the series circuit of the resistors R 11 , R 12 . This output voltage wave is compared with a threshold voltage provided at the non-inverted terminal of the comparator CP by a series circuit of resistors R 1 , R 21  and R 22 , so that a binary signal for detecting rotation of the rotor member  20  is provided. In this embodiment, the divided voltage provided by the resistor R 11 , R 12  is set to correspond to the divided voltage provided by the resistances of the resistors R 1 , R 21 , R 22 , so that an offset component that corresponds to the threshold voltage is added to the input voltage wave of the comparator CP. A resistor R 8  is connected between the joint of the resistors R 21  and R 22  and the comparator CP so as to prevent unexpected flipping of the comparator CP. An offset circuit OS is connected between resistors R 9  and R 10  to form a series circuit that is in parallel with the constant voltage source PS. The offset circuit OS controls the offset voltage. A capacitor C 1  is connected in parallel with the resistor R 10  to remove noises, thereby keeping accuracy of rotation detection.  
         [0049]     When the rotor member rotates, the bridge circuit B provides its output signals W 1 , W 2 , as shown in  FIG. 10A . The wave shape of the output signal of the operational amplifier OP 2  is symmetrical with respect to the threshold voltage, as shown in  FIG. 10B . As shown in  FIG. 10C , the output signal (sensor output signal) of the comparator CP is set to a suitable level that provides a minimum point of air-gap characteristic, which is a point (or range) that is approximately common to all the waves.  
         [0050]     According to a test result, the output signal of the operational amplifier OP 2  has a different wave shape when the air gap between the sensor chip  32  and the rotor member  20  changes. In more detail, the wave shape L 1  appears when the air gap between the sensor chip  32  and the rotor member  20  is 0.5 mm, the wave shape L 2  appears when the air gap is 1.0 mm, L 3  appears when the air gap is 1.5 mm, and the wave shape L 4  appears when the air gap is 2.0 mm. The wave shapes are generally symmetrical with respect to the threshold voltage, as shown in  FIG. 11A . In other words, the threshold voltage can be set to have points within the minimum point P of air-gap characteristic that has a range of about 0.02 degree, as shown in  FIG. 11B .  
         [0051]     A rotation detecting device according to the third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 12 . The rotation detecting device according to the third embodiment uses hall elements H 1 , H 2  instead of the magnetoresistance elements used in the above embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 12 . In this embodiment, the hall elements H 1 , H 2  provides variable voltage signals in response to the change in magnetic vector of the magnetic field, and the variable voltage signals are amplified. The hall elements H 1 , H 2  are respectively disposed at positions of the sensor chip  32  at a distance or pitch that corresponds to the pitch between the center of one of the teeth and the center of one of the tooth-bottoms of the rotor member  40 , or a half of the pitch between two teeth.  
         [0052]     Some variations of the above described rotor rotation detecting device will be described below.  
         [0053]     Each of the magnetoresistance elements MRE  1 -MRE  4  may be constructed of series connected four magnetoresistance sub-elements SE, as shown in  FIG. 13 . The magneto resistance elements MRE  1 -MRE  4  are disposed so that center line between the MRE  11  and MRE  13  and the center line between the MRE  12  and MRE  14  have a distance that is equal to a half of the pitch between two teeth of the rotor  20 . In this case, sensor voltage signals V 1 , V 2 , V 3  and V 4  are sent to differential amplifiers to have two signals, which is also sent to another differential amplifier, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,694 B2.  
         [0054]     The rotor  20  may be provided with a plurality of magnetic poles formed at equal intervals on the periphery instead of the teeth, as shown in  FIG. 15 . In this case, the biasing permanent magnet described in the previous embodiments is omitted.  
         [0055]     The coupling circuit AC described in the previously described embodiments may be omitted if the wave shape of the output signal voltage can be made symmetrical with respect to the threshold voltage level by some suitable data processing means.  
         [0056]     In the foregoing description of the present invention, the invention has been disclosed with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific embodiments of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the description of the present invention is to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.