Patent ID: 7759930

Claim:
An actuator comprising: a fixed part; a movable part comprising a control shaft having a central axis, the movable part being movable with respect to the fixed part in an axially travelling direction along the central axis; two chambers that are configured to be alternately filled with a pressurized fluid to move the control shaft axially in both directions along the central axis, wherein the two chambers are fitted through with the control shaft, located in series along the control shaft, are separated by a flange integral with the control shaft, and define a piston of the actuator; and a non-contact position sensor connected to the movable part to read the position of the movable part, the non-contact position sensor comprising a reading device and a magnetic cursor, the reading device being connected to the fixed part, the magnetic cursor being integrated in the movable part and being defined by a limited magnetized portion of the movable part, wherein the reading device comprises a ferromagnetic core that is parallel to the movable part, has a length along the travelling direction greater than the length of the magnetic cursor, and is magnetized so as to locally saturate the ferromagnetic core at the magnetic cursor and wherein the reading device further comprises a primary coil and two identical secondary coils, the primary coil being wound along the whole of the ferromagnetic core, and the two identical secondary coils being wound about two ends of the ferromagnetic core and being connected to each other in series so that magnetic fluxes generated by the two identical secondary coils are in phase opposition and so that values of two alternating voltages induced in the two secondary coils vary in complementary manner as a function of the position of magnetic cursor.