Patent ID: 7034523

Claim:
A path and/or position measuring device comprising a first magnet, a second magnet and a sensor for detecting a magnetic field intensity positioned between the first and second magnets; wherein at least one of the first magnet and the sensor cooperate with a movable element; wherein a magnetic field intensity of the first magnet varies along an axis of the first magnet and a magnetic field intensity of the second magnet varies along an axis of the second magnet, the first and second magnets having a wedge-shape along the direction of the axis including a sloping exterior side and a straight interior side and having a linear change in a height of the first and second magnets in the direction of the axis; wherein the movable element enables a relative movement substantially in the direction of the axis of the first magnet between the sensor and the first magnet such that the path/position of the movable element is determined based on the magnetic field intensity detected by the sensor; and wherein the first and second magnets are arranged to oppose each other such that the sloping sides of the first and second magnets face away from one another and the straight sides of the first and second magnets face one another at a substantially constant distance from one another such that the respective axes of the first and second magnets are substantially parallel to each other.