Patent ID: 8237430

Claim:
A displacement sensor ( 100 ), comprising: a rod ( 103 ) including a convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region ( 105 ), with the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region ( 105 ) including a minimum cross-sectional size at a first end and continuously varying to a maximum cross-sectional size at a second end; and a magnetic sensor ( 110 ) located in close proximity to the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region ( 105 ), with the magnetic sensor ( 110 ) comprising: a coupling member ( 111 ) comprising two legs ( 112 ) and a top end ( 120 ); two magnets ( 114 ) affixed to bottom leg ends of the two legs ( 112 ) of the coupling member ( 111 ); and a Hall Effect sensor ( 116 ) affixed to the top end ( 120 ) of the coupling member ( 111 ), wherein the Hall Effect sensor ( 116 ) is in magnetic communication with the two magnets ( 114 ); wherein the magnetic sensor ( 110 ) generates an absolute positional signal that is related to the position of the convex conical graduated magnetically anomalous region ( 105 ) in relation to the magnetic sensor ( 110 ).