Miniature magnetic encoder

Abstract

The utility model discloses a miniature magnetic encoder, and relates to the field of encoders, the miniature magnetic encoder comprises a base made of a non-magnetic material, a wheel piece made of a non-magnetic material, a magnetic block, an elastic sheet, a mounting frame and a TMR sensor, and the annular magnetic block sleeves the wheel piece and is matched with the wheel piece to form a combined body; the base is provided with a mounting groove for mounting the assembly, and the assembly is mounted in the mounting groove through the mounting frame and can rotate freely; an elastic piece is clamped between the mounting frame and the upper end face of the wheel piece, and the elastic piece is matched with an annular tooth surface arranged on the end face of the wheel piece to form rotary limiting; the TMR sensor is located on one side of the bottom face of the base and matched with the bottom end of the magnetic block in a relative induction mode. According to the encoder, the TMR sensor is introduced, and the mechanical structure and the TMR sensor are modularly designed, so that the mechanical structure and other electronic elements are separately mounted, independent optimization of each component is facilitated, the maintenance and upgrading processes are simplified, the requirements of modern digital peripheral equipment on high precision, miniaturization and easiness in mounting are met, and the cost is reduced. And the overall performance of the equipment and the user experience are also remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of encoders, and in particular to a micro magnetic encoder used in digital peripheral devices such as mechanical keyboards and mice. Background Art

[0002] In digital peripherals such as mechanical keyboards and mice, micro magnetic encoders are widely used to operate knobs and wheels. Traditionally, these devices mostly use Hall encoders, which are relatively mature and detect rotational position and movement by sensing changes in magnetic fields. However, this design has a certain degree of complexity in the overall structure and is still insufficient in accuracy.

[0003] The overall structure of the Hall encoder is relatively complex, containing multiple sensors and circuit components. As the requirements for operating accuracy of modern digital peripherals continue to increase, traditional Hall encoders are difficult to meet high-precision requirements due to their working principles and design limitations. For example, in high-resolution wheel and knob operations, the resolution and accuracy of the Hall sensor are limited, affecting the user experience.

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of traditional Hall encoders, especially in digital peripheral devices such as mechanical keyboards and mice, the development of a new generation of micro magnetic encoders is particularly necessary and of great significance. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to overcome at least one of the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a miniature magnetic encoder which introduces a TMR sensor and uses a mechanical structure and a TMR sensor modular design so that the mechanical structure is installed separately from other electronic components, thereby facilitating independent optimization of each component and simplifying the maintenance and upgrade process. This not only meets the requirements of modern digital peripheral devices for high precision, miniaturization and easy installation, but also significantly improves the overall performance of the device and user experience.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application discloses a miniature magnetic encoder, including a base made of non-magnetic material, a wheel part made of non-magnetic material, a magnetic block, a spring, a mounting frame, and a TMR sensor, wherein the annular magnetic block is sleeved on the wheel part and cooperates therewith to form a combination; the base is provided with a mounting groove for installing the combination, and the mounting frame installs the combination in the mounting groove and can rotate freely; the mounting frame and the upper end surface of the wheel part are clamped with a spring, and the spring cooperates with an annular tooth surface arranged on the end surface of the wheel part to form a rotation limit; the TMR sensor is located on one side of the bottom surface of the base and cooperates with the bottom end of the magnetic block in relative induction.

[0007] In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the base is recessed with an avoidance position for avoiding the TMR sensor.

[0008] In some embodiments, the bottom end of the wheel is pivotally connected to the base so that the wheel can rotate radially freely.

[0009] In some embodiments, the magnetic poles of the annular magnetic block are arranged in an up-and-down direction, with the top end being the north pole and the bottom end being the south pole.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0011] 1. Compact structure and reasonable design: The encoder includes a base, wheel, magnet, spring and mounting frame. The components cooperate with each other to achieve efficient functional integration. The use of non-magnetic materials helps to avoid magnetic interference and ensure accurate induction between the magnet and the TMR sensor.

[0012] 2. Improved sensor accuracy and reliability: The TMR sensor cooperates with the magnetic block induction, and the position design on one side of the bottom surface of the base ensures high-precision magnetic field induction. The avoidance design on the bottom surface of the base provides spatial protection for the sensor to prevent physical damage during installation or operation.

[0013] 3. Flexible separate installation design: The TMR sensor can be installed separately from the mechanical structure including the magnetic block, making it more convenient for maintenance or replacement. The mechanical structure operates independently, avoiding the need for overall replacement due to sensor failure, and improving the maintenance efficiency and service life of the system.

[0014] The above-listed beneficial effects are not exhaustive of all advantages. Other potential beneficial effects and detailed technical implementations will be further disclosed in the examples or other description parts of this application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] After reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, you will have a better understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure. The positions, sizes, and ranges of various structures shown in the accompanying drawings sometimes do not represent the actual positions, sizes, and ranges. In the accompanying drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment disclosed in this application.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment disclosed in the present application from another perspective.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a structural explosion diagram of an embodiment disclosed in the present application.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the matching structure of a wheel member and a spring piece in an embodiment disclosed in the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in a variety of different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure of the present disclosure more complete and fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide more additional embodiments.

[0021] It should be understood that the same reference numerals represent the same elements throughout the drawings. In the drawings, the dimensions of certain features may be distorted for clarity.

[0022] It should be understood that the terms used in the specification are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. All terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used in the specification have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, the techniques, methods and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant field may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the techniques, methods and equipment should be considered as part of the authorized specification.

[0023] The singular forms "a", "said" and "the" used in the specification include plural forms unless clearly indicated. The terms "include", "comprise" and "contain" used in the specification indicate the presence of the claimed features, but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term "and / or" used in the specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items. Example

[0024] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides a miniature magnetic encoder with a compact and reasonable structure and easy operation. The encoder includes a base 1, a wheel 2, a magnetic block 3, a spring 4 and a mounting frame 5. The base 1 is made of high-strength, corrosion-resistant non-magnetic materials, such as aluminum alloy or engineering plastics, to ensure its stability and durability in complex environments. The base 1 is provided with a mounting groove 101 for installing the assembly, and a relief position 103 for avoiding the TMR sensor 6 is recessed on the bottom surface 102 to avoid mechanical interference and damage to the TMR sensor (not shown in the figure) during installation and use. A circular groove is provided on the bottom surface of the base 1, which cooperates with the lower end shaft of the wheel 2 to ensure that the wheel 2 can be stably installed and allow it to rotate freely.

[0025] The mounting frame 5 is made of non-magnetic material, and its function is to firmly mount the assembly in the mounting groove of the base while allowing it to rotate freely. To achieve the above-mentioned cooperation, the mounting frame 5 is provided with a circular hole for rotational cooperation with the wheel 2. In this embodiment, the wheel 2 is made of high-strength plastic or non-magnetic metal material to avoid interference with the magnetic field of the magnetic block. An axis extends from the lower end of the wheel 2, which cooperates with the circular groove of the base 1 so that it can rotate freely in the radial direction, and the upper end of the wheel 2 cooperates with the circular hole on the mounting frame 5.

[0026] In order to facilitate the cooperation between the wheel 2 and the actual control or driving components such as external knobs and rolling parts, a slot is provided at the upper end of the wheel 2, and the slot is connected to the external components or equipment. The upper end surface of the wheel 2 is provided with an annular tooth surface 201, which cooperates with the spring sheet 4 to form an effective rotation limit, provide a feedback feel of rotation and limit after rotation. The spring sheet 4 is sandwiched between the mounting frame 5 and the upper end surface of the wheel 2, and realizes rotation limit by cooperating with the annular tooth surface 201, thereby ensuring the rotation stability and accuracy of the wheel 2.

[0027] The magnetic block 3 is annular in design and is mounted on the wheel 2. It is made of materials with high magnetic properties, such as neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets, to ensure that it provides a stable magnetic field for the TMR sensor to sense. The magnetic block 3 and the wheel 2 are closely matched to form a combination, which can stably transmit magnetic signals when the wheel 2 rotates, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the encoder.

[0028] The TMR sensor (tunnel magnetoresistance sensor), which is the core of the encoder, realizes the encoding function by sensing the magnetic field changes of the magnetic block. It should be understood that the TMR sensor is a highly sensitive magnetic field sensor, and its working principle is based on the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. When the direction of the magnetic field changes, the resistance value of the TMR sensor changes. By measuring this change, the change of the magnetic field can be accurately detected.

[0029] In this embodiment, the TMR sensor is located on one side of the bottom surface 102 of the base 1, and the magnetic block 3 is sleeved on the wheel 2, and the lower end surface (i.e., a magnetic pole) of the magnetic block 3 is relatively inductively matched with the TMR sensor. When the wheel 2 rotates, the magnetic block 3 rotates accordingly, and the direction and intensity of the generated magnetic field change. These changes are detected by the TMR sensor, and the tunnel junction inside the sensor changes its resistance value due to the change of the magnetic field. The TMR sensor converts this resistance change into an electrical signal, and the external circuit (not shown in the figure) connected to the TMR sensor further processes the electrical signal into an accurate measurement value of the rotation angle or position through a signal processing circuit.

[0030] In more detail, when the magnetic field direction of the magnetic block 3 is consistent with the sensing direction of the TMR sensor, the resistance value of the sensor is minimum; when the magnetic field direction is perpendicular to the sensing direction of the TMR sensor, the resistance value of the sensor is maximum. By detecting the change in resistance value, the direction and strength of the magnetic field are calculated, thereby determining the rotation angle of the wheel 2. This design ensures the high accuracy and high reliability of the encoder.

[0031] Although the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure in essence. Therefore, all changes and modifications are included in the scope of protection of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. The present disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and the equivalents of these claims are also included.

Claims

1. A micro magnetic encoder, characterized in that: include: A base made of non-magnetic material, a wheel part made of non-magnetic material, a magnetic block, a spring piece, a mounting frame, and a TMR sensor, wherein an annular magnetic block is sleeved on the wheel part and cooperates therewith to form a combination; the base is provided with a mounting groove for installing the combination, and the mounting frame installs the combination in the mounting groove and can rotate freely; an spring piece is clamped between the mounting frame and the upper end surface of the wheel part, and the spring piece is used to cooperate with an annular tooth surface arranged on the end surface of the wheel part to form a rotation limit; the TMR sensor is located on one side of the bottom surface of the base and cooperates with the bottom end of the magnetic block in relative induction.

2. A micro magnetic encoder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the base is concavely provided with an avoidance position for avoiding the TMR sensor.

3. A micro magnetic encoder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom end of the wheel is pivotally connected to the base, so that the wheel can rotate freely in radial direction.

4. A micro magnetic encoder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The magnetic poles of the annular magnetic block are arranged in an up-and-down direction, with the top end being the north pole and the bottom end being the south pole.

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