622 results about "Hall effect sensor" patented technology

The present invention is directed to a surgical instrument with a robotics system, a memory device and an end effector having an elongate channel, knife position sensor(s) and a firing bar coupled to a knife. In response to drive motions initiated by the robotics system, the firing bar may translate within the elongate channel. As the firing bar translates, the sensor(s) transmit a signal to the memory device. The position of the knife may be determined from the output signals and may be communicated to the robotics system or instrument user. The sensors may be Hall Effect sensors.

A device and a method are provided for determining a characteristic of an interchangeable component of a surgical instrument. An electrically conductive material having a measurable strength measurable by a hall effect sensor is coupled to the component. In another embodiment, a plurality of conductive materials are arranged to form a binary code representing a corresponding of the interchangeable component. The number and / or strength of the magnets measurable by the sensors may be dynamically altered such that the status of the surgical instrument is determinable.

The present invention is directed to a surgical instrument with a robotics system, a memory device and an end effector having an elongate channel, knife position sensor(s) and a firing bar coupled to a knife. In response to drive motions initiated by the robotics system, the firing bar may translate within the elongate channel. As the firing bar translates, the sensor(s) transmit a signal to the memory device. The position of the knife may be determined from the output signals and may be communicated to the robotics system or instrument user. The sensors may be Hall Effect sensors.

An apparatus and method for locating a magnetic implant in a surgical application using the field of a source magnet for the implant guiding field. The source magnet is an electromagnet having a separate calibrated magnetic field component in addition to the guiding field, so that both the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field as a function of position around the magnet are known. A magnetic implant is provided with a sensor, such as a three-axis Hall effect sensor, to provide an indication of the magnitude and orientation of an applied magnetic field when the implant is surgically implanted in a patient. After implantation, the source magnet is energized with a current having a modulated component. The modulated component is received and filtered from the signal received from the Hall effect sensor in the implant, and provided to a processor that computes the location of the implant.

A contrast media injection system includes detects the absolute position of the syringe ram using a non-contact sensor. A series of magnets and Hall-Effect sensors may be used or an opto-reflective system. Illuminated knobs that are connected to the drive mechanism for the syringe ram rotate with the drive and provide visual feedback on operation through the illumination. Analog Hall-Effect sensors are used to determine the presence or absence of magnets that identify the type of faceplate being used. The faceplates include control electronics, connected to the powerhead through connectors, which may be interchangeably used by the two faceplates. The faceplate electronics include detectors for automatically detecting the capacity of pre-filled syringes. Additional features include using historical data to provide optimum pressure limit values during an injection protocol, a removable memory device for storing and transferring information such as injection protocols and injector statistics, and password protection of such protocols.

A vascular access port system including means for detecting and indicating the presence or absence of a needle. The detecting and indicating means may be carried in whole or in part by one of or both of the needle and / or the vascular access port. The detecting and indicating means may utilize a conductive needle, a mechanical switch, a magnetic switch, a Hall effect sensor, an electric field, a magnetic field, or an inductor, for example, for detection purposes. The vascular access port system permits the practitioner to confirm that the needle has been correctly inserted into the VAP, and notifies the patient and / or practitioner if the needle has been accidentally withdrawn.

A vascular access port system including circuits for detecting and indicating the presence or absence of a needle. The detecting and indicating circuits may be carried in whole or in part by one of or both of the needle and / or the vascular access port. The detecting and indicating circuits may utilize a conductive needle, a mechanical switch, a magnetic switch, a Hall effect sensor, an electric field, a magnetic field, or an inductor, for example, for detection purposes. The vascular access port system permits the practitioner to confirm that the needle has been correctly inserted into the VAP, and notifies the patient and / or practitioner if the needle has been accidentally withdrawn.

An integrated current sensor includes a magnetic field transducer such as a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic core, and an electrical conductor. The conductor includes features for receiving portions of the Hall effect sensor and the core and the elements are dimensioned such that little or no relative movement among the elements is possible.

Systems and methods are shown which provide feedback with respect to the desired or proper placement of a medical device guide without introducing protuberances or other perturbations to the surface of devices used in medical procedures. Embodiments provide a biopsy needle guide bracket for use with an ultrasound transducer assembly, wherein the biopsy needle guide bracket and ultrasound transducer assembly are adapted to detect when the biopsy needle guide bracket is properly located on the ultrasound transducer assembly using one or more sensors. Embodiments may implement various sensor technology, such as Hall effect sensors, optical sensors, capacitive coupled sensors, inductive coupled sensors, and / or the like to provide feedback with respect to placement of a medical device guide.

A system and method for performing diagnostics on a device, such as an appliance, using a sub-meter device that measures power characteristics related to usage of the appliance within a HEM network and provides such data to a home energy controller or the like. The sub-meter device can include one or more sensors, such as a current transformer, Rogowski coil, shunt resistor, or hall effect sensor, for collecting data relating to at least one of real power consumption, reactive power consumption, line frequency, line voltage, power factor, leading / lagging voltage-current comparison, and apparent power, etc.

A chopped Hall effect sensor topology includes a switched Hall plate, an amplifier responsive to an output of the switched Hall plate and a filter stage responsive to the output of the amplifier and including an anti-aliasing filter and a selective filter that is tuned to the modulation frequency. The switched Hall plate includes a Hall element and a Hall plate modulation circuit that modulates the Hall offset signal component or the magnetic signal component. In embodiments in which the Hall offset signal component is modulated by the switched Hall plate, the amplifier, if chopped, includes an even number of additional modulation circuits. In embodiments in which the magnetic signal component is modulated by the switched Hall plate, the amplifier contains an odd number of modulation circuits. The described topology provides a low noise, fast response time Hall effect sensor.

Therapeutic agent delivery devices and methods for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target location as well as methods for determining the location of a lesion on a vessel wall are disclosed. Various embodiments disclose an expandable member comprising a drug delivery matrix for selectively delivering a therapeutic agent to a lesion on a vessel wall. The drug delivery matrix may comprise one or more sensors and an electroactive polymer for releasing the therapeutic agent. Other embodiments disclose an expandable member comprising a plurality of radially-expanding flexible walls forming a plurality of channels for selectively delivering therapeutic agent to a target area adjacent one or more of the channels. Detecting a lesion may comprise using a plurality of Hall effect sensors disposed on a distal end of a catheter.

A rocker switch on an endoscopic camera allows multiple functions from a single Hall effect sensor. The switch features a neutral position between a rocked forward and a rocked back position. When the front of the switch is depressed a dome spring under the front is flattened and the magnet located in the rear is moved away from the sensor. Releasing the switch returns it to the neutral position. Depressing the rear of the switch brings the magnet closer to the Hall effect sensor while depressing another dome spring under the rear of the switch. Again, releasing the switch returns it to the neutral position.

A linear analog rotary 360 degree magnetic position sensor assembly for sensing the position of rotating objects. A magnet having a varying width is mounted to a magnet disc. A flux return disc is mounted on a shaft opposed to the magnet disc. The magnet generates a magnetic field in an air gap between the discs. A magnetic field sensor such as a hall effect sensor is positioned in the gap and operates to provide an output signal representative of the magnetic field density as the shaft and disc rotate. The output signal changes magnitude in relation to the relative position of the magnet with respect to the magnetic field sensor.

A chopped Hall effect sensor topology includes a switched Hall plate, an amplifier responsive to an output of the switched Hall plate and a filter stage responsive to the output of the amplifier and including an anti-aliasing filter and a selective filter that is tuned to the modulation frequency. The switched Hall plate includes a Hall element and a Hall plate modulation circuit that modulates the Hall offset signal component or the magnetic signal component. In embodiments in which the Hall offset signal component is modulated by the switched Hall plate, the amplifier, if chopped, includes an even number of additional modulation circuits. In embodiments in which the magnetic signal component is modulated by the switched Hall plate, the amplifier contains an odd number of modulation circuits. The described topology provides a low noise, fast response time Hall effect sensor.

A clamping current and voltage sensor provides an isolated and convenient technique for measuring current passing through a conductor such as an AC branch circuit wire, as well as providing an indication of an electrostatic potential on the wire, which can be used to indicate the phase of the voltage on the wire, and optionally a magnitude of the voltage. The device includes a body formed from two handle portions that contain the current and voltage sensors within an aperture at the distal end, which may be a ferrite cylinder with a hall effect sensor disposed in a gap along the circumference to measure current, or alternatively a winding provided through the cylinder along its axis and a capacitive plate or wire disposed adjacent to, or within, the ferrite cylinder to provide the indication of the voltage. When the handles are compressed the aperture is opened to permit insertion of a wire for measurement.

A compact arrangement which enables rotation of a component (4) of an apparatus to be sensed is provided. A component adapted for use in such an arrangement comprises a body having an axis of rotation (6) and a plurality of discrete magnetised regions (8) thereon, each formed in a layer of material (12) on the surface of the body, the magnetised regions being circumferentially distributed at substantially the same axial position to enable rotation of the component relative to a sensor (20, 20′) to be monitored. Methods for manufacturing a suitable component are also described. The arrangement disclosed enables the rotational position of component, such as a shaft for example, to be sensed using a Hall effect sensor, and a component may be modified in accordance with the invention without substantially increasing its volume.

An apparatus and method for locating a magnetic implant in a surgical application using the field of a source magnet for the implant guiding field. The source magnet is an electromagnet having a separate calibrated magnetic field component in addition to the guiding field, so that both the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field as a function of position around the magnet are known. A magnetic implant is provided with a sensor, such as a three-axis Hall effect sensor, to provide an indication of the magnitude and orientation of an applied magnetic field when the implant is surgically implanted in a patient. After implantation, the source magnet is energized with a current having a modulated component. The modulated component is received and filtered from the signal received from the Hall effect sensor in the implant, and provided to a processor that computes the location of the implant relative to the electromagnet based upon the detected magnitude and orientation of the modulated component of the magnetic field, and the location and orientation of the electromagnet. Localizers may be used to supply the relative locations of the patient and the electromagnet to the processor. A display may be provided to display a representation of the location of the implant in the patient, which may also be superimposed over a preoperative image of the patient.

A Hall effect safety switch assembly for de-activating a motor vehicle if a user is not positioned on a vehicle seat. The assembly includes a switch frame for mounting the assembly, a magnet and a hall effect sensor mounted to the switch frame in a spaced apart relationship, and a vane that moves in response to the presence of a vehicle operator on the seat that causes the Hall effect sensor to provide an inhibit signal that prevents an engine from running.

The present invention relates to an electric saw (1) being powered by an external power supply (200) through a multicore cable (6). The multicore cable (6) includes electrical wires (24, 25, 27) for supplying power to the motors (5, 12, 13) of the electric saw (1) and communication wires (26) for data communication between the electric saw (1) and the power supply (200). Two motors (12, 13) of the electric saw are three phase permanent magnet motors (12, 13), with an outer rotor (31) and an inner stator (30). Each of the two motors (12, 13) has three Hall Effect sensors (H1, H2, H3) located around the outer rotor (31).

A device and a method are provided for determining a characteristic of an interchangeable component of a surgical instrument. An electrically conductive material having a measurable strength measurable by a hall effect sensor is coupled to the component. In another embodiment, a plurality of conductive materials are arranged to form a binary code representing a corresponding of the interchangeable component. The number and / or strength of the magnets measurable by the sensors may be dynamically altered such that the status of the surgical instrument is determinable.

A plumbing fixture is operated by a user interface that has an enclosure with a faceplate from which a pedestal seamlessly projects outward. An alphanumeric display is visible through the faceplate and a plurality of switches respond to the user pressing different portions of the faceplate. A selector includes a selector ring that has a plurality of permanent magnets and which is positioned to rotate around the pedestal. A Hall effect sensor of the selector is located adjacent the selector ring and produces an electrical signal in response to motion of the permanent magnets. The user interface also enables the selection of a plurality of predefined operating configurations for the plumbing fixture. An optional wireless remote control may be provided by which the user can activate and deactivate the plumbing fixture and select from among the predefined operating configurations.

In one form a capacitive sensor is disclosed for immersion into a fluid, the capacitive sensor having a housing and first and second electrodes with the first electrode being disposed at least partially within the housing and electrically connected to a circuit, the second electrode being electrically connected to the circuit via an electrical connection and physically separated from the housing containing at least a portion of the first electrode so that at least a portion of the electrical connection or second electrode is located above or outside of the fluid to reduce the risk that minerals will form between the electrodes. In another form the electrodes are separated into their own cavities of the sensor housing via a bridging member which separates the electrodes to help reduce the risk of mineral buildup occurring between the electrodes. In other forms, capacitors, capacitive sensors, pump controls and systems utilizing these features are disclosed along with methods and apparatus relating to same. In yet other forms additional sensors such as current sensors, thermal sensors, speed sensors, torque sensors and Hall Effect sensors are disclosed for use alone or in combination with said capacitive sensor for detecting fluid level and / or controlling pumps. In still other forms, apparatus and methods relating to self cleaning pumps are disclosed.

A plumbing fixture is operated by a user interface that has an enclosure with a faceplate from which a pedestal seamlessly projects outward. An alphanumeric display is visible through the faceplate and a plurality of switches respond to the user pressing different portions of the faceplate. A selector includes a selector ring that has a plurality of permanent magnets and which is positioned to rotate around the pedestal. A Hall effect sensor of the selector is located adjacent the selector ring and produces an electrical signal in response to motion of the permanent magnets. The user interface also enables the selection of a plurality of predefined operating configurations for the plumbing fixture. An optional wireless remote control may be provided by which the user can activate and deactivate the plumbing fixture and select from among the predefined operating configurations.

The holster has one or more magnets positioned so that a Hall effect sensor in the handheld device detects a magnet both when partially inserted in the holster and when fully holstered, thereby enabling desired elements of the device to be disabled from the beginning of the holstering process, to avoid accidental keystrokes or triggering of other input elements such as a trackball. The holster may have separate magnets to accomplish this, or an elongated single magnet.

A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.

An electronic system that monitors a trailer hitch assembly having a plate hitch with a throat for receiving a kingpin of a trailer and a locking mechanism for locking the kingpin within the throat. The electronic system determines whether the trailer hitch assemblies is properly coupled to the trailer, and comprises a first magnet creating a first magnetic flux, and a first Hall-effect sensor for sensing the position of the kingpin of the trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate by measuring the first magnetic flux. The system further comprises a control circuit operably coupled with the first Hall-effect sensor in determining whether the first magnetic flux indicates a proper location of the kingpin of the trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate. The electronic system discriminates between the kingpin and foreign materials, thereby assuring proper locking of the locking mechanism.

An electric current detector is provided wherein loose arrangement of conductor 6 in opening 5 provides an air gap between the conductor 6 and plastic package 4 in opening 5 to prevent close contact of conductor 6 to plastic package 4. When heat and heat stress are produced in conductor 6 by a large electric current flowing through conductor 6 during measurement, air gap surely prevents heat and heat stress from traveling to Hall effect sensor 2 and plastic package 4 while a part of heat in conductor 6 is radiated into air in opening 5. Thus, the loose arrangement of conductor 6 can restrict or reduce deterioration of electric property in Hall sensor 2 and degradation of mechanical property in plastic package 4 by heat and heat stress in conductor 6. Also, the loose arrangement ensures and facilitates attachment of the detector 1 in position on a surface of a substrate, and enables to maintain conductor 6 at the same level as lead terminals 3 of the detector.

An integrated brushless DC motor and controller including a brushless DC motor having a rotating shaft with a 2 pole permanent magnet affixed to the shaft for rotation thereby in a plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the shaft. An X-Y Hall Effect Sensor is carried by a controller mounted on a circuit board attached to the motor and the Hall Effect Sensor is positioned proximate the magnet with the Hall Effect Sensor producing the Sine and Cosine components of the magnetic field as the magnet is rotated by the motor shaft. The electronic controller includes software for determining the motor angle and commutation logic from the Sine and Cosine components generated by the Hall Effect Sensor response to the rotating magnetic field. A controller on the board positioned over the rotating shaft contains the highly integrated functions of internal analog digital converters, pulse width modulation registers for driving the power amplifier, internal communication ports and all of the random excess memory and FLASH non-volatile memory that is typically required for motor control.