Angular Inductive Sensor with Dual-Resolution Annular Coils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-contact position sensors, particularly inductive position sensors, face challenges in achieving high sensing accuracy and resolution, which are essential for industries like industrial, medical, space, and defense, as well as for satellite communications, due to limitations in their design and operational principles.
Innovation Solution
The development of an angular position sensor system comprising two annular sensors with planar excitation and sensing coils, where the rotatable inductive coupling element has distinct conductive and non-conductive sectors, generating both coarse and fine resolution signals through specific coil designs and magnetic coupling, allowing for improved angular position determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional inductive position sensors are used, then non-contact sensing is achieved, but sensing accuracy and resolution are insufficient for high-precision applications
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into multiple independent sensor coils arranged in an array, each contributing to the overall measurement. This segmentation allows for enhanced resolution through signal processing of multiple individual measurements, directly addressing the insufficient sensing accuracy and resolution of conventional single-coil inductive sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional single-plane coil arrangements to a three-dimensional array of sensor coils with specific spatial positioning. This dimensional expansion enables more sophisticated magnetic field sampling and signal processing, achieving high precision measurements that were not possible with conventional two-dimensional or single-point sensor designs
2Measurement precision
If sensor complexity is increased to achieve high resolution, then sensing accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor array design uses identical coil structures that can be manufactured using the same processes, allowing the system to achieve high resolution through geometric arrangement and signal processing rather than through complex individual sensor elements. This multi-functional approach where simple repeated units create sophisticated measurement capability reduces device complexity while maintaining high angular position resolution
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the accuracy and resolution of angular position sensing, integrating coarse and fine signals to provide higher precision, addressing the limitations of existing sensors and meeting the stringent requirements of demanding applications.
Implementation Method 1
an alternating current (AC) is injected into the excitation coil(s) which results in the generation of a time varying magnetic field in the vicinity of the excitation coil. The time varying magnetic field is sufficient to induce a time varying voltage in the sensing coils as a result of the mutual magnetic coupling between the excitation coil and the sensing coils
Implementation Method 2
The presence of the rotatable target within the time varying magnetic field changes the mutual magnetic coupling between the excitation coil and the sensing coils, relative to the position of the rotatable target. The change in mutual coupling between the excitation coil and the sensing coils alters the time varying voltage induced in the sensing coils
Data Source
AI summary
An angular position sensor comprising two annular sensors, one annular sensor for generating a coarse resolution time varying signal in the presence of a rotatable inductive coupling element and the other annular sensor for generating a fine resolution time varying signal in the presence of the rotatable inductive coupling element. The rotatable inductive coupling element comprising a first annular portion comprising at least one annular conductive sector and at least one annular non-conductive sector and a second annular portion comprising at least one annular conductive sectors and at least one annular non-conductive sector, wherein the number of annular conductive sectors of the first annular portion and the second annular portion are different. In particular, the annular conductive sectors of the annular portions may comprise 50% or 75% of the total area of the annular portions.