Dual-Magnet Switch Position Sensing Against Magnetic Perturbation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing switching devices lack high reliability and immunity to external magnetic perturbations, which is critical in applications like aviation and industrial processes where equipment performance must continue despite partial failures.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic-based contactless switching device with a moveable element and two magnets, using opposite magnetic poles to enhance diagnostic coverage and perturbation rejection, where magnetic sensing elements produce output signals validated by a microcontroller to ensure reliable position detection and alert triggering for perturbations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single magnetic sensing element is used to detect the position of a magnet, then the device structure is simple, but the reliability and immunity to external magnetic perturbations are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single magnetic sensing element is divided into two separate magnetic sensing elements (first magnetic sensing element and second magnetic sensing element), each detecting magnetic fields from different magnets. This segmentation allows the system to compare multiple independent measurements, thereby improving reliability and perturbation immunity while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
2Reliability
If opposite magnetic poles are used in redundant input channels, then diagnostic coverage and perturbation rejection are improved, but the magnetic field measurement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using identical magnetic pole configurations in redundant sensing channels, the invention uses opposite magnetic pole configurations (first magnet with one polarity arrangement, second magnet with opposite polarity arrangement). This inversion allows the system to detect perturbations by comparing opposite-signed signals, improving diagnostic coverage while the microcontroller handles the complexity of interpreting the inverted measurements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple magnetic sensing elements with opposite pole configurations are implemented, then perturbation immunity is significantly increased, but the device complexity and software processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The microcontroller continuously monitors the output signals from both magnetic sensing elements and performs plausibility checks by comparing the sum of signals against expected values. This feedback mechanism automatically detects and rejects magnetic perturbations, significantly improving perturbation immunity. The software-based validation handles the complexity of managing multiple sensing elements, keeping the overall device architecture relatively simple.
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
The solution significantly increases diagnostic coverage and perturbation immunity, providing a robust and reliable switching function with simple software-based plausibility checks, suitable for applications like push buttons and selectors.
Implementation Method 1
a first magnet and a second magnet... configured to detect respectively a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field generated respectively by the first magnet and the second magnet
Implementation Method 2
the pole configuration of the first magnet is opposed to the pole configuration of the second magnet and the first magnetic field generated by the first magnet is reversed in magnitude with respect to the second magnetic field generated by the second magnet
Data Source
AI summary
A switching device includes: a housing; a moveable element, including a header and first and second magnets, slidable in the housing, the moveable element moveable between released and engaged positions; and a microcontroller and first and second magnetic sensing elements facing the first and second magnets. The first and second magnetic sensing elements detect respectively first and second magnetic fields generated respectively by the first and second magnets. A pole configuration of the first magnet is opposed to a pole configuration of the second magnet and the first magnetic field is reversed and equal in magnitude to the second magnetic field. The microcontroller is able to validate that first and second output signals produced by the first and second magnetic sensing elements, respectively, from the first and second magnetic fields are reliable for determining a position of the moveable element.