Multi-turn Steering Sensor Zone Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-turn angular position sensors with a minimum sensing range of 1440-degrees are lacking in reliability, stability, and accuracy, which is essential for applications such as steering wheel rotation sensing in automotive and vehicular systems.
Innovation Solution
A multi-turn angular position sensor system comprising a fixed structure, a shaft, a fixed magnet, a shaft magnet, a plurality of rotatable magnets, a rotational zone sensor, and a shaft rotation sensor, where the rotatable magnets rotate differently than the shaft magnet, providing unique rotation zones and enabling accurate position determination through processor analysis of output signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a multi-turn angular position sensor with a minimum sensing range of 1440-degrees is implemented, then the sensing range requirement is met, but reliability and accuracy are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into multiple independent sensing zones (first rotation zone detected by first sensor, second rotation zone detected by second sensor). Each zone covers a specific angular range (e.g., 0-360 degrees), and the shaft is segmented into corresponding rotation zones. This segmentation allows each sensor to operate within its optimized range, improving overall reliability while achieving multi-turn sensing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A processor acts as an intermediary that receives output signals from multiple sensors, determines which sensor is active based on current rotation zone, and synthesizes the final shaft rotation angle. This intermediary processing layer ensures accurate and reliable angle determination across the full 1440-degree range by coordinating multiple sensors rather than relying on a single sensor.
2Length of moving object
If a multi-turn angular position sensor with a minimum sensing range of 1440-degrees is implemented, then the sensing range requirement is met, but accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement range is segmented into multiple rotation zones, each detected by a dedicated sensor. Each sensor measures angular position within its specific zone with high precision, avoiding the accuracy degradation that would occur in a single sensor attempting to measure the entire 1440-degree range.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor continuously monitors output signals from multiple sensors and dynamically determines which sensor is currently active based on the shaft's rotation zone. This feedback mechanism ensures that the system always uses the most accurate sensor for the current position, maintaining high measurement precision across the full multi-turn range.
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 system achieves a minimum sensing range of 1440-degrees with enhanced reliability, stability, and accuracy, suitable for automotive and vehicular transport systems by accurately determining the rotational position of the shaft across multiple complete rotations.
Implementation Method 1
Each rotatable magnet supplies a magnetic force, and each rotatable magnet is configured, upon rotation of the shaft magnet and in response to the magnetic force supplied thereto from adjacent rotatable magnets, to rotate a different number of angular degrees than the shaft magnet.
Implementation Method 2
The rotational zone sensor is disposed adjacent to the zone sensor magnet and is configured to supply a zone sensor output signal that indicates the unique rotation zone of the shaft.
Implementation Method 3
The shaft rotation sensor is disposed adjacent to the shaft and is configured to supply a shaft rotation output signal representative of a number of angular degrees that the shaft rotates within each unique rotation zone.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-turn angular position sensor includes a fixed magnet non-rotationally coupled to a fixed structure. A shaft is configured to rotate multiple complete rotations from a reference position, where each complete rotation front the reference position in a rotational direction defines a unique rotation zone of the shaft. Rotatable magnets surround the shaft and are disposed between the shaft magnet and the fixed magnet and are configured to rotate a different number of angular degrees than the shaft magnet. One of the rotatable magnets is a zone sensor magnet that rotates no more than one complete rotation from the reference position. A rotational zone sensor supplies a zone sensor output signal that indicates the unique rotation zone of the shaft. A shaft rotation sensor supplies a shaft rotation output signal representative of a number of angular degrees that the shaft rotates within each unique rotation zone.