An improved inductive sensor determines angular positions for rotating objects, such as rotors of synchronous electric motors. The inductive sensor includes an arcuate transmitter coil, one or more receiver coils, and a conductive target configured to rotate with the rotating object, relative to the transmitter coil and the receiver coil(s). The conductive target includes a plurality of lobes and individual of the lobes is split into multiple lobe portions.

An improved inductive sensor determines angular positions for rotating objects, such as rotors of synchronous electric motors. The inductive sensor includes an arcuate transmitter coil, one or more receiver coils, and a conductive target configured to rotate with the rotating object, relative to the transmitter coil and the receiver coil(s). The conductive target includes a plurality of lobes and individual of the lobes is split into multiple lobe portions.

An electric actuator 1 includes a motor 5 and a motion conversion mechanism 4 that converts a rotary motion generated by driving the motor 5 into a predetermined motion. A magnet 31 as a sensor target is disposed on a movable part performing a predetermined motion, and magnetic sensors 32 detecting position information of the magnet 31 is disposed around the magnet 31. A magnetic shield plate 34 is disposed between the motor 5 and the magnetic sensors 32, and an outer surface 5e of the motor 5 and an inner surface 34a of the magnetic shield plate 34 face each other with a predetermined gap 35 therebetween.

A sensor system may include a magnet arranged such that a linear position of the magnet corresponds to a position of a trigger element on a substantially linear trajectory, and such that an angular position of the magnet corresponds to a selected position of a selection element, the selected position being one of a plurality of selected positions. The sensor system may include a magnetic sensor to determine the position of the trigger element based on a strength of a first magnetic field component and a strength of a second magnetic field component, and determine the selected position of the selection element based on a strength of a third magnetic field component and the strength of the second magnetic field component. The first magnetic field component, the second magnetic field component, and the third magnetic field component may be perpendicular to each other.

A method for determining the angular position of a shaft of a motor vehicle. The method includes calculating the mean angular resolution; calculating the time at which the cosine signal passes through zero; using the time at which the sine signal passes through zero and the mean angular resolution; determining the measured angle at the calculated time at which the cosine signal passes through zero; calculating the amplitude of the second harmonic of the measured angle signa;, calculating a second-harmonic error from the calculated amplitude of the second harmonic; and calculating a compensated angle representing the corrected angular position of the shaft from the real-time measured angle and from the calculated second-harmonic error.

A high-resolution encoder device to measure and retrievably encode the relative position of a first part P with a second part S comprises sensible elements on part P, said sensible elements providing a variable property for sensing, such that said variable property varies over a length of said part P, a number n of sensors for sensing said variable property, said sensors being separate from each other and disposed on part S, said sensors configured to output signals in accordance with said sensing, and a processing unit connected to receive said signals from each of said n sensors and configured for succeeding ones of said relative positions to form a vector having entries from each sensor respectively, the vector defining said relative positions respectively.

A piston assembly includes a housing, a piston positioned within the valve housing, and an inductive proximity probe sensor positioned on the housing configured to detect a position of the piston with the housing. The piston is configured to at least one of rotate or translate axially relative to the housing. The piston includes a variable surface. A fuel control system includes the piston assembly, a servo valve in fluid communication with the piston assembly, and an engine controller. The engine controller is operatively connected to the inductive proximity probe sensor.

Provided is a rotation detector capable of suppressing the occurrence of erroneous detection. Rotation detector includes magnet that rotates together with a rotary shaft, a plurality of power generation elements that generate power according to a change in a magnetic field due to rotation of magnet together with the rotary shaft, and a plurality of magnetic sensors provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of power generation elements. Rotation detector further includes information processor that determines a rotational position of the rotary shaft by using the plurality of magnetic sensors, and generated power supply unit that supplies the power generated by each of the plurality of power generation elements only to the corresponding one of the plurality of power generation elements.

A tool device, such as a lawnmower, or a steerable-wheel assembly therefor may include a frame, a walking element, a drive motor, a steerable-wheel assembly (SWA), and one or more controllers attached to the frame. The walking element may be coupled to the frame. The drive motor may selectively power the walking element. The SWA may be attached to the frame apart from the walking element. The SWA may include a caster connector pivotably mounted to the frame to rotate about a pivot axis, a steerable wheel rotatably coupled to the caster connector, a first sensor configured to detect a pivotable position of the caster connector, and a second sensor configured to detect the set reference point.

A tool device, such as a lawnmower, or a steerable-wheel assembly therefor may include a frame, a walking element, a drive motor, and a steerable-wheel assembly (SWA). The walking element may be coupled to the frame. The drive motor may selectively power the walking element. The SWA may be attached to the frame apart from the walking element. The SWA may include a caster connector pivotably mounted to the frame to rotate about a pivot axis, a steerable wheel rotatably coupled to the caster connector, a primary drive gear, a primary driven gear, and a secondary driven gear.