A device for sensing a rotational position of a rotatable element for a household appliance includes: a stator having a plurality of capacitive sensor surfaces spaced apart from one another in a plane of extension of the stator; and a rotor rotatably positionable or disposed relative to the stator and having an electrically conductive section and a dielectric non-conductive section, the conductive section being larger in area than the non-conductive section, the rotor being disposed opposite the plane of extension of the stator in a rotatable condition relative to the stator, and the rotor being couplable or coupled to the rotatable element.

A device for sensing a rotational position of a rotatable element for a household appliance includes: a stator having a plurality of capacitive sensor surfaces spaced apart from one another in a plane of extension of the stator; and a rotor rotatably positionable or disposed relative to the stator and having an electrically conductive section and a dielectric non-conductive section, the conductive section being larger in area than the non-conductive section, the rotor being disposed opposite the plane of extension of the stator in a rotatable condition relative to the stator, and the rotor being couplable or coupled to the rotatable element.

A system and method for sensing rotor position of a three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) includes a controller coupled with the PMSM and causing a plurality of voltage pulses to be applied thereto. A timer and/or an analog-to-digital converter is coupled with the PMSM and measures a plurality of values (measured values) from a three-phase inverter coupled with the PMSM. Each measured value may correspond with one of the plurality of voltage pulses and includes a current value or time value corresponding with an inductance of the PMSM. One or more logic elements calculates, based on the measured values and on one or more position algorithms, a position of a rotor of the PMSM relative to a stator of the PMSM. The system is configured to calculate the position of the rotor when the rotor is in a stopped configuration and when the rotor is in a rotating configuration.

A stepping motor control device includes a motor drive portion, a rotor position detection portion, and a control portion. The motor drive portion is configured to sequentially switch an excitation pattern of excitation phases of a stepping motor each time a drive pulse signal is supplied thereto. The rotor position detection portion is configured to be capable of detecting a rotor position in a state where a rotor of the stepping motor has stopped. The control portion is configured to supply the drive pulse signal having a number of pulses determined in accordance with the rotor position detected by the rotor position detection portion, to the motor drive portion in a state where a current supplied to the excitation phases has been controlled to a predetermined current value at which the rotor does not rotate.

A stepping motor control device includes a motor drive portion, a rotor position detection portion, and a control portion. The motor drive portion is configured to sequentially switch an excitation pattern of excitation phases of a stepping motor each time a drive pulse signal is supplied thereto. The rotor position detection portion is configured to be capable of detecting a rotor position in a state where a rotor of the stepping motor has stopped. The control portion is configured to supply the drive pulse signal having a number of pulses determined in accordance with the rotor position detected by the rotor position detection portion, to the motor drive portion in a state where a current supplied to the excitation phases has been controlled to a predetermined current value at which the rotor does not rotate.

According to one example there is provided a method of adjusting a support structure. The method comprises obtaining a reference orientation of the support structure when the support structure is positioned in a reference position. The height of the support structure is adjusted to a predetermined position and the orientation of the support structure is adjusted such that the orientation of the support structure when in the predetermined position is substantially the same as the reference orientation.

According to one example there is provided a method of adjusting a support structure. The method comprises obtaining a reference orientation of the support structure when the support structure is positioned in a reference position. The height of the support structure is adjusted to a predetermined position and the orientation of the support structure is adjusted such that the orientation of the support structure when in the predetermined position is substantially the same as the reference orientation.

The present disclosure is directed to techniques for synchronizing a rotational eccentric mass of a gravitational transducer used for a magnetic resonance elastography acquisition with a corresponding magnetic resonance elastography scan carried out by a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the rotation of the eccentric mass is driven by a shaft. The method includes starting the rotation of the eccentric mass at a set vibration frequency and the magnetic resonance elastography scan at a set acquisition frequency; determining the rotational position of the shaft; defining the rotational position as first reference position; calculating further reference positions. At the start time of each subsequent acquisition period, determining the current rotational position of the shaft; comparing the determined current rotational position with the theoretically expected reference position and decreasing or increasing the rotational speed of the rotational eccentric mass based on the comparison.

The present disclosure is directed to techniques for synchronizing a rotational eccentric mass of a gravitational transducer used for a magnetic resonance elastography acquisition with a corresponding magnetic resonance elastography scan carried out by a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the rotation of the eccentric mass is driven by a shaft. The method includes starting the rotation of the eccentric mass at a set vibration frequency and the magnetic resonance elastography scan at a set acquisition frequency; determining the rotational position of the shaft; defining the rotational position as first reference position; calculating further reference positions. At the start time of each subsequent acquisition period, determining the current rotational position of the shaft; comparing the determined current rotational position with the theoretically expected reference position and decreasing or increasing the rotational speed of the rotational eccentric mass based on the comparison.

The present disclosure is directed to techniques for synchronizing a rotational eccentric mass of a gravitational transducer used for a magnetic resonance elastography acquisition with a corresponding magnetic resonance elastography scan carried out by a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the rotation of the eccentric mass is driven by a shaft. The method includes starting the rotation of the eccentric mass at a set vibration frequency and the magnetic resonance elastography scan at a set acquisition frequency; determining the rotational position of the shaft; defining the rotational position as first reference position; calculating further reference positions. At the start time of each subsequent acquisition period, determining the current rotational position of the shaft; comparing the determined current rotational position with the theoretically expected reference position and decreasing or increasing the rotational speed of the rotational eccentric mass based on the comparison.