SENSOR IN PARTICULAR A TURNING ANGLE OR TORQUE SENSOR WITH A SUPPORT FOR THE STATOR AGAINST ROTATION

Abstract

A sensor is provided, in particular a turning angle or torque sensor, with a stator at rest in relation to surroundings and a rotor that can be rotated in relation to the surroundings and the stator. The stator features a support with which the stator is secured against rotation in relation to the surroundings. A printed circuit board is provided, on which an electronic circuit arrangement of the stator is provided. The support is a pin and the electronic circuit arrangement and the pin are at least partially enveloped by a casting compound. One end of the pin protrudes from the casting compound, and the pin is fixed in or on the printed circuit board or in or on the casting compound.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising: a stator and a rotor, wherein the stator is at rest and the rotor rotates in relation to the stator, and a printed circuit board on which an electronic circuit arrangement of the stator is provided for, a support securing the stator against rotation, wherein the support is a pin or another projecting element, a casting compound at least partially enveloping the electronic circuit arrangement and the pin or the other projecting element, wherein one end of the pin or the other projecting element protrudes from the casting compound, and wherein the pin or the other projecting element is fixed in or on the printed circuit board or in or on the casting compound.

2. The sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pin or the other projecting element at least partially includes an elastomer.

3. The sensor in accordance with claim 2, wherein at least an end of the pin or the other projecting element protruding out of the casting compound includes a thermoplastic elastomer, or an end of the pin or the other projecting element includes a coating or an overmolding made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

4. The sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pin or the other projecting element includes two plastic components.

5. The sensor in accordance with claim 4, wherein a base plate fixed in or on the printed circuit board of the pin or the other projecting element includes a material that has a thermal expansion coefficient that is identical or similar in comparison to an end of the pin or the other projecting element protruding from the casting compound to the casting compound.

6. The sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the casting compound includes a thermoset or thermoplastic.

7. The sensor in accordance with claim 6, wherein an end of the pin or of the other projecting element protrudes out of the thermoset or thermoplastic in a direction of a rotary axis of the rotor or in parallel to the rotary axis.

8. The sensor in accordance with claim 6, wherein an end of the pin or of the other projecting element protrudes from the thermoset or thermoplastic in a direction radial to a rotary axis of the rotor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a top view onto a part of the inventive sensor.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a cross-section through the part from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The part of an inventive sensor shown in the Figures comprises a part of a printed circuit board 1. The printed circuit board 1 is a component of a stator of the sensor that also comprises a rotor; none of the latter is shown. The part shown of the printed circuit board 1 is molded into a casting compound 2. A hole is molded into the casting component 2. A pin 3 is fastened in this hole in the form of a rivet. The pin 3 projects from the casting compound 2 in parallel to a rotary axis. In a variant shown in dashed lines, the pin 3 protrudes out of the casting compound 2 in a radial direction.

[0020] The sensor can feature a central recess through which a shaft or axle is guided, for example a steering column. The rotor can be fastened to the shaft or the axle. While the stator is fastened in a torque-proof manner on or in the surroundings of the shaft or axle. Rotation of the stator in relation to the surroundings is prevented by the pin 3, which forms a support of the stator against rotation.

[0021] Whereas the casting compound 2 consists of a thermoset, the pin 3 is manufactured from a thermoplastic elastomer. The pin 3 can be oversized in relation to a recess in a body in the surroundings of the sensor. If the pin 3 is inserted into the recess in the body, it will sit free of play in the recess. This enables tolerances between the pin 3 and the recess to be compensated for. Thus, the stator has a support free of play against rotation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS (FIG. 1)

[0022] 1 Printed circuit board [0023] 2 Casting compound [0024] 3 Pin