DEVICE FOR DETERMINING AN ANGLE OF ROTATION AND/OR A TORQUE, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE DEVICE

Abstract

A device for determining an angle of rotation and/or a torque of a rotating part, having at least one angle detector for detecting an angular position of the rotating part relative to a reference position and at least one indexer for indexing at a 360 rotation of the rotating part relative to the reference position, the angle detector having a rotor connected in a non-rotatable manner to the rotating part with a base body for attachment to the rotating part and a plurality of vanes extending radially outwardly from the base body. At least one of the vanes of the rotor have a marker detectable by means of the indexer.

Claims

1. A device for determining an angle of rotation and/or a torque of a rotating part, the device comprising: at least one angle detector to detect an angular position of the rotating part relative to a reference position; and at least one indexer to index at a predetermined rotation or a 360 rotation of the rotating part relative to the reference position, wherein the angle detector comprises a rotor fixedly connected with the rotating part, with a base body for attachment to the rotating part and with several vanes extending radially outward from the base body, and wherein at least one of the vanes of the rotor has a marker that is detectable via the indexer.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a single vane of the rotor has a marker which is detectable via the indexer.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the angle detector is designed as an inductive and/or a capacitive and/or a magnetic and/or an optical sensor.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the indexer is designed as an inductive and/or capacitive and/or a magnetic and/or an optical sensor.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in a detection area of the indexer, a single vane has an opening that is delimited by a circumferential edge or all vanes except for a single vane having an opening that is delimited by a circumferential edge.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein a single vane extends radially further outward from the base body into a detection area of the indexer than the other vanes or all the vanes except for one single vane that extends further radially outward from the base body into a detection area of the indexer than the single vane.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the angle detector and the indexer are each designed as an inductive sensor, and a stator of the indexer has at least one sensor coil, wherein the sensor coil and the at least one marker of the rotor are designed to be coordinated with one another and are arranged relative to each another in such a manner that the sensor coil only acts as a sensor coil for the indexer.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein an extent of the at least one sensor coil of the stator of the indexer is less than or equal to a projection of the at least one vane of the rotor, which is in operative connection with the stator of the indexer, on a printed circuit board on which the at least one sensor coil is arranged.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the angle detector has a first operating frequency and the indexer has a second operating frequency, wherein the first operating frequency and the second operating frequency are different from one another.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor coil of the indexer forms at least one resonant circuit with at least one capacitor connected in parallel to the respective sensor coil, wherein the resonance frequency of the respective resonant circuit is determined via an evaluation unit connected to this resonant circuit.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of the at least one sensor coil of the indexer forms a number of resonant circuits corresponding to the number of sensor coils, wherein at least one resonance frequency difference of two resonant circuits is determined via the evaluation unit.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensor coils are arranged offset to one another by an angle of rotation about an axis of rotation of the rotor.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensor coils are arranged radially offset to one another with respect to an axis of rotation of the rotor.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the angle detector and the indexer are each arranged at least partially on a common printed circuit board, wherein the circuit board is designed as a multilayer circuit board and the angle detector is arranged on at least one first layer of the printed circuit board and the indexer is arranged on at least one of the second layers of the circuit board that is different from the first layer.

15. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that at least one of the at least one second layers is designed as a shield.

16. A method comprising: providing a device according to claim 1; and determining in an evaluation unit, as a function of the detection of the marker detectable via the indexer, a 360 rotation of the rotating part relative to the reference position.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, in order to determine a predetermined rotation, preferably a 360 rotation, of the rotating part relative to the reference position, at least one resonance frequency of the at least one resonant circuit is evaluated in the evaluation unit.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one resonance frequency difference of two resonant circuits is evaluated in the evaluation unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention in a partial view, with a plan view of a rotor;

[0030] FIG. 2 is an exemplary illustration of a multilayer printed circuit board in the exemplary embodiment;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a current flow shown by way of example;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention in a partial view, with a plan view of a rotor;

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a resonant circuit of the indexer according to the exemplary embodiments, in which the sensor coil of the indexer is integrated;

[0034] FIG. 6 shows the sensor coil from FIG. 5 in a plan view, as well as an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a resonance frequency-angle of rotation diagram; and

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a resonance frequency difference-angle of rotation diagram, corresponding to the first and the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention in a partial view. The device is designed to determine an angle of rotation and a torque of a rotating part, namely a steering shaft of a power steering system for a motor vehicle. The device comprises two angle detector, each designed as an inductive sensor, for detecting an angular position of the rotating part relative to a reference position and an indexer designed as an inductive sensor for indexing during a 360 rotation of the rotating part relative to the reference position, wherein the angle detector each have a rotor fixedly connected to the rotating part with a base body for attachment to the rotating part and a plurality of vanes extending radially outward from the base body. FIG. 1 only partially shows one of the two angle detector, namely its rotor 2, with the base body 2.1 and the vanes 2.2. The reference position is symbolized in FIG. 1 by means of a dot 5.

[0038] The rotating part, i.e. the steering shaft, is divided into two parts in a manner known to those skilled in the art, wherein one part of the steering shaft is non-rotatably connected with one of the angle detector, namely with its rotor 2, and the other part of the steering shaft is connected with the other of the angle detector, namely with its rotor. The indexer is assigned to one of the two parts of the steering shaft. The two parts of the steering shaft are connected to one another in a force-transmitting manner known to those skilled in the art by means of a torsion bar. FIG. 1 only shows the rotor 2 of the angle detector, which is associated to the same part of the steering shaft with the indexer. Each rotor 2 is made in one piece from a sheet metal suitable for inductive coupling. The rotor 2 shown in FIG. 1 has a total of nine vanes 2.2, which extend radially outward from the base body 2.1. A gap 4 is formed between the individual vanes 2.2. The vanes 2.2 are arranged uniformly around the circumference of the base body 2.1 of the rotor 2. As can be seen from FIG. 1, one of the vanes 2.2 of the rotor 2 has an opening 6 delimited by a circumferential edge. This opening 6 is a marker 6 that can be detected by means of the indexer.

[0039] The rotor of the other, not-shown angle detector has a total of eighteen vanes. This rotor has no marker detectable by means of an indexer or of the indexer, for example in the form of an opening delimited by a circumferential edge, in one of its vanes. By means of a differential angle determination known to the person skilled in the art, the torque applied to the steering shaft can be determined between the angle detector partially shown in FIG. 1 and the angle detector. The angle of rotation of the steering shaft is determined by the angle detector partially shown in FIG. 1. The indexer is used, for example, to detect angles of rotation of 360 and more. This is necessary, for example, for commercial vehicles such as trucks or the like.

[0040] In addition to the rotor, for example rotor 2, each of the angle detector also has a stator. The stator is constructed in a manner known to the person skilled in the art and has at least one excitation coil and at least one sensor coil. In the present exemplary embodiment, the respective stator is arranged on a single multilayer printed circuit board 8, which is shown by way of example in FIG. 2. The multilayer printed circuit board 8 has a total of six layers, which are designated in FIG. 2 by a, b, c, d, e and f. The individual layers a to f are applied to circuit board material, which is symbolized in FIG. 2 by means of different textures for the purpose of better clarity. The stator of the angle detector partially shown in FIG. 1 is arranged on layers a and b of the printed circuit board 8, and the stator of the angle detector is arranged on layers e and f of the printed circuit board 8. On the one hand, the indexer embodied as an inductive sensor is arranged on the layers c and d of the circuit board 8. On the other hand, the layers c and d of the circuit board 8 are also designed as a shield, by means of which undesired interaction between the angle detector designed as inductive sensors is at least reduced, the stators of which are arranged on the layers a and b and on the layers e and f of the circuit board 8. FIG. 2 only shows the layers a to f, but not the stators and the indexer designed as an inductive sensor.

[0041] The indexer formed as an inductive sensor is in each case partially shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and has a stator 9 with a sensor coil 10, wherein the sensor coil 10 and the at least one marker 6 of the rotor 2 are formed coordinated with one another and arranged relative to each other in such a manner that the sensor coil 10 only acts as a sensor coil 10 for the indexer. The sensor coil 10 forms a resonant circuit 14 with a capacitor 12 connected in parallel to the sensor coil 10, wherein the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit 14 is able to be determined by means of an evaluation unit 16 connected to this resonant circuit 14. The evaluation unit 16 or its function can be integrated, for example, in an ASIC for evaluating output signals of the angle detector or the angle detector. However, it is also conceivable that the evaluation unit 16 is designed as a separate component. In the present exemplary embodiment, the extent of the sensor coil 10 of the stator 9 of the indexer is less than or equal to a projection of the at least one vane 2.2 of the rotor 2, which is operatively connected to the stator 9 of the indexer, on the circuit board 8 on which the sensor coil 10 is arranged. To this end, see FIG. 6, which relates to a different exemplary embodiment but is representative with regard to the aforementioned extension of the sensor coil 10. In FIG. 6, only the projection of the rotor 2 is shown on the circuit board 6, wherein the projection of the rotor 2 is provided with the reference numerals of the rotor 2. The projection is shown hatched in FIG. 6.

[0042] The device according to the invention is explained in more detail below in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment and with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 and 7.

[0043] When the steering shaft rotates, for example due to a steering intervention by a vehicle driver of the motor vehicle, the steering shaft rotates relative to the reference position 5, so that by means of the one angle detector, which is partially shown in FIG. 1, the angle of rotation of the steering shaft can be determined in a way known to those skilled in the art. On the other hand, the two parts of the steering shaft twist towards each other, which leads to a torsion of the torsion bar, so that by determining the differential angle between the angle detected by the aforementioned angle detector and the angle detected by the not-shown angle detector in a manner known to those skilled in the art, the torque introduced in the steering shaft can be determined. When determining the angle by means of the angle detector partially shown in FIG. 1, the opening 6 arranged in one vane 2.2, i.e. the marker detectable by means of the indexer, is not a hindrance, since the current flow relevant for the inductive sensor follows the geometry shown in FIG. 3. As can be seen from this, the current flows along the outer contour of the rotor 2 shown in the image plane of FIGS. 1 and 3. The current flow required for the inductive sensor system of the two angle detector is therefore not hindered by the opening 6.

[0044] The opening 6, that is to say the marker, can be detected by means of the indexer designed as an inductive sensor. Correspondingly, the indexer can be used to detect 360 rotations of the rotating part, that is to say the steering shaft, and thus also to detect angles of rotation of the steering shaft of 360 and more. For example, this can always take place when the vane 2.2 of the rotor 2 passes the reference position 5 with the opening 6.

[0045] While the rotor 2 rotates about an axis of rotation 3 of the rotor 2 in operative connection with the indexer, the inductance in the sensor coil 10 changes, so that the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit 14 from FIG. 5 also changes. Compared to the vanes 2.2 without a marker, the vane 2.2 with the marker 6 causes an increase in the inductance in the sensor coil 10, so that in a resonance frequency-angle of rotation diagram there is a course of the resonance frequency f as a function of the angle of rotation which is inverse to that of FIG. 7. Whenever the vane 2.2 with a marker 6 comes into the effective range of the sensor coil 10 when the rotor 2 and thus the steering shaft rotates about the axis of rotation 3, the resonance frequency fin the resonant circuit 14 drops below a certain threshold value, as shown by way of example in FIG. 7 as a dotted line parallel to the X axis. The threshold value is, for example, previously determined and stored so that in each case the present resonance frequency f of the resonant circuit 14 can be evaluated in the evaluation unit 16 in a manner known to the person skilled in the art. However, it is also conceivable that, for example, edges are counted in a specified gating interval. The resonance frequency of the resonant circuit 14 is therefore evaluated in the evaluation unit 16. Correspondingly, a complete revolution of the rotor 2 and thus the steering shaft about the common axis of rotation 3 can be determined. As a function of the detection of the marker 6 detectable by means of the indexer, a 360 rotation of the rotating part, namely the steering shaft, relative to the reference position 5 can thus be determined in the evaluation unit 16.

[0046] Further exemplary embodiments are explained below by way of example. Identical or identically acting components are provided with the same reference numbers as in the first exemplary embodiment. The following exemplary embodiments are each explained only to the extent of the differences from the respective preceding exemplary embodiments. Otherwise, reference is made to the statements of the above embodiments.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention. The second exemplary embodiment essentially corresponds to the first exemplary embodiment, so that reference is made to the above statements as far as possible. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, all of the vanes 2.2 except for a single vane 2.2 of the rotor 2 have an opening delimited by a circumferential edge. The rotor 2 of the second exemplary embodiment is thus formed inversely to the rotor 2 of the first exemplary embodiment. Correspondingly, in the second exemplary embodiment, the single vane 2.2 without an opening acts as a marker 6 detectable by means of the indexer. Otherwise, the structure and the mode of operation of the second exemplary embodiment correspond to those of the first exemplary embodiment. In contrast to the first embodiment, the second embodiment shows, for example, the course of the resonance frequency f shown in FIG. 7 as a function of the angle of rotation of the rotor 2 and thus the steering shaft about the axis of rotation 3. As can be seen from this, the vane 2.2 without an opening, i.e. with a marker 6 designed as a closed vane 2.2, causes the inductance in the sensor coil 10 to drop, so that the course of the resonance frequency f that can be seen in the resonance frequency-angle of rotation diagram according to FIG. 7 results as a function of the angle of rotation . Whenever the vane 2.2 with this marker 6 passes into the active region of the sensor coil 10 during a rotation of the rotor 2, and thus of the steering shaft, about the rotational axis 3, the resonance frequency f in the resonant circuit 14 rises above a certain threshold value, as shown in FIG. 7 by way of example as a dotted line parallel to the X axis. Thus, as a function of the detection of the marker 6 detectable by means of the indexer in the evaluation unit 16, a 360 rotation of the rotating part, namely the steering shaft, relative to the reference position 5 can be determined.

[0048] In the aforementioned exemplary embodiments, the angle detector and the indexer are each designed as an inductive sensor and the stator 9 of the indexer has a sensor coil 10, wherein the sensor coil 10 and the marker 6 of the rotor 2 are designed to be coordinated with one another and are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that the sensor coil 10 acts only as a sensor coil 10 for the indexer. The sensor coil 10 for the detection of the marker 6 is formed according to the first and the second embodiment in such a locally limited manner that this sensor coil 10, in contrast to at least one further non-illustrated sensor coil of each of the angle detector, has a detection area which, according to one of the above embodiments, includes only one vane 2.2.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment. In contrast to the first and the second exemplary embodiments, the indexer in the third exemplary embodiment has two sensor coils 10. Accordingly, there are two resonant circuits 14, wherein resonance frequency difference f of the two resonant circuits 14 can be determined by means of the evaluation unit 16. Each of the resonant circuits 14 is designed as shown in FIG. 5, each of the two sensor coils 10 being interconnected alternately with the capacitor 12 of the resonant circuit 14 in a multiplex process. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the two sensor coils 10 are arranged offset from one another by an angle of rotation about the axis of rotation 3 of the rotor 2. This makes it possible, for example, to additionally determine a direction of rotation of the rotor 2, and thus of the steering shaft, about its common axis of rotation 3. In addition, the sensor coils 10 are arranged radially offset from one another with respect to the axis of rotation 3 of the rotor 2. While one of the two sensor coils 10 is positioned in the radial direction analogously to the first and second exemplary embodiment, the other of the two sensor coils 10 is offset inward in the radial direction. In the third exemplary embodiment, the rotor 2 is designed analogously to the second exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4. However, it is also conceivable that the two sensor coils are jointly dimensioned and arranged in such a way that their joint extension is less than or equal to a projection of the at least one vane of the rotor that is operatively connected to the stator of the indexer on a circuit board on which the at least one sensor coil is arranged. By means of the two sensor coils 10 of the indexer according to the third embodiment, a resonance frequency difference f of two resonant circuits 14 can be determined by means of the evaluation unit 16. This is advantageous, for example, for preventing or at least effectively reducing undesired influences of temperature and tolerances. In contrast to the first and second embodiment, in the evaluation unit 16 of the third embodiment, the resonance frequency difference f between the two resonant circuits 14 is evaluated, namely on the one hand between the resonant circuit 14 formed by means of the one sensor coil 10 and the capacitor 12, and on the other, between the resonant circuit 14 formed by means of the other sensor coil 10 and the capacitor 12. The corresponding course of the resonance frequency difference as a function of the angle of rotation can be seen in FIG. 8 in a manner analogous to FIG. 7.

[0050] The invention is not limited to the present exemplary embodiments. For example, the angle of rotation and/or torque of other rotating parts can also be advantageously determined by means of the device according to the invention. Instead of detecting the angle of rotation and the torque, it is possible to detect only the angle of rotation or the torque. The invention can also be used in other fields of application apart from the automotive industry.

[0051] As already explained, the at least one angle detector and the at least one indexer can be freely selected within wide, suitable limits. This also applies to the sensor principle used. The at least one angle detector is preferably designed as an inductive and/or capacitive and/or magnetic and/or optical sensor. The same applies to the at least one indexer. Accordingly, various combinations of sensor principles can be used simultaneously, for example for a plurality of angle detector and/or a plurality of indexer.

[0052] For example, it is conceivable that a single vane extends radially further outward from the base body than the other vanes into a detection area of the indexer, or that all vanes except for a single vane extend radially further from the base body than the single vane into a detection area of the indexer. In this case, the angle detector can be designed as an inductive sensor and the indexer as an optical sensor, and a single vane can extend further radially outward from the basic body than all the other vanes or all vanes except for one single vane can extend radially further outward from the base body than the single vane. For example, the optical sensor could be arranged offset radially outward relative to the rotor in such a way that the optical sensor can detect the marker detectable by means of the optical sensor, that is to say, the only longer or the only shorter vane of the rotor.

[0053] It is particularly advantageous that the angle detector has a first operating frequency and the indexer has a second operating frequency, wherein the first operating frequency and the second operating frequency are different from each other. For example, the first operating frequency could be 3-4 MHz and the second operating frequency could be 6-8 MHz. Due to the significant deviation of the first from the second operating frequency, undesired interaction between the two inductive sensors would be effectively prevented. This development of the arrangement according to the invention could also be used advantageously in the case of a plurality of inductive angle detector, as in the present exemplary embodiments.

[0054] The components of the at least one angle detector and of the at least one indexer do not necessarily have to be arranged at least partially on a single printed circuit board, in particular a multilayer printed circuit board. Depending on the requirements of the individual case, the components of the at least one angle detector and of the at least one indexer can also be arranged on printed circuit boards or the like which are different from one another, in one or more layers.

[0055] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.