Magnetic Field Sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to a magnetic field sensor (100, 100A, 100B) for components (200) having a preferably cylindrical, conical, prismatic main body (210) or having a free-form main body, wherein at least one first magnetic conductive track (110) and at least one second conductive track (120) are mounted on the main body (210 of the component (200), and the at least second conductive track (120) is arranged at a distancepreferably in the form of a separation layer (300)from the at least first magnetic conductive track (110), wherein at least one exciter magnet is provided and a change in the magnetic flux due to a change in the distance (A) of the at least one first magnetic conductive track (110) from the at least second magnetic conductive track (120) is monitored.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A magnetic field sensor for a component having a main body, the magnetic field sensor comprising: at least one first magnetic conductive track and at least one second conductive track mounted on the main body of the component, wherein the at least one second conductive track is arranged at a distance from the at least one first magnetic conductive track; and at least one exciter magnet, wherein a change in a magnetic flux due to a change in a distance of the at least one first magnetic conductive track from the at least on second magnetic conductive track is monitored.

17. The magnetic field sensor of claim 16, wherein the at least one exciter magnet is a permanent magnet.

18. The magnetic field sensor of claim 16, further comprising a magnetic barrier layer of a non-magnetic material.

19. The magnetic field sensor of claim 16, further comprising at least one measuring device for monitoring the magnetic flux.

20. The magnetic field sensor of claim 19, wherein the at least one measuring device is formed as a measuring chip with at least one measuring section, wherein the measuring chip is arranged on an electrically isolating carrier.

21. The magnetic field sensor of claim 19, wherein the at least one first magnetic conductive track and the at least second magnetic conductive track and the at least one measuring device form a magnetic measuring circuit.

22. The magnetic field sensor of claim 21, wherein the at least one exciter magnet is formed as part of the magnetic measuring circuit.

23. The magnetic field sensor of claim 16, wherein the least second conductive track is arranged at a distance in the form of a separation layer.

24. The magnetic field sensor of claim 19, wherein the at least one measuring device is formed as a measuring chip with two or four internal magnetic measuring sections.

25. A method for manufacturing a magnetic field sensor according to claim 16, the method comprising: applying the at least one first magnetic conductive track on a component to be monitored by electroplating; and applying the at least one second magnetic conductive track on the component to be monitored at a distance from the first magnetic conductive track.

26. The manufacturing method of claim 25, wherein the at least one first magnetic conductive track and the at least one second magnetic conductive track are made of a soft magnetic alloy.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising applying a non-magnetic layer on the component to be monitored before the at least one first conductive track is applied.

28. The method of any one of the claim 25, further comprising applying at least one exciter magnet on the component by electroplating.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising depositing a permanent magnetic alloy, which is selected from a group consisting of cobalt-nickel-phosphorus, cobalt-nickel-manganese-phosphorus, cobalt-nickel-rhenium-phosphorus, iron-platinum, cobalt-platinum and bismuth-manganese, on the substrate by means of electroplating.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein permanent magnetic microparticles or nanoparticles are incorporated into a non-magnetic, metallic matrix during electroplating on the substrate.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the non-magnetic layer that is applied on the base material is selected from a group consisting of copper, tin, zinc or an alloy of two or more of these elements or a non-magnetic alloy of iron metals with phosphorus.

Description

[0029] In the following, the invention will be described in detail by means of non-limiting exemplary embodiments and their respective figures. Herein,

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inventive pressure sensor in a schematic representation;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the pressure sensor of FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the pressure sensor of FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a pressure sensor in a perspective view;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of a pressure sensor in a perspective view;

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the pressure sensor of FIG. 5;

[0036] FIG. 7 shows an arrangement of two inventive magnetic field sensors for measuring a distance;

[0037] FIG. 8 shows a magnetic field sensor from the arrangement of FIG. 7 in a top view;

[0038] FIG. 9 shows a magnetic field sensor from the arrangement of FIG. 7 in a perspective view; and

[0039] FIG. 10 shows a schematic representation of the measuring device for the inventive pressure sensor.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows an inventive magnetic field sensor 100 on a component 200 with a substantially cylindrical main body 210. In this variant embodiment, component 200 is made of a non-magnetic metal. Here, the magnetic field sensor 100 acts as pressure sensor and consists of a first magnetic conductive track 110, which partly covers the end face 211 as well as the coat 212 of component 200. A second magnetic conductive track 120 also covers parts of the end face 211 as well as of the coat 212 of component 200.

[0041] Here, the first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120 overlap, wherein the two conductive tracks 110, 120 are magnetically separated from each other by a layer of a non-magnetic material 300. The first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120 as well as the non-magnetic separation layer 300 are particularly applied to component 200 by means of electroplating methods.

[0042] If a force acts on the end face 211 of component 200, separation layer 300 is compressed and the first magnetic conductive track 110 approaches the second magnetic conductive track 120 so that the distance and thus the magnetic field induced between the two conductive tracks 110, 120 changes. This magnetic field change may be detected by a corresponding measuring device and subsequently evaluated by means of a suitable evaluation device.

[0043] In the variant of the inventive magnetic field sensor 100 on a substantially cylindrical component 200 shown in FIG. 4, the first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120 are exclusively arranged on the coat surface 212 of component 200. For example, if a pressure force acts on end face 211, the extension of separation surface 300 between the first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120 and thus again the magnetic field between the two magnetic conductive tracks 110, 120 change.

[0044] In a third embodiment of the inventive magnetic field sensors 100, the first magnetic conductive track 110 is arranged on a component 200 on the end face 211 of component 200, while the second magnetic conductive track 120 covers the coat surface 212 of component 200 (see FIG. 5).

[0045] In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 it may be seen that the first magnetic conductive track 110 does not only cover the end face 211 of component 200, but also projects into component 200. Thus, component 200 may, for example, have a boring into which part of the first magnetic conductive track 110 is introduced. The second magnetic conductive track 120 encloses component 200 along its coat surface 212 and is separated from the first magnetic conductive track 110 via a separation layer 300 in the area of the end face 211 of component 200. If a force acts on end face 211 and thus on the first conductive track 110 of component 200, separation layer 300 is again compressed so that the magnetic flux between the first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120 changes. This magnetic field change may again be detected and evaluated.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows an arrangement 400, wherein inventive magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B are arranged on a component 200 at a distance from each other. These magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B have the purpose of monitoring the distance between component 200 and a counterpart 410. In this arrangement 400, counterpart 410 is also magnetic and induces a magnetic field in the two conductive tracks 110, 120 of the respective magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B. As long as the respective distance between counterpart 410 and the two magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B remains equal, i.e. component 200 is oriented substantially parallel with counterpart 410, the magnetic flux in the respective magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B is equal. However, if the distance to one of the two magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B changes, i.e. component 200 is not oriented parallel with counterpart 410 anymore, the magnetic fluxes in the respective magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B are different, and these magnetic field differences may be detected and evaluated.

[0047] A magnetic field sensor 100B used in this context may be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. Again, areas of the coat surface or of the end face of magnetic field sensor 100B are separated from the first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120 and covered.

[0048] In this way, the correct position of component 200, e.g. the correct position of a tool with regard to its tool holder, may be monitored. This arrangement 400 may be used either without contact, as described above, i.e. as distance sensor, or with contact between component 200 or the magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B and counterpart 410. In the second case, the magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B act as pressure sensors monitoring the surface or contact pressure between component 200 and counterpart 410 or exact parallelism between the two parts.

[0049] It may also be envisaged that for example the end faces of the magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B are provided with a top layer (not shown) that acts as a shield against counterpart 410. Wear of this top layer again changes the magnetic field of the magnetic field sensors 100A, 100B so that the top layer acts as wear indicator.

[0050] For the sake of simplicity, the at least one exciter magnet and the measuring and evaluation unit are not shown in the figures described above. For example, a measuring unit as described in Austrian Patent Application A 50057/2017 to the applicant may be used.

[0051] FIG. 10 schematically shows such an arrangement 500.

[0052] Here, a first magnetic measuring circuit 510 is provided with the first magnetic conductive track 110 and the second magnetic conductive track 120, wherein the conductive tracks 110, 120 are shown as simple linear tracks in this representation, irrespective of their actual shape. The two magnetic conductors 110, 120 areas described in the above examplesarranged at a distance from each other, which is symbolized by an interruption 512 in this representation. The magnetic measuring circuit 510 has an exciter magnet 511 with which a constant magnetic field is created in the first magnetic measuring circuit 510.

[0053] In order to minimize influences, in particular magnetic and/or electromagnetic influences from the surroundings, the evaluation unit 500 of this embodiment additionally comprises a second magnetic measuring circuit 520 as a compensation measuring circuit with a magnetic conductive track 521, which circuit has a second exciter magnet 522.

[0054] If the distance between the two conductive tracks 110, 120 and thus the distance in the interruption 512 changes due to the effect of an external force, the magnetic flux in the conductive tracks 110, 120 changes as well. For this, the magnetic fluxes of the two magnetically active measuring circuits 510, 520 are measured against each other via a measuring chip 600.

[0055] The ends of the two magnetic conductive tracks 110, 120 of the first magnetic measuring circuit 510 are coupled with two magnetic inputs of measuring chip 600. Between these two inputs, two magnetic measuring sections 601, 602 are provided, which serve for monitoring interruption 512 in the first magnetic measuring circuit 510.

[0056] For the compensation circuit 520, another two magnetic inputs are provided on measuring chip 600, which are again connected via two measuring sections 610, 611.

[0057] Lastly, terminals for supplying electrical energy to the measuring chip 600 and signal outputs for evaluating the measuring signals obtained are provided.

[0058] It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the above exemplary embodiments. In particular, it should be mentioned that the creation of magnetic conductive tracts may be achieved in different ways and that it is not limited to only two magnetic conductive tracts. In addition, the component to be monitored may have any shape.