US 11,703,359 B2
Inductive position sensing apparatus including a screening layer and method for the same
Paul Smith, Cambridge (GB); Robert Wood, Norwich (GB); John Simm, Royston (GB); and Timothy Biggs, Cambourne (GB)
Assigned to Kyocera AVX Components (Werne) GmbH, Werne (DE)
Filed by Kyocera AVX Components (Werne) GmbH, Werne (DE)
Filed on May 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/868,587.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/847,507, filed on May 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0363238 A1, Nov. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. G01D 5/20 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/2013 (2013.01) 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
14. An inductive position sensor configured to detect relative position between a first member and a second member, the inductive position sensor comprising:
an inductive sensor element comprising:
a transmit winding configured to be coupled to the first member; and
a receive winding configured to be coupled to the first member;
a screening layer formed over a screened portion of a member surface of the second member such that an exposed portion of the member surface is free of the screening layer, wherein the exposed portion acts as a spot target for the inductive sensor element, and wherein the screening layer is configured to mask the presence of conductive material on the second member covered by the screening layer; and
processing circuitry configured to provide one or more signals indicative of the position of the first member relative to the second member based on signals induced in the receive winding resulting from an oscillating signal provided to the transmit winding;
wherein movement of the first member relative to the second member alters the induced signals in the receive winding based on interaction between the exposed portion of the member surface and an electromagnetic field generated by the transmit winding;
wherein the screened portion is larger than the exposed portion on the second member.