US 12,247,851 B2
Hall sensor—magnet geometry for large stroke linear position sensing
Yiftah Kowal, Tel Aviv (IL); Nadav Goulinski, Tel Aviv (IL); Tal Korman, Tel Aviv (IL); and Ephraim Goldenberg, Tel Aviv (IL)
Assigned to Corephotonics Ltd., Tel Aviv (IL)
Filed by Corephotonics Ltd., Tel Aviv (IL)
Filed on Feb. 29, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/591,012.
Application 18/591,012 is a continuation of application No. 17/628,905, granted, now 11,946,775, previously published as PCT/IB2021/056693, filed on Jul. 26, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/059,200, filed on Jul. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0247953 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01D 5/14 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/145 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A camera, comprising:
a lens;
a stationary image sensor;
a magnetic assembly (MA) fixedly coupled to the lens and having a width W measured along a first direction associated with a direction of actuation of the lens relative to the stationary sensor, and a height H measured along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the MA including at least three magnets having respective magnetic polarizations that define along the first direction at least a left MA domain, a middle MA domain and a right MA domain, wherein the magnetic polarizations of each of the MA domains are different; and
a stationary magnetic flux measuring device (MFMD) for measuring a magnetic flux B, wherein the MA is configured to move relative to the MFMD along the first direction within a range defined by a stroke L that fulfils 1 mm≤L≤100 mm,
wherein a minimum value Dmin of an orthogonal distance D measured along the second direction between a particular magnet and the MFMD of the position sensing unit fulfills L/Dmin>10,
wherein the at least three magnets are positioned sequentially along the first direction,
and wherein adjacent magnets are separated by a gap.