Target activated sensor

1. An apparatus for sensing the position of a seat in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a permanent magnet having a direction of magnetization and establishing a magnetic field;

a single pole spaced from said permanent magnet and having a surface in opposed facing relationship with one magnetic pole of said permanent magnet, said single pole disposed in said magnetic field;

a magnetic sensor element disposed in said magnetic field and adjacent an end of said single pole, said magnetic sensor element having a flux receiving surface, said flux receiving surface in opposed facing relationship to said end of said single pole and being positioned substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization; and

a target comprising a ferromagnetic material,

at least one of said target and a sensor assembly, comprising said permanent magnet, said single pole and said magnetic sensor element, being configured for movement with said seat relative to the other of said target and said sensor assembly, whereby in at least one position of said at least one movable one of said target and said sensor assembly said target is disposed in said magnetic field and said magnetic sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target with no intervening ferromagnetic pole between said magnetic sensor element and said target,

said sensor element being configured to provide a first output in response to a first level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said sensor element when said sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target and a second output different from said first output in response to a second level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said sensor element when said sensor element is not disposed between said end of said single pole and said target.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said direction of magnetization of said permanent magnet is substantially parallel to a direction of movement of said at least one movable one of said seat and said sensor assembly.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said sensor element comprises a Hall Effect device, said Hall Effect device being responsive to said first and second levels of magnetic flux imparted to said flux receiving surface to provide said first and second outputs, said flux receiving surface being positioned substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said magnet has a length in said direction of magnetization, said length being greater than a width and height of said magnet.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an air gap between said magnet and said target is greater than 5 mm.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said permanent magnet, said single pole, and said magnetic sensor element are at least partially disposed in a housing and said magnetic sensor element and said end of said single pole are disposed in a sealed cavity at least partially formed by said housing.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said permanent magnet, said single pole, and said magnetic sensor element are at least partially disposed in a housing, said housing comprising at least one mounting flange extending from an exterior surface thereof, said mounting flange being configured for cooperating with an associated mounting opening of a mounting bracket for affixing said apparatus to said mounting bracket.

8. An apparatus for sensing the position of a seat in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a permanent magnet magnetized in a direction of magnetization for establishing a magnetic field;

a single pole spaced from said permanent magnet and having a surface in opposed facing relationship with one magnetic pole of said permanent magnet, said single pole disposed in said magnetic field;

a magnetic sensor element disposed in said magnetic field and adjacent an end of said single pole, said magnetic sensor element having a flux receiving surface and being responsive to first and second levels of flux imparted to said flux receiving surface for providing first and second outputs, respectively, said first output being different from said second output, said flux receiving surface being positioned substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization and in opposed facing relationship to said end of said single pole;

a housing, said permanent magnet, said single pole and said magnetic sensor element being at least partially disposed in said housing; and

a target comprising a ferromagnetic material,

at least one of said target and a sensor assembly, comprising said permanent magnet, said single pole and said magnetic sensor element, being configured for movement with said seat relative to the other of said target and said sensor assembly said movement being in a direction substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization, whereby in at least one position of said at least one movable one of said target and said sensor assembly said target is disposed in said magnetic field and said magnetic sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target with no intervening ferromagnetic pole between said magnetic sensor element and said target,

said sensor element being configured to provide said first output in response to said first level of magnetic flux when said sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target and said second output when said sensor element is not disposed between said end of said single pole and said target.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said magnet has a length in said direction of magnetization, said length being greater than a width and height of said magnet.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein an air gap between said magnet and said target is greater than 5 mm.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said magnetic sensor element and said end of said single pole are disposed in a sealed cavity at least partially formed by said housing.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8 , said housing comprising at least one mounting flange extending from an exterior surface thereof, said mounting flange being configured for cooperating with an associated mounting opening of a mounting bracket for affixing said apparatus to said mounting bracket.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a permanent magnet magnetized in a direction of magnetization for establishing a magnetic field;

a single pole spaced from said permanent magnet and having a surface in opposed facing relationship with one magnetic pole of said permanent magnet, said single pole disposed in said magnetic field; and

a Hall Effect device disposed in said magnetic field and adjacent an end of said single pole, said Hall Effect device having a flux receiving surface and being responsive to first and second levels of flux imparted to said flux receiving surface for providing first and second outputs, respectively, said first output being different from said second output, said flux receiving surface being positioned substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization and in opposed facing relationship to said end of said single pole,

said Hall Effect device being configured to provide said first output when a target is disposed in said magnetic field and said Hall Effect device is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target with no intervening ferromagnetic pole between said Hall Effect device and said target,

said Hall Effect device being configured to provide said second output when Hall Effect device is not disposed between said end of said single pole and said target.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said magnet has a length in said direction of magnetization, said length being greater than a width and height of said magnet.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said permanent magnet, said single pole, and said magnetic sensor element are at least partially disposed in a housing and said magnetic sensor element and said end of said single pole are disposed in a sealed cavity at least partially formed by said housing.

16. An apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said permanent magnet, said single pole, and said magnetic sensor element are at least partially disposed in a housing, said housing comprising at least one mounting flange extending from an exterior surface thereof, said mounting flange being configured for cooperating with an associated mounting opening of a mounting bracket for affixing said apparatus to said mounting bracket.

17. An apparatus for sensing the position of a seat in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a sensor assembly comprising a permanent magnet establishing a magnetic field, a single pole spaced from said permanent magnet and disposed in said magnetic field, and a magnetic sensor element disposed in said magnetic field and adjacent an end of said single pole, said permanent magnet, said single pole, and said magnetic sensor element are at least partially disposed in a housing and said magnetic sensor element and said end of said single pole are disposed in a sealed cavity at least partially formed by said housing; and

a target comprising a ferromagnetic material,

at least one of said target and said sensor assembly being configured for movement with said seat relative to the other of said target and said sensor assembly, whereby in at least one position of said at least one movable one of said target and said sensor assembly said target is disposed in said magnetic field and said magnetic sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target with no intervening ferromagnetic pole between said magnetic sensor element and said target,

said sensor element being configured to provide a first output in response to a first level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said sensor element when said sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target and a second output different from said first output in response to a second level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said sensor element when said sensor element is not disposed between said end of said single pole and said target.

18. An apparatus for sensing the position of a seat in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a sensor assembly comprising a permanent magnet magnetized in a direction of magnetization for establishing a magnetic field, a single pole spaced from said permanent magnet and disposed in said magnetic field, and a magnetic sensor element disposed in said magnetic field and adjacent an end of said single pole, said magnetic sensor element having a flux receiving surface and being responsive to first and second levels of flux imparted to said flux receiving surface for providing first and second outputs, respectively, said first output being different from said second output, said flux receiving surface being positioned substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization;

a housing, said permanent magnet, said single pole and said magnetic sensor element being at least partially disposed in said housing, said magnetic sensor element and said end of said single pole are disposed in a sealed cavity at least partially formed by said housing; and

a target comprising a ferromagnetic material,

at least one of said target and said sensor assembly being configured for movement with said seat relative to the other of said target and said sensor assembly said movement being in a direction substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization, whereby in at least one position of said at least one movable one of said target and said sensor assembly said target is disposed in said magnetic field and said magnetic sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target with no intervening ferromagnetic pole between said magnetic sensor element and said target,

said sensor element being configured to provide said first output in response to said first level of magnetic flux when said sensor element is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target and said second output when said sensor element is not disposed between said end of said single pole and said target.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a permanent magnet magnetized in a direction of magnetization for establishing a magnetic field;

a single pole spaced from said permanent magnet and disposed in said magnetic field;

a Hall Effect device disposed in said magnetic field and adjacent an end of said single pole, said Hall Effect device having a flux receiving surface and being responsive to first and second levels of flux imparted to said flux receiving surface for providing first and second outputs, respectively, said first output being different from said second output, said flux receiving surface being positioned substantially parallel to said direction of magnetization; and

a housing, said permanent magnet, said single pole, and said magnetic sensor element are at least partially disposed in said housing and said magnetic sensor element and said end of said single pole are disposed in a sealed cavity at least partially formed by said housing;

said Hall Effect device being configured to provide said first output when a target is disposed in said magnetic field and said Hall Effect device is disposed between said end of said single pole and said target with no intervening ferromagnetic pole between said Hall Effect device and said target,

said Hall Effect device being configured to provide said second output when Hall Effect device is not disposed between said end of said single pole and said target.