System for testing magnetic sensitivity of Hall-effect switch

1. A system for testing the magnetic sensitivity of a Hall-effect switch, the system comprising:

a subsystem for creating a magnetic field in which the Hall-effect switch is to be tested, the subsystem comprising:

an electromagnet;

a permanent magnet attached to the electromagnet; and

a first adjustable direct current (DC) power supply connected to the electromagnet to provide power to the electromagnet;

a probe connected to a Gauss meter to measure the magnetic field created by the subsystem; and

a Hall-effect switch component for receiving the Hall-effect switch, wherein the Hall-effect switch component is able to indicate, when the Hall-effect switch is magnetically coupled to the electromagnet and to the permanent magnet, whether the Hall-effect switch has been triggered.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Hall-effect switch component comprises:

a detector that is connectable to an output of the Hall-effect switch and is arranged to detect changes in state of the output; and

a second DC power supply arranged to provide power to the Hall-effect switch and to the detector.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the detector comprises:

a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) connected to the second DC power supply and to the output of the Hall-effect switch;

an indicator connected to the MOSFET; and

a resistor connected to the indicator.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the indicator comprises:

a light emitting diode (LED) to indicate when the Hall-effect switch has been triggered.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the indicator comprises:

an integrated circuit (IC) to generate an audible signal when the Hall-effect switch has been triggered.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a current limiting resistor between the first adjustable DC power supply and the electromagnet.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Hall-effect switch component comprises:

a receptacle for receiving the Hall-effect switch.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem further comprises:

non-magnetic stops to aid in aligning the Hall-effect switch with the subsystem.

9. A method for testing the magnetic sensitivity of a Hall-effect switch, the method comprising:

providing power to an electromagnet to generate a first magnetic field component, wherein a permanent magnet having a second magnetic field component is attached to the electromagnet;

aligning the Hall-effect switch with the electromagnet, such that the electromagnet is located between Hall-effect switch and the permanent magnet, thus magnetically coupling the Hall-effect switch to the electromagnet and to the permanent magnet; and

providing power to the Hall-effect switch and monitoring a response of the Hall-effect switch to a magnetic field having the first magnetic field component and the second magnetic field component.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein aligning the Hall-effect switch with the electromagnet comprises:

aligning the Hall-effect switch with the electromagnet using non-magnetic stops.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing power to the electromagnet comprises:

limiting current to the electromagnet.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein monitoring the response of the Hall-effect switch to the magnetic field comprises:

monitoring an output of the Hall-effect switch for a change in a state of the output.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

increasing strength of the first magnetic field component to a level at which the change is detected; and

while strength of the first magnetic field component is at the level, measuring intensity of the magnetic field where the Hall-effect switch was positioned relative to the electromagnet and the permanent magnet when the change was detected.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein measuring the intensity comprises:

positioning a probe where the Hall-effect switch was positioned relative to the electromagnet and the permanent magnet when the change was detected; and

measuring output of the probe with a Gauss meter.

15. An apparatus for testing the magnetic sensitivity of a Hall-effect switch, the system comprising:

a subsystem for creating a magnetic field in which the Hall-effect switch is to be tested, the subsystem comprising:

an electromagnet;

a permanent magnet attached to the electromagnet; and

means for connecting the electromagnet to a first adjustable direct current (DC) power supply; and

a Hall-effect switch component for receiving the Hall-effect switch, wherein the Hall-effect switch component is able to indicate, when the Hall-effect switch is magnetically coupled to the electromagnet and to the permanent magnet, whether the Hall-effect switch has been triggered.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the Hall-effect switch component comprises:

a detector that is connectable to an output of the Hall-effect switch and is arranged to detect changes in state of the output; and

means for connecting the Hall-effect switch and the detector to a second DC power supply.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the detector comprises:

a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) connected to the second DC power supply and to the output of the Hall-effect switch;

an indicator connected to the MOSFET; and

a resistor connected to the indicator.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the indicator comprises:

a light emitting diode (LED) to indicate when the Hall-effect switch has been triggered.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

a current limiting resistor between the first adjustable DC power supply and the electromagnet.