Position sensor for an output shaft used in a shift and throttle system
View Patent ↗A rotary actuator comprises a housing with an output shaft extending from the housing. There is a magnet disposed on the output shaft and the output shaft is coupled to an actuator arm. A motor rotates the output shaft. A position sensor mounted on a circuit board determines the position of the output shaft based on the position of the magnet. A position of the actuator arm may be determined based on the rotating position of the output shaft.
1. A rotary actuator comprising:
a housing;
an output shaft extending from the housing;
an actuator arm coupled to the output shaft;
a magnet disposed at an end of the output shaft;
a motor coupled to the output shaft for rotating the output shaft; and
a position sensor for sensing a rotational position of the magnet as the output shaft rotates, wherein an axis of the position sensor is substantially co-axial with an axis of the output shaft and the position sensor is electrically coupled to a sensor circuit and the sensor circuit determines a rotational position of the output shaft and a position of the actuator arm based on the rotational position of the output shaft.
2. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the magnet is disposed at an end of the output shaft opposite the actuator arm.
3. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the magnet extends through a hole in the housing.
4. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 3 wherein a polymer tape seals a circumference of the hole in the housing.
5. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 further including a harness for electrically coupling the sensor circuit to a control circuit.
6. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the distance between the magnet and the position sensor is between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm.
7. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the position sensor is mounted on a circuit board.
8. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the distance between the magnet and the circuit board is between 2.2 mm and 3.2 mm.
9. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the output shaft is formed from a material having a relative magnetic permeability of less than 1.4.
10. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing is formed from a material having a relative magnetic permeability of less than 1.4.
11. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuator is a shift actuator.
12. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuator is a throttle actuator.
13. The rotary actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axis of the position sensor is within +/−0.8 mm of the axis of the output shaft.
14. A shift actuator comprising:
a housing;
an output shaft extending from the housing;
an actuator arm coupled to the output shaft;
a magnet disposed at an end of the output shaft opposite the actuator arm;
a motor coupled to the output shaft for rotating the output shaft; and
a position sensor for sensing a rotational position of the magnet as the output shaft rotates, wherein an axis of the position sensor is substantially co-axial with an axis of the output shaft and the position sensor is electrically coupled to a circuit board and the circuit board determines a rotational position of the output shaft and a position of the actuator arm based on the rotational position of the output shaft.
15. The shift actuator as claimed in claim 14 wherein the magnet extends through a hole in the housing.
16. The shift actuator as claimed in claim 15 wherein a polymer tape seals a circumference of the hole in the housing.
17. The shift actuator as claimed in claim 14 further including a harness for electrically coupling the circuit board to a control circuit.
18. The shift actuator as claimed in claim 14 wherein the axis of the position sensor is within +/−0.8 mm of the axis of the output shaft.
19. A throttle actuator comprising:
a housing;
an output shaft extending from the housing;
an actuator arm coupled to the output shaft;
a magnet disposed at an end of the output shaft opposite the actuator arm;
a motor coupled to the output shaft for rotating the output shaft;
a position sensor for sensing a rotational position of the magnet as the output shaft rotates, wherein an axis of the position sensor is substantially co-axial with an axis of the output shaft and the position sensor is electrically coupled to a circuit board and the circuit board determines a rotational position of the output shaft and a position of the actuator arm based on the rotational position of the output shaft.
20. The throttle actuator as claimed in claim 19 wherein the magnet extends through a hole in a housing.
21. The throttle actuator as claimed in claim 20 wherein a polymer tape seals a circumference of the hole in the housing.
22. The throttle actuator as claimed in claim 20 further including a harness for electrically coupling the circuit board to a control circuit.
23. The throttle actuator as claimed in claim 19 wherein the axis of the position sensor is within +/−0.8 mm of the axis of the output shaft.