Linear actuator and position sensing apparatus therefor

1. A hydraulic linear actuator comprising a cylindrical piston and a housing, the piston disposed inside the housing for reciprocal movement along an axis, the housing having a wall made of ferromagnetic material with an internal surface and an external surface, the piston having axially spaced first and second end surfaces, at least a first chamber defined between one of the first and second end surfaces and the internal surface of the wall for receipt of actuating fluid, the piston having at least one magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field that passes through and out of the wall of the housing, and a magnetic sensor arrangement for determining the axial position of the piston relative to the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising at least a pair of magnetic sensor elements arranged on the opposite side of the wall to the piston at axially spaced locations with respect to the external surface of the wall for sensing the strength of the magnetic field passing through and out of the wall of the housing, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator is disposed in a recess defined in an external surface of the piston, the recess being axially positioned between the first and second end surfaces of the piston the recess having the shape of a segment of the cylindrical form of the piston and wherein there is provided a magnet holder of magnetically insulating material in which the magnetic field generator is supported, the magnet holder disposed in the recess in the piston, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator comprises at least one magnet disposed between axially spaced north and south pole pieces distinct from the piston, and the pole pieces are supported in the holder on each side of the magnet; and wherein the holder has a pair of pockets for supporting the pole pieces.

2. A linear actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the pockets are axially separated by an intermediate wall of the holder, the at least one magnet being supported in the intermediate wall.

3. A hydraulic linear actuator comprising a cylindrical piston and a housing, the piston disposed inside the housing for reciprocal movement along an axis, the housing having a wall made of ferromagnetic material with an internal surface and an external surface, the piston having axially spaced first and second end surfaces, at least a first chamber defined between one of the first and second end surfaces and the internal surface of the wall for receipt of actuating fluid, the piston having at least one magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field that passes through and out of the wall of the housing, and a magnetic sensor arrangement for determining the axial position of the piston relative to the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising at least a pair of magnetic sensor elements arranged on the opposite side of the wall to the piston at axially spaced locations with respect to the external surface of the wall for sensing the strength of the magnetic field passing through and out of the wall of the housing, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator is disposed in a recess defined in an external surface of the piston, the recess being axially positioned between the first and second end surfaces of the piston the recess having the shape of a segment of the cylindrical form of the piston and wherein there is provided a magnet holder of magnetically insulating material in which the magnetic field generator is supported, the magnet holder disposed in the recess in the piston, wherein the magnetic sensor arrangement further comprises a magnetic field generator on the opposite side of the wall to the piston and configured to apply a biasing magnetic field to the magnetic sensor element(s).

4. A linear actuator according to claim 3 wherein, wherein there is provided a plurality of magnetic sensor elements arranged in a linear array.

5. A linear actuator according to claim 4 , wherein the magnetic field generator is disposed over the linear array of magnetic sensor elements so as to be substantially parallel thereto.

6. A hydraulic linear actuator comprising a cylindrical piston and a housing, the piston disposed inside the housing for reciprocal movement along an axis, the housing having a wall made of ferromagnetic material with an internal surface and an external surface, the piston having axially spaced first and second end surfaces, at least a first chamber defined between one of the first and second end surfaces and the internal surface of the wall for receipt of actuating fluid, the piston having at least one magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field that passes through and out of the wall of the housing, and a magnetic sensor arrangement for determining the axial position of the piston relative to the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising at least a pair of magnetic sensor elements arranged on the opposite side of the wall to the piston at axially spaced locations with respect to the external surface of the wall for sensing the strength of the magnetic field passing through and out of the wall of the housing, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator is disposed in a recess defined in an external surface of the piston, the recess being axially positioned between the first and second end surfaces of the piston the recess having the shape of a segment of the cylindrical form of the piston and wherein there is provided a magnet holder of magnetically insulating material in which the magnetic field generator is supported, the magnet holder disposed in the recess in the piston; wherein the at least one magnetic field generator comprises a pair of spaced magnets supported on a pole piece, said spaced magnets each having an arcuate upper surface.

7. A position sensing apparatus for determining the displacement of a hydraulic linear actuator having a cylindrical piston and a housing, the piston disposed inside the housing for reciprocal movement along an axis, the housing having a ferromagnetic wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the piston having axially spaced first and second end surfaces, at least a first chamber defined between one of the first and second end surfaces and the internal surface of the wall for receipt of actuating fluid, the apparatus comprising at least one magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field that passes through and out of the wall of the housing, a holder of magnetically insulating material for supporting the at least one magnetic field generator and shaped for insertion into a recess in the external surface of the piston, the recess having the shape of a segment of the cylindrical form of the piston and a magnetic sensor arrangement for determining the axial position of the piston relative to the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising at least a pair of magnetic sensor elements configured for location at axial spaced locations with respect to the external surface of the wall for sensing the strength of the magnetic field passing through and out of the wall of the housing; wherein the at least one magnetic field generator comprises a pair of spaced magnets supported on a pole piece, said spaced magnets each having an arcuate upper surface.

8. A hydraulic linear actuator comprising a cylindrical piston and a housing, the piston disposed inside the housing for reciprocal movement along an axis, the housing having a wall made of ferromagnetic material with an internal surface and an external surface, the piston having first and second axially spaced end surfaces, at least a first chamber defined between one of the first and second end surfaces and the internal surface of the wall for receipt of actuating fluid, the piston having at least one magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field that passes through and out of the wall of the housing, and a magnetic sensor arrangement for determining the axial position of the piston relative to the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising at least a pair of magnetic sensor elements arranged on the opposite side of the wall to the piston at axially spaced locations with respect to the external surface of the wall for sensing the strength of the magnetic field passing through and out of the wall of the housing, wherein the at least one magnetic field generator is disposed in a recess in the piston, wherein the magnetic sensor arrangement further comprises a magnetic field generator on the opposite side of the wall to the piston and configured to apply a biasing magnetic field to the magnetic sensor element(s).

9. A position sensing apparatus for determining the displacement of a hydraulic linear actuator having a cylindrical piston and a housing, the piston disposed inside the housing for reciprocal movement along an axis, the housing having a ferromagnetic wall with an internal surface and an external surface, the piston having first and second axially spaced end surfaces, at least a first chamber defined between one of the first and second end surfaces and the internal surface of the wall for receipt of actuating fluid, the apparatus comprising at least one magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field that passes through and out of the wall of the housing, a holder of magnetically insulating material for supporting the at least one magnetic field generator and shaped for insertion into a recess in the piston, and a magnetic sensor arrangement for determining the axial position of the piston relative to the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising at least a pair of magnetic sensor elements configured for location at axial spaced locations with respect to the external surface of the wall for sensing the strength of the magnetic field passing through and out of the wall of the housing, wherein the magnetic sensor arrangement further comprises a magnetic field generator on the opposite side of the wall to the piston and configured to apply a biasing magnetic field to the magnetic sensor element(s).