Target activated sensor
View Patent ↗A sensor assembly configured to sense a position of a seat in a vehicle includes a housing defining a cavity and having an open end. The sensor assembly may also include a carrier removably disposed in the housing cavity via the open end, wherein a permanent magnet may be disposed within a magnet cavity defined in the carrier, wherein the permanent magnet may establish a magnetic field. The sensor assembly may further include a single pole disposed within a pole cavity defined in the carrier and spaced from the permanent magnet and positioned in the magnetic field. In addition, the sensor assembly may include a magnetic sensor element affixed to a printed circuit board (PCB) and positioned in the magnetic field and adjacent to an end of the single pole. The magnetic sensor element and PCB may be at least partially disposed within the cavity.
1. A system for sensing a position of a seat in a vehicle, said system comprising:
a vehicle seat rail assembly configured to movably couple said seat to said vehicle, said vehicle seat rail assembly comprising a first rail and a second rail, wherein one of said first rail or said second rail is moveable with respect to the other; and
a sensor assembly coupled to said first rail, said sensor assembly comprising:
a housing defining a cavity;
a carrier disposed in said housing;
a permanent magnet disposed within a magnet cavity defined in said carrier, said permanent magnet establishing a magnetic field;
a single pole disposed within a pole cavity defined in said carrier and spaced from said permanent magnet and positioned in said magnetic field;
a magnetic sensor element affixed to a printed circuit board (PCB) and positioned in said magnetic field and adjacent to an end of said single pole, said magnetic sensor element and said PCB at least partially disposed within said cavity; and,
a plastic bracket having a first and a second end, said first end of said plastic bracket defining a bracket rail configured to slidably engage a housing rail defined on said housing and to allow adjustment of said sensor assembly relative to a coupling position of said sensor assembly and bracket to one of said first rail or said second rail, and said second end configured to be coupled to at least a portion of said first rail;
wherein, when said first rail is in a first position relative to said second rail, said magnetic sensor element is configured to provide a first output in response to a first level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said magnetic sensor element;
wherein, when said first rail is in a second position relative to said second rail, said magnetic sensor element is configured to provide a second output different from said first output in response to a second level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said magnetic sensor element.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor assembly further comprises an integral connector configured to provide said first output and said second output from said PCB to a vehicle controller.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said magnetic sensor element comprises a Hall Effect sensor.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein said Hall Effect sensor comprises a flux receiving surface and being responsive to said first and second levels of magnetic flux imparted to said flux receiving surface to provide said first and second outputs.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said magnet comprises material selected from the group consisting of NdFeB and SmCo.
6. A sensor assembly configured to sense a position of a seat in a vehicle, said sensor assembly comprising:
a housing defining a cavity configured to be coupled to a first rail of a vehicle seat rail assembly, wherein one of said first rail or a second rail of said vehicle seat rail assembly is moveable with respect to the other;
a carrier removably disposed in said housing cavity;
a permanent magnet disposed within a magnet cavity defined in said carrier, said permanent magnet establishing a magnetic field;
a single pole disposed within a pole cavity defined in said carrier and spaced from said permanent magnet and positioned in said magnetic field; and
a magnetic sensor element affixed to a printed circuit board (PCB) and positioned in said magnetic field and adjacent to an end of said single pole, said magnetic sensor element and said PCB at least partially disposed within said cavity;
a plastic bracket having a first and a second end, said first end defining a bracket rail configured to slidably engage a housing rail defined on said housing and to allow adjustment of said sensor assembly relative to a coupling position of said sensor assembly to one of said first rail or said second rail, and said configured to be coupled to at least a portion of said first rail.
7. The sensor assembly of claim 6 wherein said sensor assembly is configured to be coupled to one of said first rail or said second rail of a vehicle seat rail assembly configured to movably coupled said seat to said vehicle, said first rail configured for movement with said seat relative to said second rail.
8. The sensor assembly of claim 7 wherein, when said first rail is in a first position relative to said second rail, said magnetic sensor element is configured to provide a first output in response to a first level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said magnetic sensor element and wherein, when said first rail is in a second position relative to said second rail, said magnetic sensor element is configured to provide a second output different from said first output in response to a second level of magnetic flux from said magnet directed to said magnetic sensor element.
9. The sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein said plastic bracket is over-molded onto said housing.
10. The sensor assembly of claim 6 further comprising an integral connector configured to provide said first output and said second output from said PCB to a vehicle controller.
11. The sensor assembly of claim 6 wherein said magnet comprises material selected from the group consisting of NdFeB and SmCo.
12. The sensor assembly of claim 6 wherein said magnetic sensor element comprises a Hall Effect sensor.
13. The sensor assembly of claim 12 wherein Hall Effect sensor comprises a flux receiving surface and being responsive to said first and second levels of magnetic flux imparted to said flux receiving surface to provide said first and second outputs.
14. A method of sensing a position of a seat in a vehicle, said method comprising:
providing a sensor assembly comprising:
a housing defining a cavity;
a carrier disposed in said housing cavity;
a permanent magnet disposed within a magnet cavity defined in said carrier, said permanent magnet establishing a magnetic field;
a single pole disposed within a pole cavity defined in said carrier and spaced from said permanent magnet and positioned in said magnetic field;
a magnetic sensor element affixed to a printed circuit board (PCB) and positioned in said magnetic field and adjacent to an end of said single pole, said magnetic sensor element and said PCB at least partially disposed within said cavity; and
a plastic bracket having a first and a second end, said first end of said plastic bracket defining a bracket rail;
securing said second end of said plastic bracket to at least a portion of a first rail of a vehicle seat rail assembly configured to be movably coupled to said seat of said vehicle, wherein one of said first rail or a second rail of said vehicle seat rail assembly is configured to move with respect to the other;
slidably engaging said bracket rail with said housing rail to allow adjustment of said sensor assembly relative to a coupling position of said sensor assembly and bracket to one of said first rail or said second rail; and
providing an output using said magnetic sensor element, wherein said output is representative to sense a flux density that varies based on a presence or an absence of said second rail within said magnetic field.