Inductive sensor for measuring the position of a shaft of a vehicle

1. An inductive sensor for measuring the position of a drive shaft ( 11 ) of a vehicle in a first direction (X) and a second direction (Y), perpendicular to the first direction (X), from a target ( 14 ) mounted on said shaft ( 11 ), said sensor ( 20 ) comprising a printed circuit board ( 21 ), said printed circuit board ( 21 ) comprising at least one first receiving coil ( 23 ), at least one second receiving coil ( 24 ) and at least one transmitting coil ( 22 ) surrounding the first receiving coil ( 23 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) and being configured in such a way as to generate an electrical voltage, the first receiving coil ( 23 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) being arranged in such a way that the electrical voltage generated by the transmitting coil ( 22 ) generates a sine signal (SIN) in the first receiving coil ( 23 ) during detection of the target ( 14 ) and a cosine signal (COS) in the second receiving coil ( 24 ) during detection of the target ( 14 ), wherein the first receiving coil ( 23 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) each comprise a plurality of N portions ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) that are electrically connected to one another and are disposed side by side on the printed circuit ( 21 ) in the second direction (Y), each portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) extending on the printed circuit ( 21 ) in the first direction (X) in such a way as to determine the position of the target ( 14 ) both in the first direction (X) and in the second direction (Y).

2. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first receiving coil ( 23 ) comprises a plurality of M first meshes ( 26 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) comprises a plurality of M second meshes ( 27 ).

3. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) of a receiving coil ( 23 , 24 ) comprises at least one complete mesh ( 26 a , 27 a ) having a length L and at least one portion of a mesh ( 26 b , 27 b ).

4. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of M first meshes ( 26 ) and the plurality of M second meshes ( 27 ) are offset by a length equal to L/2.

5. The sensor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control module ( 25 ) configured in order to determine the position of the target ( 14 ) in the second direction Y by identifying an interval of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) corresponding to a given portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) of the receiving coils ( 23 , 24 ), the position of the target ( 14 ) in the direction X being given by the phase value of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) in said interval.

6. A vehicle, in particular an automotive vehicle, comprising a sensor ( 20 ) as claimed in claim 1 , a drive shaft ( 11 ) and a target ( 14 ) made at least in part from a conductive material, mounted on said drive shaft ( 11 ) in order to permit the sensor ( 20 ) to determine the position of the shaft ( 11 ).

7. The sensor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of M first meshes ( 26 ) and the plurality of M second meshes ( 27 ) are offset by a length equal to L/2.

8. The sensor as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising an electronic control module ( 25 ) configured in order to determine the position of the target ( 14 ) in the second direction Y by identifying an interval of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) corresponding to a given portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) of the receiving coils ( 23 , 24 ), the position of the target ( 14 ) in the direction X being given by the phase value of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) in said interval.

9. The sensor as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising an electronic control module ( 25 ) configured in order to determine the position of the target ( 14 ) in the second direction Y by identifying an interval of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) corresponding to a given portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) of the receiving coils ( 23 , 24 ), the position of the target ( 14 ) in the direction X being given by the phase value of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) in said interval.

10. The sensor as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising an electronic control module ( 25 ) configured in order to determine the position of the target ( 14 ) in the second direction Y by identifying an interval of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) corresponding to a given portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) of the receiving coils ( 23 , 24 ), the position of the target ( 14 ) in the direction X being given by the phase value of the sine signal (SIN) and/or of the cosine signal (COS) in said interval.

11. A vehicle, in particular an automotive vehicle, comprising a sensor ( 20 ) as claimed in claim 2 , a drive shaft ( 11 ) and a target ( 14 ) made at least in part from a conductive material, mounted on said drive shaft ( 11 ) in order to permit the sensor ( 20 ) to determine the position of the shaft ( 11 ).

12. A vehicle, in particular an automotive vehicle, comprising a sensor ( 20 ) as claimed in claim 3 , a drive shaft ( 11 ) and a target ( 14 ) made at least in part from a conductive material, mounted on said drive shaft ( 11 ) in order to permit the sensor ( 20 ) to determine the position of the shaft ( 11 ).

13. A vehicle, in particular an automotive vehicle, comprising a sensor ( 20 ) as claimed in claim 4 , a drive shaft ( 11 ) and a target ( 14 ) made at least in part from a conductive material, mounted on said drive shaft ( 11 ) in order to permit the sensor ( 20 ) to determine the position of the shaft ( 11 ).

14. A vehicle, in particular an automotive vehicle, comprising a sensor ( 20 ) as claimed in claim 5 , a drive shaft ( 11 ) and a target ( 14 ) made at least in part from a conductive material, mounted on said drive shaft ( 11 ) in order to permit the sensor ( 20 ) to determine the position of the shaft ( 11 ).

15. A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board ( 21 ) for an inductive sensor for measuring the position of a shaft ( 11 ) of a vehicle in a first direction (X) and a second direction (Y), perpendicular to the first direction (X), from a target ( 14 ) mounted on said shaft ( 11 ), said printed circuit ( 21 ) comprising at least one first receiving coil ( 23 ), at least one second receiving coil ( 24 ) and at least one transmitting coil ( 22 ) surrounding the first receiving coil ( 23 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) and being configured in order to generate an electrical voltage, the first receiving coil ( 23 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) being arranged in such a way that the electrical voltage generated by the transmitting coil ( 22 ) generates a sine signal in the first receiving coil ( 23 ) during detection of the target ( 14 ) and a cosine signal in the second receiving coil ( 24 ) during detection of the target ( 14 ), wherein said method comprises a stage of disposing the first receiving coil ( 23 ) and the second receiving coil ( 24 ) in a whole number N of portions ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) disposed side by side on the printed circuit ( 21 ) in the second direction (Y), each portion ( 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 24 A, 24 B, 24 C) extending on the printed circuit ( 21 ) in the first direction (X) in such a way as to determine the position of the target ( 14 ) in the first direction (X) and in the second direction (Y).