Inductive linear position sensor
An inductive linear position sensor, wherein the linear position sensor comprises a stator having at least one excitation coil and at least one sensor receiver coil, at least one movable element which is linearly movable relative to the stator, and an evaluation circuit.
1 . An inductive linear position sensor comprising:
a stator having at least one excitation coil and at least two sensor receiver coils;
at least two movable elements that are linearly movable relative to the stator and that each have a longitudinal extension extending in a direction of a linear direction of movement, the at least two movable elements each being formed with at least two electrically conductive coupling sections for inductive coupling of the at least one excitation coil with a respective one of the at least two sensor receiver coils as well as non-coupling sections that are electrically less conductive or non-conductive with respect to the coupling sections, the coupling sections being each spaced apart by the non-coupling sections in the direction of the longitudinal extension; and
an evaluation circuit to detect a linear position of the at least two movable elements relative to the stator as a function of the inductive coupling between the at least one excitation coil and the at least two sensor receiver coils,
wherein the at least two movable elements are arranged parallel to each other, wherein, with respect to the direction of the longitudinal extension of the at least two movable elements, the coupling sections and non-coupling sections of a first movable element of the at least two movable elements are arranged offset from the coupling sections and non-coupling sections of a second movable element of the at least two movable elements,
wherein the at least two movable elements arranged parallel to each other are arranged side by side and in a common plane,
wherein the at least two movable elements arranged parallel to each other are connected to each other by a connecting bar that is separate from the at least two movable elements and runs between the coupling sections of the respective movable elements,
wherein the connecting bar is formed of a non-metallic material, and
wherein the connecting bar is arranged in the common plane.
2 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first movable element has a different number of coupling sections than the second movable element, and the evaluation circuit for evaluating a linear travel of the at least two movable elements is set up on the basis of the coupling sections and the at least two sensor receiver coils according to the vernier principle.
3 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two movable elements are each designed as a flat piece extending in the direction of the longitudinal extension in a plane.
4 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling sections are designed as elevations relative to the non-coupling sections.
5 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the non-coupling sections are formed as recesses between the coupling sections of each of the at least two movable elements.
6 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two movable elements are a metallic stamped part.
7 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two movable elements have an electrically non-conductive carrier and the coupling sections are applied to the carrier.
8 . A steering system for a vehicle, the steering system comprising the linear position sensor according to claim 1 .
9 . The steering system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least two movable elements are arranged on a steering actuator rod of the steering system.
10 . The steering system according to claim 8 , wherein the steering system is designed as a steer-by-wire system having a control unit and an electromechanical actuator, wherein the control unit is coupled to the linear position sensor and is set up to convert the linear position detected by the linear position sensor into a steering command for the electromechanical actuator and transmit the steering command to the electromechanical actuator so that the electromechanical actuator performs a steering movement corresponding to the steering command.
11 . The steering system according to claim 10 , wherein the linear position sensor is at least partially arranged in or on a housing of a power unit of the steering system, which comprises at least the electromechanical actuator.
12 . A vehicle comprising a steering system according to claim 8 .