Electricity: measuring and testing – Magnetic – Displacement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-10
2001-09-11
Strecker, Gerard R. (Department: 2862)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Magnetic
Displacement
C324S207220, C324S207250, C123S405000, C123S617000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288534
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,818 issued to Schaefer et al. on Sep. 30, 1997.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to throttle control valves and, more particularly, to throttle valve position sensors for a geared throttle control valve.
2. Related Art
Heretofore, throttle valve adjusting units with control motors with geared transmissions have been known. One such device is exhibited in U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,818 to Schaefer et al., incorporated herein by reference. This device provides the advantage that the lid includes motor electronic connection components thereon that would previously have required soldering between the lid and motor. Further, this device provides the advantage of having the potentiometer path mounted on the lid. As a result, the connection of the sensor and motor can be made simply by mounting the lid in a single operation. Further, the device can be easily produced by mass production. However, a disadvantage of this type device is that the sensor requires contact between components thereof, which deteriorate over time and, hence, can foul the geared transmission when breakage occurs.
While non-contacting position sensors, such as those of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,798,639, 5,757,179 and 5,712,561, all to McCurley et al. and all incorporated herein by reference, have also been used, none of these devices have been applied in a geared transmission setting.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a non-contacting throttle valve position sensor for use with a throttle control valve having a throttle valve shaft controlled by a control motor through a geared transmission.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first general aspect of the present invention is a throttle valve position sensor for use with a throttle control valve having a throttle valve shaft rotatably supported in a throttle housing and positionable by a control motor through a geared transmission. The throttle valve position sensor comprises a gear, fixed to the throttle valve shaft, for positioning the throttle valve shaft. There is also a magnetized portion positioned parallel to the gear and coupled to the gear to rotate therewith. Additionally, there is a flux density sensor for sensing a flux density indicative of a position of the magnetized portion and determining a position of the throttle valve shaft.
In a second general aspect of the invention, there is provided a throttle valve position sensor for use with a throttle control valve having a throttle valve shaft rotatably supported in a throttle housing and positionable by a control motor through a geared transmission. Specifically, the throttle valve position sensor comprises means for creating a variable magnetic field. There is also means for coupling the variable magnetic field means to a gear of the geared transmission such that the variable magnetic field moves with the gear, and a magnetic field sensor for sensing changes in position of the gear based on the variable magnetic field.
In a third general aspect of the invention, there is provided a throttle control device comprising a throttle valve secured to a throttle valve shaft that is rotatably supported in a throttle valve housing. There is also a control motor, supported by the throttle valve housing, including a drive gear operatively coupled to the throttle valve shaft for adjusting the rotational position thereof. Also, there is a magnetized portion coupled to the drive gear and a flux density sensor for detecting the rotational position of the magnetized portion. The sensor includes circuitry. A lid for the device is coupled to the throttle valve housing and the circuitry is mounted on the lid. A coupling part is formed onto the lid and includes electrical connections to the control motor and circuitry.
The throttle control valve device and throttle valve position sensor, according to the invention, offers advantages over the prior art. Specifically, there is a non-contacting sensor with a geared transmission that maintains the advantages of the above-identified related art device U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,818. The replacement of the potentiometer with a non-contacting throttle valve position sensor advantageously prevents fouling of the geared transmission or sensor through breakage of the wipers or gears and increases longevity of the device while maintaining the advantages.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention.
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McKenna James Patrick
Starkweather Michael W.
Borgman Mark W.
Bourgeois Mark P.
CTS Corporation
Strecker Gerard R.
Warnick Spencer
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