Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Patent
1999-04-09
2000-11-07
Allen, Stephone B.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
341 13, G01D 534
Patent
active
061440272
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to angle sensors and more particularly relates to steering angle sensors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concerned with a sensor for determining the steer angle, that can be mounted, for example as a commercially available unit, to the steering wheel of an automotive vehicle. Steer angle sensors are required for the yaw angle control of automotive vehicles to prevent a vehicle from steering off, for example, in a slippery bend. Control systems of the afore-described type require awareness of the steer angle of the front wheels momentarily adjusted to determine and control the driving pattern of the vehicle from the angle and other parameters. Sensors of this type, frequently are provided with a code disk coupled to the steering wheel at least indirectly so that the position of the steering wheel can be directly read from the associated codes on the code disk. The way of operation of a code disk of the afore-described type has already been described by 195 32 903.1. Code disks of this type operate with a relatively high precision which is required for an accurate control. Conversely, it is desirable to integrate the scanner of the steer angle sensor into the printed circuit board of the sensor to attain a simple and inexpensive design. Moreover, it is important for the spaces between the scanner and the code disk carrying the code to be precisely maintained to avoid erroneous values. A possibility to achieve this, resides in combining code disk and scanner in one unit and to assemble the same in the housing as a complete set. However, this measure involves comparatively great efforts. If the code disk alone is pivotally arranged on a mounting plate of its own to be then assembled in the housing it should, in addition, be noted that the tolerances of base plate and printed circuit panel or mounting plate of the scanner will add up.
It is the object of the invention to mount the components and units required for the sensor in a simple and inexpensive way within the appertaining housing. The code disk is arranged within the housing in a directly rotatable way, thereby enabling a highly precise adjustment of the code disk. The present invention is particularly beneficial in applications where the position of the code disk must be accurately adjusted by a precise orientation of the code disk drive over a driving tongue because the position of the housing is determined by the forced position of the code disk. To clearly associate the position of the scanner to the code disk the scanner is inserted into a socket rigidly connected to the housing. This clearly couples the scanner to the housing. Also, the position of the code disk relative to the scanner and the housing is fixed as both of them are directly connected to the housing.
Due to the position on the steering wheel directly or indirectly actuating the code disk, on the one hand, the position of the housing of the sensor module is predetermined, while, on the other hand, the steering pillar extending to the steering wheel must be given space in order to establish the connection between steering column and steering rod linkage. To insure short distances between the drive and the bearing of the code disk, it is, therefore, especially favorable to provide the bearing marginally of the passage opening of the steering pillar through the housing. To that extent, an annular wall is mounted marginally of the passage opening within the bottom of the housing, with the said wall holding the lid face of the code disk at a space from the housing bottom so that space will be provided for the code toothing preferably extending axially from the lid face of the code disk to the housing bottom. Conversely, the position of the code disk is clearly fixed with respect to the housing bottom as the spring struts resiliently hold the code disk in engagement with the annular wall of the housing bottom. To prevent the code disk from getting lost from the housing bottom, during introduction of the code disk into the hous
REFERENCES:
patent: 4614869 (1986-09-01), Hoshino et al.
patent: 4661698 (1987-04-01), Cappio et al.
patent: 4683375 (1987-07-01), Hoshino et al.
Search Report of the German Patent Office Relating to Parent German Patent Application No. 19601964.8 filed Aug. 13, 1996.
German Publication for No. G 93 15 973.0.
German Publication for No. G 82 05 311.1.
Allen Stephone B.
ITT Manufacturing Enterprises Inc.
Lewis J. Gordon
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