A new two-axis magnetic position sensor

Abstract

Describes a new contactless sensor, which measures the position of a magnet along two axes. The sensor is inherently non-sensitive to the magnet movement along the third axis, temperature variations and aging, and does not require calibration. This is achieved by transforming a translation of the magnet into a rotation of a magnetic field, and by measuring the direction of the magnetic field rather than its strength. The direction of the magnetic field is then measured by two two-axis Hall sensors.