Angular position detector using magnetic elements

Claim 1

A detector for producing an electrical signal representing an angular position of a rotary shaft, comprising magnetic circuit means having a first and second magnetic plates disposed in spaced relationship and with a plurality of magnetic members disposed between said first and second magnetic plates, said magnetic members having poles arranged to establish an unidirectional magnetic field in said magnetic circuit means, means rotatably supporting the rotary shaft in said second magnetic plate and with said shaft having an eccentrically faced end portion located adjacent to a larger surface of said first plate, at least one pair of magnetically sensitive elements each having a property varied in accordance with magnetic flux density passing therethrough and disposed on the larger surface of said first magnetic plate in spaced relationship in a direction vertical to the magnetic flux passing through said elements, and an electrical circuit connecting said elements in series and applying an electrical potential across both the serially connected elements to develope a potential at a junction between said elements and to detect the variation of this potential varied in accordance with the variation of the property of said elements whereby said variation of potential corresponds to the angular position of said rotary shaft.