Encyclopedia of Electronic Components Volume 3

Chapter 6. linear position sensor

spatial

distance

linear position

A linear position sensor may also be described as a linear displacement sensor or a linear position transducer. It is sometimes categorized as a type of proximity sensor, but in this Encyclopedia a proximity sensor emits a signal and receives an echo to measure the distance from itself to an object. By comparison, a linear position sensor measures the position of a sliding object within a stationary enclosure.

An object presence sensor can be considered as a form of linear position sensor, but it only responds to the presence of an object, without measuring its position.

Other related components

• proximity sensor (see Chapter 5)

• object presence sensor (see Chapter 3)