Rotating machines torque measurement system for axially limited applications
AssigneesGeneral Electric Company, GE AEROSPACE POLAND sp. z o. o.
InventorsMateusz Glowala, Arthur W. Sibbach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotating machine torque measurement system includes a shaft assembly and spaced sensors. The shaft assembly includes a first shaft that is adapted to connect to a torque generating device, a second shaft that has a second end that is secured to a second end of the first shaft, and a third shaft that has a first end that is secured to a first end of the second shaft and is adapted to connect to a torque receiving device. The first, second, and third shafts are coaxial and can twist or angularly deform in relation to each other in response to a load applied to the shaft assembly. The sensors are positioned at the first and second ends of the shaft assembly to measure angular deformation of the shaft assembly.
Claims20
A torque measurement system, comprising:
- a shaft assembly having a first shaft, a second shaft, and a third shaft coaxially positioned, the first shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion adapted to be coupled to a torque generating device and supporting first reference targets, the second shaft having a cylindrical configuration and defining a first cavity that receives the first shaft, the second shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the second shaft secured to the second end portion of the first shaft, the third shaft having a cylindrical configuration and defining a second cavity that receives the second shaft, the third shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the third shaft adapted to be coupled to a torque receiving device, the first end portion of the third shaft secured to the first end portion of the second shaft and supporting second reference targets;
- a first sensor positioned adjacent to the first reference targets;
- a second sensor positioned adjacent to the second reference targets;
- and
- a processor operably coupled to the first sensor and to the second sensor, the processor receiving a first signal generated by the first sensor and a second signal generated by the second sensor to determine the angular deformation of the shaft assembly and calculate an output proportional to the torque applied to the torque receiving device.
A load coupling shaft assembly comprising:
- a first shaft, a second shaft, and a third shaft coaxially positioned, the first shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion adapted to be coupled to a torque generating device and supporting first reference targets, the second shaft having a cylindrical configuration and defining a first cavity that receives the first shaft, the second shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the second shaft secured to the second end portion of the first shaft, the third shaft having a cylindrical configuration and defining a second cavity that receives the second shaft, the third shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the third shaft adapted to be coupled to a torque receiving device, the first end portion of the third shaft secured to the first end portion of the second shaft and supporting second reference targets.
A rotating machine and torque measurement system, comprising:
- a torque generating device;
- a torque receiving device;
- a shaft assembly having a first shaft, a second shaft, and a third shaft coaxially positioned, the first shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion adapted to be coupled to the torque generating device and supporting first reference targets, the second shaft having a cylindrical configuration and defining a first cavity that receives the first shaft, the second shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the second shaft secured to the second end portion of the first shaft, the third shaft having a cylindrical configuration and defining a second cavity that receives the second shaft, the third shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the third shaft adapted to be coupled to the torque receiving device, the first end portion of the third shaft secured to the first end portion of the second shaft and supporting second reference targets;
- a first sensor positioned adjacent to the first reference targets;
- a second sensor positioned adjacent to the second reference targets;
- and
- a processor operably coupled to the first sensor and to the second sensor, the processor receiving a first signal generated by the first sensor and a second signal generated by the second sensor to determine the angular deformation of the shaft assembly and calculate an output proportional to the torque applied to the torque receiving device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.