Slip speed sensor for a multiple link belt drive system

Abstract

A slip sensing mechanism for a multilink or articulated belt drive includes a flexible arm on which is disposed a roller maintained in abutment with the belt. The flexible arm has formed integrally therewith or otherwise secured thereto a strain gauge which will provide a measurement proportional to the deflection of the arm. This deflection is indicative of the radius at which the belt is operating relative to a pulley. The roller in abutting the individual link members of the belt causes an oscillating or AC component which is measured by the strain gauge. This AC component is proportional to the speed at which the belt passes thereunder. It is possible by knowing the rotary speed of the pulley and the radius by which the belt is operating to calculate the slip speed, if any, of the belt relative to the pulley by obtaining the difference between the product of pulley speed and belt radius and the product of link width and frequency. These measurements and calculations are easily manipulated by a conventional digital computer to provide a value for slip speed which can be used for correction to the pulley drive system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.