US 4,907,461 A · Torque sensor

Abstract

A torque sensor for use with an automotive steering system. The sensor includes a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a sleeve cylinder fitted over one of the shafts so as to be rotatable and axially movable, a differential transformer, first and second connector members, a spring, and a torsion bar. The amount of axial movement of the sleeve cylinder is detected by the transformer. The connector members are inclined in opposite directions within a plane parallel to the axis of the shafts. One end of the first connector member is connected to the cylinder, while the other is connected to the driving shaft. One end of the second connector member is connected also to the cylinder, the other being connected to the driven shaft. Torque is transmitted from the driving shaft to the driven shaft via the torsion bar. The spring is mounted between one of the shafts and the sleeve cylinder.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A torque sensor comprising:

a driving shaft held such that it can make only rotary motion about an axis;
a driven shaft held such that it can make only rotary motion about the axis;
a sleeve cylinder fitted over one of the shafts around its axial end opposite to the other shaft such that the cylinder can be rotated and axially displaced;
means for detecting the axial displacement of the cylinder;
a plurality of connector members inclined in opposite directions about a direction perpendicular to the axis within a plane parallel to the axis, one end of each of the connector members being mounted to the sleeve cylinder, the other ends of the connector members being mounted to the opposite axial ends of the shafts, respectively;
and
biasing means for rotating the sleeve cylinder relative to one of the shafts to apply a tensile force to the connector members.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Torque sensor

Life of this patent

Torque sensor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8