Non-contacting torque sensor and displacement measuring apparatus and method

A non-contacting torque sensor of the type which provides an indication of torque applied to an elongated member, comprising

• a first diffraction producing device having diffraction producing elements positioned along a predetermined radius thereof, and positioned for movement with the elongated member in a plane which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the elongated member;
• a second diffraction producing device having diffraction producing elements positioned along a predetermined radius thereof, and positioned for movement with the elongated member in a plane which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member, wherein the second diffraction producing device is spaced away from the first diffraction producing device;
• a source of collimated light of wavelength .lambda. which provides first and second beams propagating at a predetermined angle relative to one another, and in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member, wherein the source of collimated light and the first and second interference producing devices are positionable relative to one another so that positive and negative diffraction beams are produced by the first diffraction producing device from each of the first and second beams, and so that a selected positive Nth order diffraction beam produced from one of the first and second beams and a selected negative Nth order diffraction beam produced from the other of the first and second beams propagate to the second diffraction producing device, which in turn produces positive and negative diffraction beams from each of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams;
• and
• a periodic detector having a sensing plane positioned within a region of natural interference between a positive diffraction beam of a selected order from one of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams and a negative diffraction beam of the same order from the other of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams, wherein the periodic detector provides a phase change which is indicative of the relative displacement of the first and second diffraction producing devices.

A non-contacting torque sensor of the type which provides an indication of torque applied to a rotatable shaft, comprising

• a first diffraction grating positioned for rotation with the rotatable shaft in a first plane which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft;
• a second diffraction grating substantially identical to the first diffraction grating, and positioned for rotation with the rotatable shaft in a second plane which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft and spaced away from and substantially parallel to the first plane;
• a source of collimated light of wavelength .lambda.;
• a wave front correction device receiving the collimated light from the source of collimated light and which provides first and second beams propagating at a predetermined angle relative to one another, and in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member, wherein the wave front correction device and the first and second diffraction gratings are positionable relative to one another so that positive and negative diffraction beams are produced by the first diffraction grating from each of the first and second beams, and so that a selected positive Nth order diffraction beam produced from one of the first and second beams and a selected negative Nth order diffraction beam produced from the other of the first and second beams propagate to the second diffraction grating, which in turn produces positive and negative diffraction beams from each of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams;
• and
• a periodic detector having a sensing plane positioned within a region of natural interference between a positive diffraction beam of a selected order from one of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams and a negative diffraction beam of the same order from the other of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams, wherein the periodic detector provides a phase change which is indicative of the relative displacement of the first and second diffraction gratings.

A non-contacting method for sensing torque applied to an elongated member which is rotatable along a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:

• diffracting a pair of beams of light with a first diffraction producing device which is affixed to the elongated member for rotation therewith about a first point along the elongated member;
• rediffracting the diffracted pair of beams of light with a second diffraction producing device, substantially identical to the first diffraction producing device, which is affixed to the elongated member for rotation therewith about a second point along the elongated member spaced away from the first point;
• and
• sensing interference between the rediffracted beams in a region of natural interference between them, whereby a change in relative position between the first and second diffraction producing devices appears as a change in a fringe pattern in the region of natural interference.

Apparatus for measuring relative displacement of first and second objects along substantially parallel paths, comprising

• first diffraction producing elements positioned on the first object, and positioned for movement with the first object in a plane which contains the path of the first object;
• second diffraction producing elements positioned on the second object, and positioned for movement with the second object in a plane which contains the path of the second object;
• a source of collimated light of wavelength .lambda. which provides first and second beams propagating at a predetermined angle relative to one another, and in a direction transverse to the plane of movement in which the first diffraction producing elements are contained, wherein the source of collimated light and the first and second interference producing elements are positionable relative to one another so that positive and negative diffraction beams are produced by the first diffraction producing elements from each of the first and second beams, and so that a selected positive Nth order diffraction beam produced from one of the first and second beams and a selected negative Nth order diffraction beam produced from the other of the first and second beams propagate to the second diffraction producing elements, which in turn produces positive and negative diffraction beams from each of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams;
• and
• a periodic detector having a sensing plane positioned within a region of natural interference between a positive diffraction beam of a selected order from one of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams and a negative diffraction beam of the same order from the other of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams, wherein the periodic detector provides a phase change which is indicative of the relative displacement of the first and second objects.

Apparatus for measuring relative linear displacement of first and second objects, comprising

• a first diffraction producing device having a longitudinal axis along which diffraction producing elements are positioned, and positioned for movement with the first object and so that the longitudinal axis of the first diffraction producing device is positioned substantially parallel to the direction of displacement of the first object;
• a second diffraction producing device having a longitudinal axis along which diffraction producing elements are positioned, and positioned for movement with the second object and so that the longitudinal axis of the second diffraction producing device is positioned substantially parallel to the direction of displacement of the second object;
• a source of collimated light of wavelength .lambda. which provides first and second beams propagating at a predetermined angle relative to one another, and in a direction transverse to the directions of displacement of the first and second objects, wherein the source of collimated light and the first and second diffraction producing devices are positionable relative to one another so that positive and negative diffraction beams are produced by the first diffraction producing device from each of the first and second beams, and so that a selected positive Nth order diffraction beam produced from one of the first and second beams and a selected negative Nth order diffraction beam produced from the other of the first and second beams propagate to the second diffraction producing device, which in turn produces positive and negative diffraction beams from each of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams;
• and
• a periodic detector having a sensing plane positioned within a region of natural interference between a positive diffraction beam of a selected order from one of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams and a negative diffraction beam of the same order from the other of the selected positive and negative Nth order diffraction beams, wherein the periodic detector provides a phase change which is indicative of the relative motion of the first and second objects.

A apparatus for sensing force applied to an object, comprising:

• an elongated member of a selected compliance through which force is applied to the object;
• a source of partially coherent light of wavelength .lambda. which provides a pair of beams at a predetermined angle between them;
• a first diffraction producing device affixed to the elongated member at a first point along the elongated member;
• a second diffraction producing device, substantially identical to the first diffraction producing device, affixed to the elongated member at a second point along the elongated member which is spaced away from the first point, wherein the source of coherent light and the first and second diffraction producing devices are positioned so that the first diffraction producing device diffracts the pair of beams, and the second diffracting producing device rediffracts the diffracted pair of beams;
• and
• a detector positioned in a region of natural interference between the rediffracted beams, whereby a change in relative position between the first and second diffraction producing devices appears as a change in a fringe pattern in the region of natural interference.

A non-contacting method for sensing force applied to an elongated member of a selected compliance, comprising the steps of:

• diffracting a pair of beams of light with a first diffraction producing device which is affixed to a first point on the elongated member for movement with the first point;
• rediffracting the diffracted pair of beams of light with a second diffraction producing device, substantially identical to the first diffraction producing device, which is affixed to a second point of the elongated member for movement with the second point, wherein the second point is spaced away from the first point;
• and
• sensing interference between the rediffracted beams in a region of natural interference between them, whereby a change in relative position between the first and second diffraction producing devices appears as a change in a fringe pattern in the region of natural interference.