Torque detecting apparatus
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsSyunji Ooshima, Yasuhito Eguchi, Naomasa Sato, Shoji Tanina, Toshiro Hayashi
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Abstract
The present invention provides a novel torque detecting apparatus capable of detecting torque with a simple structure and high precision by way of transmitting drive force via a pair of rotary bodies that cause own relative position to be varied by effect of torque to enable detection of variation of resonant frequency corresponding to variation of the relative position under non-contact condition or by way of transmitting drive force via a pair of rotary bodies that cause own relative position to be varied by effect of torque to enable transmission of modulated signal corresponding to variation of the relative position under non-contact condition.
Claims22
A torque detecting apparatus, comprising:
- drive-force-transmitting means which varies relative position of an output-side rotary body against a drive-source-side rotary body in correspondence with torque by way of transmitting drive force from said drive-source-side rotary body to said output-side rotary body via a predetermined elastic member;
- displacement detecting means which is held by one of said drive-source-side rotary body and said output-side rotary body and generates torque-modulated signal being modulated by torque signal in correspondence with variation of said relative position;
- signal transmitting means which transmits said torque-modulated signal to one of a stationary member fixed to said drive-source-side rotary body and a stationary member fixed to said drive-source-side rotary body and a stationary member fixed to said output-side rotary body under non-contact condition;
- signal processing means which outputs a result of torque detection in accordance with an output signal from said signal transmitting means;
- and
- detection result processing means for processing said torque-detected result;
- wherein:
- said drive-force transmitting means transmits drive force generated by pedaling force;
- said output-side rotary body drives one of a front wheel and a rear wheel via said drive force;
- and
- said detection result processing means generates drive force for assisting said pedaling force in accordance with said result of torque detection.
A torque detecting apparatus, comprising:
- drive force transmitting means which varies relative position of an output-side rotary body against a drive-source-side rotary body in correspondence with torque by way of transmitting drive force from said drive-source-side rotary body to said output-side rotary body via a predetermined elastic member;
- modulating means which is held by one of said drive-source-side rotary body and said output-side rotary body and generates modulated signal in accordance with variation of said relative position;
- signal transmitting means which transmits said modulated signal to one of a stationary member fixed to said drive-source-side rotary body and a stationary member fixed to said output-side rotary body under non-contact condition;
- signal processing means which processes said modulated signal transmitted via said signal transmitting means and then outputs a result of torque detection;
- and
- detected result processing means which processes said torque-detected result,
- wherein:
- said drive force transmitting means transmits drive force generated by pedaling force;
- said output-side rotary body drive one of a front wheel and a rear wheel via said drive force;
- and
- said detection result processing means generates drive force for assisting said pedaling force in accordance with said result of torque detection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.