Combined torque measurement and clutch apparatus
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorStephen Arthur Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of using a magnetic fluid clutch for torque measurement comprises steps of modulating electric current through a coil of the magnetic fluid clutch to maintain a steady-state quasi-solid phase of a magnetic fluid medium contained within the magnetic fluid clutch when the magnetic fluid clutch is clutched to transmit torque from a torque input end of the clutch to a torque output end of the clutch, thereby ensuring that the torque output end rotates in response to the rotation of the torque input end without relative rotational slippage therebetween; and measuring a deflection value associated with the magnetic fluid clutch. The clutch is thereby used as a combined torque measurement and clutch apparatus.
Claims8
A method of using a magnetic fluid clutch for torque measurement, comprising:
- modulating electric current through a coil of the magnetic fluid clutch to reach a viscosity/solidity level of a magnetic fluid medium for permitting the clutch to transmit a torque to be measured without casing rotational slippage between torque input and output ends of the clutch;
- measuring a distortion value of a magnetic field applied to the magnetic fluid medium;
- and
- associating the distortion value to the torque to be measured, thereby obtaining a value of the torque.
A method using a magnetic fluid clutch for torque measurement, comprising:
- modulating electric current through a coil of the magnetic fluid clutch to reach a predetermined viscosity/solidity level of a magnetic fluid medium contained within the magnetic fluid clutch for permitting a maximum torque transmitted therethrough without casing rotational slippage between torque input and output ends of the clutch, the maximum torque being greater than but close to a torque being transmitted and measured;
- and
- measuring an deflection value associated with magnetic fluid clutch and associating the measured deflection value with the torque being measured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.