Anti-rotation based torque measurement device
AssigneeThe Montalvo Corporation
InventorsGarett Lefebvre, Jonathan Hanson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for web tension control are provided. In an example, an apparatus can include a tension beam configured to deflect in a predictive manner when under a force load, a first shaft directly coupled to the tension beam and configured to mechanically interface with a torque device, a second shaft directly coupled to the tension beam opposite the first shaft and configured to interface with a structural member of a web machine, and a strain gauge coupled to the tension beam and configured to provide an electrical representation of the force load.
Claims21
An apparatus comprising:
- a torque device comprising a clutch or a motor;
- a tension beam;
- a first shaft directly coupled to the tension beam and configured to mechanically interface with the torque device;
- a second shaft directly coupled to the tension beam opposite the first shaft and configured to interface with a structural member of a web machine;
- and
- a strain gauge coupled to the tension beam and configured to provide an electrical representation of a shear force load applied to at least one of the first shaft or the second shaft.
A method for measuring web tension, the method comprising:
- simultaneously interfacing a torque transducer with a torque device coupled to a shaft associated with a roll of web material and with a structural member of a structure configured to support the shaft;
- applying a rotation force between the shaft and the structural member;
- deflecting a member of the torque transducer in response to the relative rotation force;
- and
- providing an electrical representation of the rotation force using an output of the tension transducer.
An apparatus comprising:
- a tension beam;
- a first shaft directly coupled to the tension beam and configured to mechanically interface with a torque device;
- a second shaft directly coupled to the tension beam opposite the first shaft and configured to interface with a structural member of a web machine;
- a strain gauge coupled to the tension beam and configured to provide an electrical representation of a shear force load applied to at least one of the first shaft or the second shaft;
- and
- a controller configured to receive a tension setpoint, to provide a force command to the torque device, to receive the electrical representation of the force load and to close a tension control loop using a comparison of a representation of the electrical representation and a representation of the setpoint to provide the force command.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.