Magnetoelastic force/pressure sensor
First Claim
1. A force/pressure sensor, comprising:
- a plurality of solid annular rings formed of a magnetoelastic material, said plurality of rings being arranged one stop another in a stack having opposed first and second major surfaces and an axis substantially perpendicular to said major surfaces;
a first member having a plurality of edges extended therefrom to abut against the first stack major surface at a like plurality of different locations thereon;
a second mamber having another plurality of edges extended therefrom to about against the second stack major surface at a like plurality of locations different from each other and also from the locations at which the first member edges abut said first stack major surface, said second member moving along said axis toward and distorting said ring stack in the direction of and responsive to an impingent force along said axis and to be measured; and
at least one coil means formed about a portion of the annular ring stack and adapted for measurement of a change in magnitude of the maximum magnetic flux density of the ring stack responsive to a change in magnitude of the axial force acting thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A force/flash pressure sensor utilizes a stack of annular rings of a magnetoelastic material. One major stack surface is supported at a plurality of points having substantially equal angular displacement therebetween. A member, moving along the axis of the ring stack responsive to an axial force, or pressure, to be measured, presses a different set of points against the opposite stack surface, to distort the ring stack and alter the magnetic flux density saturation magnitude thereof. The plurality of points in abutment with each of the opposite major stack surfaces is advantageously equal; a number of different configurations for applying force (pressure) along the axis of the ring stack are described.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A force/pressure sensor, comprising:
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a plurality of solid annular rings formed of a magnetoelastic material, said plurality of rings being arranged one stop another in a stack having opposed first and second major surfaces and an axis substantially perpendicular to said major surfaces; a first member having a plurality of edges extended therefrom to abut against the first stack major surface at a like plurality of different locations thereon; a second mamber having another plurality of edges extended therefrom to about against the second stack major surface at a like plurality of locations different from each other and also from the locations at which the first member edges abut said first stack major surface, said second member moving along said axis toward and distorting said ring stack in the direction of and responsive to an impingent force along said axis and to be measured; and at least one coil means formed about a portion of the annular ring stack and adapted for measurement of a change in magnitude of the maximum magnetic flux density of the ring stack responsive to a change in magnitude of the axial force acting thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification