Device and method for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly

• US 6,253,620 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exedy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Exedy Corporation
• Inventors: Yamashita, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Application Number:
  US09/323,695
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 731/181, 738/47, 738/48, 736/50
• US Class Current: 73/650
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/165 for measuring angular accelerations

Abstract

An object is to enable accurate measurement of dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly.

A measuring device measures an angular speed (dθ₁/dt) of an input rotary member, an angular speed (dθ₂/dt) of an output rotary member and a torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member. A torsion angle (θ) of a damper unit is calculated by integrating the angular speeds (dθ₁/dt) and (dθ₂/dt) of the input and output rotary members. A torque (T) acting on the damper unit is calculated by subtracting a product of an angular acceleration (d²θ₁/dt²) of the input rotary member calculated by differentiating the angular speed (dθ₁/dt) of the input rotary member and a moment of inertia (I₁) of the input rotary member from the torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member.

Claims

1. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly having a damper mechanism operably disposed between input and output rotary members of the damper assembly, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member of the damper assembly;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member; and

a calculating means configured to determine torque and angular displacement of the damper mechanism using measurements made by said first and second angular speed measuring sensors, said calculating means calculating a torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member.

2. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly having a damper mechanism operably disposed between input and output rotary members of the damper assembly, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member of the damper assembly;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member;

a torque measuring sensor for measuring at least one of a torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member and a torque (T₂) transmitted to the output rotary member; and

a calculating means configured to determine torque and angular displacement of the damper mechanism using measurements made by said first and second angular speed measuring sensors, said calculating means including

a first calculating unit for calculating a torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit;

a second calculating unit for calculating a torque (T) acting on the damper unit; and

a third calculating unit for calculating angular acceleration (d²θ

₁/dt²) of the input rotary member by differentiating the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member, calculations of said first and second calculating units being based on measurements from said first and second angular speed measuring sensors and said torque measuring sensor; and

said first calculating unit calculating the torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member, and

said second calculating unit calculating the torque (T) acting on the damper unit by subtracting from the torque (T₁) the product of a moment of inertia (I₁) of the input rotary member and the angular acceleration (d²θ

₁/dt²) of the input rotary member, as set forth by the equation;

3. The measuring device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said torque measuring sensor comprises a strain gauge fixed to a torsion shaft configured to support and apply torque to one of the input rotary member and the output rotary member of the damper unit.

4. The measuring device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said torque measuring sensor comprises a magnetic pickup configured to sense motion of protrusions on an adjacent rotary member.

5. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly having a damper mechanism operably disposed between input and output rotary members of the damper assembly, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member of the damper assembly;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member;

a torque measuring sensor for measuring at least one of a torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member and a torque (T₂) transmitted to the output rotary member; and

a calculating means configured to determine torque and angular displacement of the damper mechanism using measurements made by said first and second angular speed measuring sensors, said calculating means including

a first calculating unit for calculating a torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit;

a second calculating unit for calculating a torque (T) acting on the damper unit; and

a third calculating unit for calculating angular acceleration (d²θ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member by differentiating the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member, calculations of said first and second calculating units being based on measurements from said first and second angular speed measuring sensors and said torque measuring sensor; and

said first calculating unit calculating the torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member, and

said second calculating unit calculating the torque (T) acting on the damper unit by adding the torque (T₂) and the product of a moment of inertia (I₂) of the input rotary member and the angular acceleration (d²θ

₂/dt²) of the input rotary member, as set forth by the equation;

6. The measuring device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said torque measuring sensor comprises a strain gauge fixed to a torsion shaft configured to support and apply torque to one of the input rotary member and the output rotary member of the damper unit.

7. The measuring device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said torque measuring sensor comprises a magnetic pickup configured to sense motion of protrusions on an adjacent rotary member.

8. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly having a damper mechanism operably disposed between input and output rotary members of the damper assembly, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member of the damper assembly;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member; and

a calculating means configured to determine torque and angular displacement of the damper mechanism using measurements made by said first and second angular speed measuring sensors, said measuring device being adapted to measure dynamic torsional characteristics of the damper unit with the output rotary member of the damper unit restrained against rotary movement.

9. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly having a damper mechanism operably disposed between input and output rotary members, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member;

torque measuring sensor for measuring at least one of a torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member and a torque (T₂) transmitted to the output rotary member; and

calculating means having first and second calculating units for calculating at least a torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit and a torque (T) acting on the damper unit based on measured values of said first and second angular speed measuring sensor and said torque measuring sensor,

wherein said first calculating unit of said calculating means calculates the torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member, and

said second calculating unit of said calculating means calculates the torque (T) acting on the damper unit by subtracting from the torque (T₁) a moment of inertia (I₁) of the input rotary member multiplied by an angular acceleration (d²θ

₁/dt²) of the input rotary member, said angular acceleration being calculated by differentiating the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member, where said torque measuring sensor measures the torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member, according to the equation;

10. The measuring device as set forth in claim 9, wherein said measuring device is adapted to measure dynamic torsional characteristics of the damper unit with the output rotary member restrained against rotary movement.

11. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly including a damper unit arranged between input and output rotary members, said measuring device adapted to measure while restraining movement of the input rotary member, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member; and

calculating means having first and second calculating units for calculating at least a torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit and a torque (T) acting on the damper unit based on measured values of said first and second angular speed measuring sensor,

said first calculating unit of said calculating means calculates the torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member, and

said second calculating unit of said calculating means calculates the torque (T) acting on the damper unit by multiplying an angular acceleration (d²θ

₂/dt²) of the output rotary member by a moment of inertia (I₂) of the output rotary member according to the equation;

12. The measuring device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said torque measuring sensor comprises a strain gauge fixed to a torsion shaft configured to support and apply torque to one of the input rotary member and the output rotary member of the damper unit.

13. The measuring device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said torque measuring sensor comprises a magnetic pickup configured to sense motion of protrusions on an adjacent rotary member.

14. A measuring method for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly including a damper unit arranged between input and output rotary members, said measuring method comprising:

providing a vibrating torque to the input rotary member;

measuring angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

measuring angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member;

measuring at least one of a torque (T₁) transmitted to the input rotary member and a torque (T₂) transmitted to the output rotary member;

calculating the torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member; and

calculating step of calculating the torque (T) acting on the damper unit by at least one of two methods, the first method being;

subtracting from the torque (T₁) a moment of inertia (I₁) of the input rotary member multiplied by an angular acceleration (d²θ

₁/dt²) of the input rotary member according to the equation;

15. A measuring method for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly including a damper unit arranged between input and output rotary members, comprising:

providing a vibrating torque to the input rotary member;

measuring angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

measuring angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member;

calculating torsion angle (θ

) of the damper unit by integrating a difference between the angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member and the angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member; and

calculating torque (T) acting on the damper unit by multiplying an angular acceleration (d²θ

₂/dt²) of the output rotary member by a moment of inertia (I₂) of the output rotary member according to the equation;

16. A measuring device for measuring dynamic torsional characteristics of a damper assembly having a damper mechanism operably disposed between input and output rotary members of the damper assembly, said measuring device comprising:

vibrating means for supplying a vibrating torque to the input rotary member of the damper assembly;

first angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₁/dt) of the input rotary member;

second angular speed measuring sensor for measuring an angular speed (dθ

₂/dt) of the output rotary member; and

a calculating means configured to determine torque and angular displacement of the damper mechanism using measurements made by said first and second angular speed measuring sensors, said calculating means calculating the torque acting on the damper unit by multiplying an angular acceleration (d²θ

₂/dt²) of the output rotary member by a moment of inertia (I₂) of the output rotary member according to the equation;