Device for measuring torque with high accuracy

• US 6,711,970 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuura, Mutsumi, Miya, Taiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US10/253,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 738/620.8, 738/623.25, 738/55, 738/623.28, 738/623.31, 738/623.34, 738/621.93, 318/254, 318/432, 318/640, 310/266, 180/140, 180/446, 180/412, 180/422, 180/444
• US Class Current: 73/862.328
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/10 characterised by means for sensing or determining torque
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/104 involving permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/105 involving inductive means G01L3/102, G01L3/104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/109 involving measuring phase difference of two signals or pulse trains
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/221 to steering wheels, e.g. for power assisted steering

Abstract

This invention is to provide an improved device for measuring torque with high accuracy and a simple structure. The device is so constructed that one end of a torsion bar (which is twisted depending on an actual steering operation) is combined with one end of an input shaft, while the other end of the torsion bar is combined with one end of an output shaft. The other end of the input shaft is combined with a steering wheel, while the other end of the output shaft is connected to vehicle wheels. A rotor of a first resolver comprising the rotor having a resolver excitation winding and a stator having a resolver output winding is fixed to the input shaft (one end of which is combined with the steering wheel). A rotor of a second resolver comprising the rotor having a resolver excitation winding and a stator having a resolver output winding is fixed to the output shaft (the other end of which is connected to the vehicle wheels). The output shaft and the input shaft are all fixed with the torsion bar, while the first and second resolvers are formed into an integrated structure.

Claims

1. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy comprising:

a first resolver and a second resolver which are formed in an integrated structure, each of the first and second resolvers including a rotor having a resolver excitation winding and a stator having a resolver output winding for outputting X and Y components of each rotation angle in accordance with the rotation of the rotor,

wherein one end of the rotor of the first resolver is fixed with an input shaft combined with a steering wheel, and the other end of the rotor of the second resolver is fixed with an output shaft combined with vehicle wheels, while the input shaft and the output shaft are both fixed with a torsion bar.

2. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 1, including inner cores formed on the rotors of the first and second resolvers, which the inner cores have rotary transformer output windings;

outer cores formed on the stators of the first and second resolvers, which the outer cores have rotary transformer excitation windings;

the inner cores and the rotary transformer output windings as well as the outer cores and the rotary transformer excitation windings together form a rotary transformer, providing such a structure that voltages induced in the rotary transformer output windings by virtue of the rotary transformer are applied to the resolver excitation windings of the rotors, thereby obtaining output voltages corresponding to actual rotation angles of the rotors from the resolver output windings,

wherein a first shield plate is disposed between the inner core and the resolver excitation winding; and

a second shield plate is disposed between the outer core and the resolver output winding;

the first shield plate is formed with a notched hole allowing passing therethrough of a cross-over wire for use in connecting the rotary transformer output winding with the resolver excitation winding; and

the notched hole is formed as having a slope and extending between the rotary transformer output winding and the resolver excitation winding.

3. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 1, wherein shield plates are provided between the first and second resolvers.

4. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 1, wherein the first and second resolvers are arranged opposite to each other, the resolver excitation windings of the two resolvers are arranged opposite to each other, and the resolver output windings of the two resolvers are also arranged opposite to each other.

5. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 3, wherein the shield plates provided between the first and second resolvers are respectively disposed between the resolver excitation windings and the resolver output windings.

6. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 3, wherein each shield plate provided between the first and second resolvers is a ring-like member.

7. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 2, wherein the first and second shield plates are ring-like members.

8. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 2, wherein the notched hole formed in the first shield plate is located close to either the output shaft or the input shaft.

9. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 2, wherein the first and second resolvers are arranged opposite to each other, the resolver excitation windings of the two resolvers are arranged opposite to each other, and the resolver output windings of the two resolvers are also arranged opposite to each other.

10. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 3, wherein the first and second resolvers are arranged opposite to each other, the resolver excitation windings of the two resolvers are arranged opposite to each other, and the resolver output windings of the two resolvers are also arranged opposite to each other.

11. A device for measuring torque with high accuracy according to claim 5, wherein each shield plate provided between the first and second resolvers is a ring-like member.