Systems and methods for measuring torque on rotating shaft
First Claim
1. A torque measurement system for measuring a torque acting on a rotatable shaft that is configured to rotate about an axis upon receipt of an input, the torque measurement system comprising:
- a first housing portion having a first end adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end, the first housing portion adapted to be positioned coaxial with the rotatable shaft;
a second housing portion having a first end spaced apart from the second end of the first housing portion so as to define a gap between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the second housing portion adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft;
a sprocket coupled to the second end of the first housing portion, wherein the first housing portion is configured to transmit a torque applied to the rotatable shaft to the sprocket;
at least one dedicated elastically deformable mechanical element embedded on the rotatable shaft, the first housing portion, or both, wherein a second end of the first housing portion is configured to be displaced relative to the first end upon transmission of the torque from the rotatable shaft to the sprocket; and
at least one sensor that observes at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the first end of the second housing portion and the gap and generates sensor signals based on the observation, the sensor signals indicative of a torque acting on the rotatable shaft, the sensor adapted to be fixedly coupled to a static frame.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A torque measurement system for measuring a torque acting on a rotatable shaft is provided. The torque measurement system includes a first housing portion having a first end adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end. The torque measurement system includes a second housing portion having a first end spaced apart from the second end of the first housing portion so as to define a gap between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. The second housing portion is adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft. The torque measurement system includes at least one sensor that observes at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the first end of the second housing portion and the gap and generates sensor signals based on the observation. The sensor signals are indicative of a torque acting on the rotatable shaft.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A torque measurement system for measuring a torque acting on a rotatable shaft that is configured to rotate about an axis upon receipt of an input, the torque measurement system comprising:
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a first housing portion having a first end adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end, the first housing portion adapted to be positioned coaxial with the rotatable shaft; a second housing portion having a first end spaced apart from the second end of the first housing portion so as to define a gap between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the second housing portion adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft; a sprocket coupled to the second end of the first housing portion, wherein the first housing portion is configured to transmit a torque applied to the rotatable shaft to the sprocket; at least one dedicated elastically deformable mechanical element embedded on the rotatable shaft, the first housing portion, or both, wherein a second end of the first housing portion is configured to be displaced relative to the first end upon transmission of the torque from the rotatable shaft to the sprocket; and at least one sensor that observes at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the first end of the second housing portion and the gap and generates sensor signals based on the observation, the sensor signals indicative of a torque acting on the rotatable shaft, the sensor adapted to be fixedly coupled to a static frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of measuring a torque on a rotatable shaft that is configured to rotate about an axis upon receipt of an input, the method comprising:
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coupling a first housing portion coaxially about the rotatable shaft, such that a first end of the first housing portion is fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end is free, wherein a sprocket is coupled to the second end of the first housing portion, wherein the first housing portion is configured to transmit a torque applied to the rotatable shaft to the sprocket, wherein at least one dedicated elastically deformable mechanical element is embedded on the rotatable shaft, the first housing portion, or both; coupling a second housing portion fixedly to the rotatable shaft such that the second end of the first housing portion is spaced apart from the second housing portion by a gap; and positioning a sensor adjacent to the gap, wherein the sensor is coupled to a module, wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion are configured so that the second end of the first housing portion is displaced relative to the second housing portion upon transmission of the torque from the rotatable shaft to the sprocket, wherein the sensor is configured to observe at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the second housing portion and the gap with the sensor, and wherein the sensor is further configured to generate sensor signals based on the observation, the sensor signals indicative of a torque acting on the rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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applying a torque to a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured to rotate about an axis upon receipt of the torque, wherein a first housing portion is coaxially coupled about the rotatable shaft, wherein a first end of the first housing portion is fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end of the first housing portion is free, wherein a sprocket is coupled to the second end of the first housing portion, wherein a second housing portion is fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft, wherein the second end of the first housing portion is spaced apart from the second housing portion by a gap; transmitting the torque applied to the rotatable shaft to the sprocket through the first housing portion, wherein at least one dedicated elastically deformable mechanical element is embedded on the rotatable shaft, the first housing portion, or both; displacing the second end of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion upon transmission of the torque from the rotatable shaft to the sprocket based, at least in part, on the deformation of the dedicated elastically deformable mechanical element; observing at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the second housing portion, or the gap with a sensor to observe the displacement of the second end relative to the second housing portion; and generating sensor signals based on the observing, wherein the sensor signals are indicative of the torque acting on the rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification