Measuring device for determination of rotation angle or torque o

Details Measuring device for determination of rotation angle or torque o Measuring device for determination of rotation angle or torque o

1991-08-26

1995-02-21

Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.

Measuring and testing

Dynamometers

Responsive to torque

73862326, 73862334, G01L 302

Patent

active

053905490

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a measuring device for determining rotation angle or torque of a stationary or rotating shaft.
A measuring device of this type is known including a torsion pipe connected to the shaft, which is twistable when a torque is applied to one end and measuring means, for example including measuring coils in which an eddy current is generated, associated with the torsion pipe to determine angular position or torque from the response of the torsion pipe.
In such a measuring device, which is known from EP-PS 0 144 803, the torsion shaft is constructed as a pipe which is non-rigid with respect to torsion. This pipe comprises two parts which are connected with one another via a rotatable snug fit. However, the adjustment of the contactless measuring system is only possible when mounting on the torsion shaft. Accordingly, when installing or exchanging the torsion shaft, the angular position of the measuring system must be adjusted in an extremely precise manner. There is no protection against overloading. Further, a torsion pipe with slots is mentioned in EP-PS 144 803. However, this can be used for measurement only in a single measurement area.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a measuring device for determining rotational angle or torque of a stationary or rotating shaft having none of the above mentioned disadvantages.
This object and others which will become more apparent hereinafter is attained in a measuring device comprising a torsion pipe twistable under an applied torque and connectable to the shaft whose rotational position or torque is being measured and measuring means associated with the torsion pipe to determine angular position or torque from the response to the torsion pipe. The torsion pipe has throughgoing openings extending in an axial direction of the torsion pipe.
According to the invention, the torsion pipe is provided with crosspieces of greater rigidity and crosspieces of lesser rigidity, each of the crosspieces being located between adjacent throughgoing openings. The crosspieces having a greater rigidity are provided with at least one slot extending between the throughgoing openings adjoining the crosspieces of greater rigidity so that the crosspieces of greater rigidity are divided into two crosspiece parts.
In contrast, the measuring device, according to the invention, has the advantage that the torsion pipe can be used for measurement without an additional torsion shaft, especially with smaller torques, and that an adjustment of the measuring system is no longer required when exchanging the torsion shafts when additional torsion shafts are used. As a result of a simple construction, it is possible to provide overload protection for the torsion pipe or torsion shaft by slots or protuberances. Further, measurements can be made over a wider range with a single torsion pipe or an additional torsion shaft. Thus, it is possible e.g. to construct the torsion pipe so as to be particularly non-rigid in the low-torque range and to provide the torsion pipe with a greater rigidity against torsion in a subsequent, higher torque range. An additional overload protection can be provided by suitably forming the torsion pipe so overload protection is effective in both rotating directions. If another torsion shaft constructed as a solid shaft is installed in the hollow shaft in addition, the desired measurement range can be set within broad limits by means of selecting the torsion diameter of the shaft. The comparatively smaller torque can be determined by the hollow shaft in a particularly precise manner, while the comparatively higher torque is determined by the additional torsion shaft. In so doing, the measurement ranges switch automatically in the hollow shaft, so that no additional steps are necessary during measurement. The construction with a plurality of measurement areas and with overload protection can also be provided in a particularly simple manner.
In a preferred embodiment of the inventio

REFERENCES:
patent: 4356732 (1982-11-01), Hachtel et al.
patent: 4448084 (1984-05-01), Dobler et al.
patent: 4712432 (1987-12-01), Hochstein et al.
patent: 4785675 (1988-11-01), Takasu et al.
patent: 4876899 (1989-10-01), Strott et al.
patent: 4907460 (1990-03-01), Taniguchi et al.
patent: 5083468 (1992-01-01), Dobler et al.
patent: 5115685 (1992-05-01), Jorgensen et al.

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