Optical torque sensors and steering systems for vehicles incorpo

Details Optical torque sensors and steering systems for vehicles incorpo Optical torque sensors and steering systems for vehicles incorpo

1993-02-03

1994-11-29

Black, Thomas G.

Boots, shoes, and leggings

364481, G06F 1550, G01L 302

Patent

active

053695836

ABSTRACT:
A torque sensor, or a relative angular movement sensor, comprises an LED light source mounted in a fixed position relative to a housing which shines light through an associated fixed collimator plate, the light being detected by a pair of detectors also mounted fixed relative to the housing. Two masks pass between the source and the detector, one of the masks being fixed to an input shaft of the steering system and the other being connected to the output shaft. Each of the masks has a first and second aperture, and the amount of light which is received by detectors depends upon the degree of overlap between associated pairs of apertures in the input and output masks. Signals from each of the detectors is fed to a control microprocessor which provides a signal indicative of differential torque between the input and output shafts. This signal is substantially independent of the intensity of the light source which allows it to compensate for ageing effects in the light source. The signal also shows a positive value for turning of the input shaft in one direction and a negative value for turning the input shaft in the opposite direction. The torque sensor can be used to obtain the torque, relative change of steering angle, and steering angle itself, which can all be passed to a vehicle ride or braking control system.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4433585 (1984-02-01), Levine
patent: 4561515 (1985-12-01), Hashimoto et al.
patent: 4621833 (1986-11-01), Soltis
patent: 4693123 (1987-09-01), Bacardit
patent: 4798253 (1989-01-01), Naito
patent: 4882693 (1989-11-01), Yopp
patent: 5065324 (1991-11-01), Oshita et al.
patent: 5182953 (1993-02-01), Ellinger et al.

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