Process for producing sensors for measuring spatial forces and s

Details Process for producing sensors for measuring spatial forces and s Process for producing sensors for measuring spatial forces and s

1990-05-11

1991-11-12

Ruehl, Charles A.

Measuring and testing

Dynamometers

Responsive to multiple loads or load components

G01L 122, G01L 516

Patent

active

050637886

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a process for producing sensors for measuring spatial forces, that is, rigid mechanical structures which, when they are interposed between two bodies, permit measurement of the torque between these two bodies, the torque being comprised of three components of force and three components of moment exerted by one body on another. It also relates to sensors obtained by carrying out this process.
The invention finds application in the fields of robotics, machine tools and in a general manner, in any industry when measuring forces and couples transmitted between two pieces.
Principal known apparatus of this type comprises several pieces assembled together by securing members, the assembly bordering on a complex mechanical structure and requiring high quality manufacturing.
Such sensors are particularly described in patents SU 1,185,128, FR 2,529,333 and JP -A- 5263827 providing wrist bands for the detection of six components of force, and patents EP 0,156,073 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,337 providing cuffs for the detection of three force components.
To overcome these disadvantages, another process comprises providing sensors for measuring three components of torque as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,192, comprising three beams and produced by removal of material from a single starting piece. However, this type of process has been limited, as described in the preamble of U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,337, to sensors provided with three or four beams.
The present invention provides a sensor of this type produced by removal of material from a single starting piece and has as an essential object to provide a sensor for measuring three components of force and three components of moment, permitting providing very homogeneous measurements
Another object is to provide a very compact sensor permitting measuring very high forces.
To this end, the invention relates to a process for production of a sensor for measuring three components of force and three components of moment, characterized in that it comprises:
machining, by removal of material, a mechanical piece having the shape of a sleeve of a generally rounded transverse shape, provided with a peripheral wall of a given thickness, in such a manner as to obtain, firstly, a sleeve having on its greatest length, a central portion of a thickness less that the initial thickness, and two end portions of the same thickness as the initial thickness,
secondly, hollowing out the central portion in such a manner as to provide six beams connecting the end portions and having longitudinally a helical shape, said beams being arranged according to a closed, triangular architecture, and
providing each of the beams with means for measuring their deformation.
The invention thus permits provision of a sensor from a single starting piece, by removals of material from predetermined places of this piece. This process therefor does not resemble any assemblage and permits also the provision of the sensors of various shapes, as functions of the cross-section of the single starting piece: circular, hexagonal, . . .
In addition to its economic interest, such a process permits obtaining a sensor having fundamental advantages during use. In effect, the sensor produced has great rigidity enabling measurement of high forces. Further, the beams being precisely set in place and the sensor being produced from a single piece of material, permits carrying out very homogeneous measurements.
Further, the helicoidal form of the beams permits providing a sensor having a better sensitivity, since due to their curvature, the beams are subjected not only to tensile-compressive stresses, but also to flexural stresses.
As a function of the applications thereof, the sensor may be produced either from a straight casting or from a casting which is longitudinally bent in such a manner as to obtain parallel end portions or extending along secant planes.
The invention also relates to a sensor obtained by carrying out this process and is characterized in that it comprises a one piece mechanical elem

REFERENCES:
patent: 4094192 (1978-06-01), Watson et al.
patent: 4196337 (1980-04-01), Jewett et al.

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