System and method for measuring torque using filtration of light to detect angular displacement of a pair of wheels
US6679126B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01L3/12
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for measuring torque comprises a pair of drive shafts connected by a torsion bar, a wheel affixed to each of the drive shafts and having at least one slot cut through it, a light source positioned on the side of one of the wheels opposite the other, and a light detection device on the opposite side of the other wheel positioned to detect light from the light source which passes through the slots in both wheels. The slots are positioned in the wheels such that the light that can pass from the light source, through both wheels, and to the detector changes as the angular position of the wheels changes relative. The light detection device observes the changes in this pattern of light to produce a signal indicative of the torque on the drive shaft that is producing the observed angular displacement of the wheels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.