Torque measurement within a powertrain
US8015886B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 2009 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01L3/1428
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Aspects of the present invention are directed to using surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors mounted on a disc coupling component in a powertrain to measure the torque generated by an automobile engine. The sensor may be positioned and oriented on the disc coupling component so that the phase velocities of SAWs propagating through active elements of the SAW sensors are aligned with principal strain components due to torque in the disc coupling component. The torque may be calculated by determining the difference between resonant frequencies of the active elements to suppress common-mode interference factors. In addition, SAW resonant frequencies may be communicated in a non-contacting manner by utilizing rotary and stationary couplers employing radio frequency (RF) signals. Moreover, SAW sensors may be activated and interrogated by employing targeted RF pulses having different carrier frequencies at or near respective resonant frequencies of each resonator in a SAW sensor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.