3044 results about "Torque sensor" patented technology

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to determining by what degree a driver is gripping a steering wheel. In one example, a computer may send an electrically assisted power steering system (EPS) motor an excitation command to move. The EPS motor may respond by moving a flexible coupling between the steering wheel and the EPS motor. This may cause a corresponding movement at the steering wheel. A torque sensor may generate pattern data by monitoring the flexible coupling during the movement. The EPS motor may generate system position data for the entire steering system, for example, from the tires to the steering wheel. The pattern data and the system position data may be compared by the computer to determine the degree of grip. In this regard, the computer may determine the degree of a driver's grip without the need for additional sensors.

A method of force estimation for a minimally invasive medical system comprising a robot manipulator (10). The manipulator has an effector unit (12) equipped with a 6-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) force/torque sensor and is configured to hold a minimally invasive instrument (14) having a first end (16) mounted to the effector unit and a second end (20) located beyond an external fulcrum (23) that limits the instrument in motion, usually to 4 DOF. The method comprising the steps: —determining a position of the instrument relative to the fulcrum; —measuring by means of the 6-DOF force/torque sensor a force and a torque exerted onto the effector unit by the first end of the instrument; and —calculating by means of the principle of superposition an estimate of a force exerted onto the second end of the instrument based on the determined position, the measured force and the measured torque.

Cordless power tools include a pistol housing having an upper portion that merges into a downwardly extending handle, a DC motor residing in the upper portion of the housing, the DC motor having a rotor that drives an output shaft; a torque transducer on board the tool in communication with the output shaft; and a dynamic motor control circuit residing in the housing in communication with the motor and torque transducer. The dynamic motor control circuit includes a Kelvin resistor in communication with the motor for measuring motor current and digital hall switches in communication with the motor for measuring motor speed. The motor current can vary by at least 100 A during operation.

A mobile robot contains a movable robot body, arms provided on the movable robot body, each of the arms having a multiple joint structure including plural joints, an actuator for actuating each of the joints and shaft torque sensors incorporated in each of the joints to detect a torque from the actuator at an output shaft of each of the joints, and a controller provided in the robot body to determine whether each of the arms is in contact with or in collision with a peripheral obstacle or obstacles based on change of an output from the shaft torque sensors and control an operation of each of actuators of each arm.

A surgical simulation device includes a support structure and animal tissue carried in a tray. A simulated human skeleton is carried by the support structure above the animal tissue and includes simulated human skin. A camera images the animal tissue and an image processor receives images of markers positioned on the ribs and animal tissue and forms a three-dimensional wireframe image. An operating table is adjacent a local robotic surgery station as part of a robotic surgery station and includes at least one patient support configured to support the patient during robotic surgery. At least one patient force/torque sensor is coupled to the at least one patient support and configured to sense at least one of force and torque experienced by the patient during robotic surgery.

A motor unit comprises a housing for containing a motor, a motor shaft for receiving a motor provided driving force, a torque sensor mechanism for detecting torque, and a controller for controlling power to the motor in response to a detected amount of torque. An actuator couples the torque sensor to a sensor of the controller. The actuator is configured to move relative to the controller sensor thereby causing the sensor to produce a signal indicative of the detected level of torque. The controller is contained within the housing of the motor. The motor unit may also have an auxiliary shaft for receiving an externally provided driving force with a first torque transmission path for transferring the externally provided driving force to a drive mechanism and a second torque transmission path for transferring the motor provided driving force to said drive mechanism. A first one way drive means is provided in the first torque transmission path between the auxiliary shaft and the drive mechanism such that when the drive mechanism is being driven by the motor provided driving force through the second torque transmission path, the auxiliary shaft is able to freewheel. The motor unit can drive any apparatus, but may be used in a pedal driven apparatus such as a bicycle where an externally provided driving force is provided by manually operable pedals of said apparatus which are fixed for rotation with the auxiliary shaft. In this case, the auxiliary shaft comprises a pedal spindle of the bicycle and the drive mechanism comprises a sprocket or belt drive.

An electric power steering system for an automotive vehicle, includes a torque sensor disposed to a steering shaft to detect a steering torque. A first pinion is disposed to the steering shaft. A rack shaft is in mesh with the first pinion and connected with the steering shaft to change a rotational motion of the steering shaft to an axial motion of the rack shaft and provided to be operated in relation to the steering shaft. A first motor is connected with the first pinion to generate a steering assist torque in accordance with the steering torque detected by the torque sensor. A second pinion is disposed to be separate from the first pinion and in mesh with the rack shaft. A second motor is connected with the second pinion to generate a steering assist torque in accordance with the steering torque.

A modular rotational electric actuator includes an output housing and internal drive components that include integrated control electronics, a torque sensor, and a portion of a joint assembly. The joint assembly includes a joint connector coupled to the internal drive components, including integrated control electronics, e.g., by a resilient member. The resilient member elastically couples the joint connector to a portion of the output housing, the joint connector including a portion that extends outward therefrom.

A generic technique for the detection of air-fuel ratio (or torque) imbalances in a 4-cylinder engine equipped with either a production oxygen sensor or a wide-range A/F sensor (or a crankshaft torque sensor) is developed. The method is based on a novel frequency-domain characterization of pattern of imbalances and its geometric decomposition into four basic templates. Once the contribution of each basic template to the overall imbalances is computed, templates of opposite direction are imposed to restore air-fuel ratio (or torque) balance among cylinders. At any desired operating condition, elimination of imbalances is achieved within few engine cycles. The method is applicable to current and future engine technologies with variable valve actuation, fuel injectors and/or individual spark control.

A multi-force sensing instrument includes a tool that has a tool shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, a strain sensor arranged at a first position along the tool shaft, at least one of a second strain sensor or a torque-force sensor arranged at a second position along the tool shaft, the second position being more towards the proximal end of the tool shaft than the first position, and a signal processor configured to communicate with the strain sensor and the at least one of the second strain sensor or the torque-force sensor to receive detection signals therefrom. The signal processor is configured to process the signals to determine a magnitude and position of a lateral component of a force applied to the tool shaft when the position of the applied force is between the first and second positions.

The invention provides a five-freedom exoskeleton type robot for healing upper limbs, which comprises a mounting deck used for mounting the robot. The mounting deck is provided with a lead rail, an erector is arranged on the lead rail and is provided with a height adjustment mechanism, a rotatable mounting arm is arranged on the erector by a rotatable axis. A healing mechanical arm body composed of a shoulder width, an upper arm, a forearm and a hand lever is installed on the rotatable mounting arm. Five freedom joints and five drive motors are respectively arranged on the rotatable axis of each joint; four torque sensors which are connected with the drive motors in a cascading way are respectively arranged on the parts of shoulder, elbow and wrist, wherein, the shoulder parts are provided with two torque sensors, the elbow part is provided with one torque sensor and the push-up part of the wrist part is provided with one torque sensor. The torque sensors that are taken as transfer devices and detecting devices are connected with a motor reducer and an executing mechanism. The robot provides single joint movement of each joint and three-dimension multi-joint compound movement for suffers as well as provides simple and basic movement training of daily life.

A constant detecting apparatus 15 comprising a detecting unit 26 and a calculating unit 27. The detecting unit 26 is structured comprising a rotation sensor 41, a torque sensor 42, a position sensor 43, a rotor temperature sensor 44, a winding temperature sensor 45, a phase voltage detector 46, and phase current detectors 47 and 47. The calculating unit 27 calculates the induced voltage constant Ke that changes depending on the motor temperature Tmag while the motor 11 is being driven based on each of the detected signals from the detecting unit 26, and at the same time, the d axis current Id and the q axis current Iq are calculated after elimination of the iron loss, and the d axis inductance Ld and the q axis inductance Lq in the actual operating state of the motor 11 are calculated.

The invention discloses an exoskeleton type upper limb rehabilitation training robot, which includes a base, two mechanical arm assemblies and six motor drive assemblies; the base includes a mobile base, an electrical box, an electric lifting column, a base platform, Motor mounting angle bracket, base rotating motor, coupling, base main bearing seat, base ball screw nut assembly, base nut seat, base common sub-bearing seat, right bracket, base linear guide assembly and left Bracket; the mechanical arm assembly includes a mechanical shoulder belt assembly, a mechanical shoulder joint assembly, a mechanical elbow joint assembly, a mechanical forearm assembly, a mechanical wrist joint assembly, and a mechanical hand assembly; the motor drive assembly includes a motor and a deceleration assembly, a torque sensor assembly and The transmission assembly, the motor and deceleration assembly, the torque sensor assembly and the transmission assembly are all mounted on the same motor-driven base frame. The invention can be worn on the upper limbs of the human body, and can be used to assist the upper limbs of the human body to move in three-dimensional space and carry out rehabilitation training.

A torque sensor for a human-powered object includes a spindle connecting crank arms of the object. In one embodiment, the object can be a bicycle. The torque sensor further includes at least one strain gauge mounted to the spindle in a shear pattern to measure shear strain perpendicular to a radius of the spindle. In some embodiments, the torque sensor further includes a carrier fixed to a hollow interior of the spindle, where at least one strain gauge is mounted to the spindle via the carrier. Advantageously, the torque sensor provides a low cost method to measure power.

A method of controlling an electric power steering system of a vehicle is provided. The method estimates steering rack force to be caused by a tire of the vehicle and a surface of a ground with which the tire is in contact in response to determining that one or more hand wheel torque sensors of the vehicle are not enabled. The method generates a steering assist torque command based on the estimated steering rack force. The method controls the electric power steering system using the steering assist torque command.

To provide an electric power steering apparatus in which it is possible to minimize a connection distance between a control unit and an electric motor and surely prevent electric noise from mixing between the control unit and the electric motor as well as to minimize electric resistance and minimize an electric loss by directly connecting the control unit and connection terminals of the electric motor and a torque sensor. A motor control apparatus includes a steering column 3 having inserted therein a steering shaft 2 to which steering torque is transmitted, a reduction gear box 4 coupled to the steering shaft 2, and an electric motor 5 that transmits a steering assisting force to the steering shaft 2 via a reduction mechanism in the reduction gear box 4. The electric motor 5 and a control unit 19 including a control board mounted with a control circuit that controls to drive the electric motor 5 are provided side by side in the reduction gear box 4 and a connection terminal of the electric motor 5 is electrically connected to the control unit 19 directly.

The present invention provides a device for confirming that threaded fasteners have been tightened to the level of torque required by the assembly specification. An apparatus and method is provided for validating or verifying a fastener connection. A wrench or other torque tool can be engaged with a fastener to be tested. A rotation sensor is associated with the wrench for sensing rotation of the fastener and for generating a first output signal. A torque sensor is associated with the wrench for generating a second output signal corresponding to torque being generated by the wrench against the fastener. A processor is in communication with the rotation sensor to receive the first output signal and is in communication with the torque sensor to receive the second output signal. The processor analyzes the first and second output signals in accordance with a control program stored in memory.

A torque tool and an associated method are provided which apply operator-defined levels of torque to a threaded fastener. In one aspect, a portable, battery powered torque tool controls the motor to slow further advancement of the threaded fastener once the torque that has been applied to the threaded fastener has reached a predefined threshold. In another aspect, a torque tool monitors a measure of torque applied to a threaded fastener more frequently once the torque applied to the threaded fastener has reached a predefined threshold. A method of defining a mathematical relationship between a first measure provided by a torque transducer of torque applied to a threaded fastener and a second measure provided by a torque measurement reference device of torque applied to the threaded fastener is also provided such that the measure of torque provided by the torque transducer can be calibrated.

The invention discloses a six-dimensional force and torque sensor for measuring large force and small torque of a large mechanical arm. The six-dimensional force and torque sensor comprises a center shaft, a force sensitive element, a base and a strain gage component, wherein the force sensitive element is fixedly connected to the base; the center shaft penetrates through the force sensitive element and the base; the center shaft is in interference fit with the force sensitive element; the strain gage component is attached to the force sensitive element; the force sensitive element comprises four elastic main beams, four elastic auxiliary beams, a regularly octagonal center shaft platform, four fixing platforms, four main floating beams and four auxiliary floating beams; the strain gage component comprises a first strain gage group and a second strain gage group; two opposite elastic main beams in the four elastic main beams are respectively coated with the first strain gage group, and the other two elastic main beams are respectively coated with the second strain gage group; and the center shaft is in interference fit with a through hole of the center shaft platform. The six-dimensional force and torque sensor can improve the rigidity of measuring the force, and can also slightly improve the rigidity of measuring torque.

The invention discloses an intelligent bone drill. A common bone drill motor is provided with a strain torque sensor, a revolution speed transducer or a pressure sensor; the bone drill motor is further provided with an embedded intelligent control module that receives an induced signal collected by the sensor and judges the same to control the bone drill motor. The invention further discloses a control method of the intelligent bone drill. Beneficial effects of the invention lie in that a base body of the common bone drill motor is provided with a revolution speed transducer composed of a hall sensor and a metal reading code disk, a torque sensor and a pressure sensor to measure and display revolution speed, torque and pressure of the drill realtime, which realizes judgment of whether the drill pierces the bone tissue and control of automatic stop and reversion; the bone drill motor is provided with an ultrasonic transducer that can measures drill depth of the drill accurately. The improvement can provide effective data during operation for operator and reliable protection realtime.

The invention is applicable to the field of medical devices and discloses a catheter push control method and a catheter push device for a vascular interventional surgical robot. The catheter push control method includes a force measuring step and a regulating step. The regulating step is a step of setting a controller for regulating motion parameters during the catheter pushing process to prevent the blood vessel from being punctured during the catheter pushing process. The force measuring step comprises: providing a pressure sensor on a friction block assembly for clamping and rotating a catheter to twisting the catheter for detecting the pressure of the friction block assembly against the catheter; and providing a torque sensor for a catheter to pass through on a support base to detect the torque of the catheter. Through indirect measurement method, the method can measure the resistance applied to the head of the catheter and the torque of the catheter at the same time to effectively control the movement of the catheter. As the method allows doctors to operate and control remotely, the method reduces harm of surgeries to medical staff and patients.

A wheel speed transducer including a magnetic device associated with a wheel and a sensor device associated with the axle of the wheel provides data indicative of the velocity of the wheel. A processor located at the axle receives the wheel speed data and processes it to perform antiskid control functions. The velocity data is stored in a data concentrator also associated with the axle. A tire pressure sensor, a brake temperature sensor and a brake torque sensor, each associated with the wheel, send data to the processor at the axle, for storage in the data concentrator. A transmitting antenna associated with the axle and in communication with the data concentrator transmits stored data to a receiving antenna associated with the wheel. A data port at the wheel and in communication with the receiving antenna provides an interface to an external device for receiving the data.

The problem of magnetoelastic cirumferentially-magnetized torque transducers having a zero output magnetic field at zero torque is solved by pre-torqueing. This entails is circumferentially magnetizing the transducer element at a predetermined torque. The technique is advantageously applied to a pair of transducer elements (32, 34: 62, 64) whose outputs are combined (FIG. 6a: 76) to provide a range of measurement of torque (clockwise and counterclockwise) including zero torque. Various combinations of direction of pre-torque and direction of circumferential-magnetization are discussed. A circuit (FIG. 8) is disclosed for combining the signals to obtain a reference level (84) for gain control of the combined output signals V o from the two transducer elements (60, 62). Also disclosed is the application of the invention to other forms of torque transducer element in which a magnetic field is stored. One form is longitudinal magnetization (FIG. 10a). Another is radially spaced magnetization (FIG. 12a: FIG. 13).

A torque sensor for measuring a torque at a predetermined location of a structural element, in particular of a prosthesis, can be arranged outside the measurement location by virtue of the fact that it is constructed as a sensor structure (13, 13′, 23) that forms a virtual pivot axis (16, 16′) outside the sensor. The sensor structure is provided with measurement transducers (29) which detect deformations of the sensor structure (13, 13′, 23) and are used to determine a torque about the virtual pivot axis (16, 16′). A preferred application for the torque sensor is its incorporation in a prosthesis for the purpose of controlling an artificial joint.

The invention discloses a method for testing accelerating and loading of main drive wheel type pavement materials and a device thereof. The device comprises a control console, a PLC control box, an electronic box, a hydraulic device, a motor, a brake, a driving chain and chain wheel, a drive wheel, a driven wheel, a water bath tank, a circulated air inlet duct, a thermostatic chamber, a test cabinet and a circulated air outlet duct; the control console is positioned on the outside of the test cabinet; the hydraulic device is connected with the driven wheel; the motor is connected with the drive wheel via the driving chain and chain wheel; the drive wheel is fixed on a bracket; the driven wheel is positioned in a guide slot; the water bath tank is arranged right below the driven wheel; a ranging laser is positioned on one side of the driven wheel; one end of the drive wheel is provided with a microphone and the bottom thereof is provided with a torque sensor; the contact surface of the drive wheel and a test piece is provided with a pressure sensor; two tachometers are fixed on the bracket and are respectively positioned on the outsides of the drive wheel and the driven wheel. The device has simple structure, low prices, flexible use and good reliability.

The invention discloses a parallel twelve-freedom loading device, used in spatial loading test and fatigue test on aviation material, comprising a Stewart active parallel six-freedom loading device, a SPS six-dimension force/torque sensor and a SPS inactive parallel six-freedom adjuster, wherein the Stewart active parallel six-freedom loading device simulates the spatial motion, the active and inactive platforms of inactive parallel six-freedom adjuster follows to operate and draw or compress the bidirectional isomorphism spring device, to test wide force dynamical load, to supply high accuracy and better reliability to the six-freedom wide force dynamic synchronous loading system, to be used in spatial-ground semi-physical simulation test or the like.

A flux-gate magnetometer torque sensor is provided having a rotatable shaft to which a torque force is to be applied, a sleeve of conductive foil affixed to the surface of the shaft over the magnetically active regions, a plurality of saturable magnetic wires or strips mounted to the rotatable shaft and parallel to an axis of rotation, sensor circuitry containing an oscillator for generating a signal, a divider coupled to the oscillator for dividing the frequency of the signal by two, a first and second coil each surrounding a different section of the rotatable shaft and having an input coupled to the divider output, a multiplier having inputs coupled to outputs of the first coil, the second coil, and the oscillator, and an integrator having an input coupled to the multiplier output and an output coupled to both outputs of the first and second coils, wherein the output voltage of the integrator corresponds to the torque being applied to the rotatable shaft.

A capacitive force sensor is provided that includes a first support layer and a second support layer, a dielectric layer disposed between the first support layer and the second support layer, where the dielectric layer is a non-conductive elastomer that is incompressible in the a normal direction and deflects in a shear direction, a layer of parallel conductive traces disposed between and bonded to the dielectric layer and the first support layer, and a conductive layer of parallel shear channel traces having at least two distinct channels disposed between and bonded to the dielectric layer and the second support layer, where the parallel conductive traces and the parallel shear channel traces are locally parallel to each other and provide capacitive shear force measurement sensitivity while rejecting normal forces, where the normal force measurement is decoupled from the shear force measurement.

There is provided a wireless data transmitting and receiving system that wirelessly transmits a signal regarding a torque acting on a rotary shaft and/or a rotation angle of the rotary shaft from a data transmitting unit disposed in the rotary shaft to a data receiving unit. The wireless data transmitting and receiving system includes: a data transmitting unit (20) provided on the rotary shaft (52) of a tightening machine (50) to detect the torque and the rotation angle, the data transmitting unit (20) including a torque sensor (21) disposed so as to be capable of sensing a toque acting on the rotary shaft (52), a rotation angle sensor (29) disposed so as to be capable of a rotation angle of the rotary shaft (52), and transmitting means (22) that is electrically connected to the foregoing sensors (21,29), and wirelessly transmits signals regarding the torque detected in the torque sensor (21) and the rotation angle detected in the rotation angle sensor (29); and a data receiving unit (30) including receiving means (32) that receives the transmitted signals regarding the torque and the rotation angle, and display means (40) that displays the signals regarding the torque and the rotation angle received by the receiving means (32).

A compact height torque sensing articulation axis assembly is disclosed herein having a torque sensor, an assembly mounting flange, a motor, a motor gearbox, a gearbox output shaft, an encoder, and a cable. The assembly may sense tension on robotic catheter pullwires in an articulating catheter and/or torque on a robotic output axis using the torque sensor. Disclosed embodiments may advantageously be used to achieve small, lightweight robotic catheter systems.