Torque Meter Shaft With Rotational Slip Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Torque meters experience measurement errors due to plastic deformation of the torque shaft when high torque exceeds design limits, leading to false indications of reduced engine output, which can compromise safety.
Innovation Solution
A torque meter shaft with rotational slip-enabled sensor indicating tabs that allow for a correctional offset and material relief before failure, enabling continued accurate torque measurement by transferring torque through inter-locking non-contact fit between ring and shaft tabs, maintaining engine power capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the torque shaft is designed to withstand high torque, then the strength is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for slip mechanism and sensor tabs
Solution Approach 1:
The torque shaft is segmented into a deformable section and a non-deformable section, with sensor indicating tabs positioned at specific locations. This segmentation allows the shaft to plastic deform in a controlled manner while the sensor tabs detect the deformation to provide correctional offset, resolving the contradiction by enabling high torque measurement capability without requiring complete shaft redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor indicating tabs serve as intermediaries between the torque shaft deformation and the measurement system. These tabs contact the sensor to transfer information about shaft deformation, enabling the system to compensate for plastic deformation effects without requiring the entire shaft structure to be redesigned for high torque scenarios.
2Reliability
If the torque shaft allows plastic deformation, then the measurement error is reduced through correctional offset, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to the offset correction itself
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor indicating tabs provide feedback about the degree of shaft deformation by contacting the sensor at specific positions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when plastic deformation occurs and apply appropriate correctional offset to maintain measurement reliability, while the feedback loop enables continuous monitoring to minimize precision loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the measurement parameter by introducing a correctional offset based on sensor tab contact detection. When tabs contact the sensor, it indicates a specific deformation state, and the corresponding offset is applied to correct the measurement, thereby maintaining reliability while managing the precision trade-off through parameter adjustment.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the torque shaft is designed for temporary continued usage after deformation, then the duration of action is improved, but the strength deteriorates due to material damage
Solution Approach 1:
The torque shaft is designed with predetermined deformation characteristics and sensor indicating tabs positioned to detect specific deformation stages. This preliminary design allows the shaft to undergo controlled plastic deformation while maintaining functionality, enabling temporary continued usage after deformation by predicting and compensating for strength reduction through the correctional offset mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The correctional offset mechanism serves as a beforehand cushioning measure that compensates for the strength loss due to plastic deformation. By pre-programming the offset values corresponding to different deformation stages (detected by sensor tab contact), the system cushions against the deterioration of measurement accuracy, enabling continued temporary usage despite reduced structural integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides accurate torque indication and temporary continued usage of the torque meter shaft, enhancing safety by compensating for deformation and maintaining full engine power capacity during overtorque conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the shaft 300 elastically deforms when torque is applied to the first spline coupling 400. This deformation changes the radial position of the shaft tabs 325 relative to the position of the ring tabs 210 such that relative change in torque can be measured.
Implementation Method 2
When a torque applied creates a deformable shaft deformation of the shaft 300 in the deformable section 315 that exceeds the material yield limit of the deformable section 315, the ring tabs 210 and shaft tabs 325 contact each other and the ring tabs 210 transfer the rotational movement into the ring 200
Implementation Method 3
The ring 200 has sufficient sizing to provide a friction interference fit to the hollow tube 100 at the first hollow tube end 105, which provides adequate positional stability for normal operation and rotation when contact of the ring tabs 210 and the shaft tabs 325 occurs in overtorque operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A torque meter shaft that includes a hollow tube, a ring with ring tabs, the ring enveloping the hollow tube, a shaft with shaft tabs and a deformable section, the shaft disposed within the hollow tube such that the ring tabs and the shaft tabs correspond forming an inter-locking non-contact fit, and a first spline coupling and a second spline coupling. The first spline coupling communicates with an engine such that torque from the engine is transferred to the deformable section and elastically deforms when torque is applied to the first spline coupling and the shaft tabs change radial position relative to the position of the ring tabs such that relative change in torque can be measured, and when torque results in creating a shaft deformation that passes the material yield point, the ring tabs and shaft tabs contact each other, and the ring tabs are pushed back into a new position that compensates for the shaft deformation allowing the engine to maintain its full power capacity.