Drive shaft monitoring system has a first and second coded disc. The first and second coded disc are provided with multiple slots or recesses evenly distributed in circumferential direction thereof. The drive shaft monitoring system includes at least two independent light sensor assemblies arranged in connection with the slots or recesses of the first and second coded disc.

Drive shaft monitoring system has a first and second coded disc. The first and second coded disc are provided with multiple slots or recesses evenly distributed in circumferential direction thereof. The drive shaft monitoring system includes at least two independent light sensor assemblies arranged in connection with the slots or recesses of the first and second coded disc.

A torque sensor includes: a strain body; and an optical sensor configured to detect a deformation of the strain body. The strain body includes an outer peripheral portion having a ring shape, and an inner peripheral portion of which at least a part is disposed inside the outer peripheral portion in a radial direction. The optical sensor includes a scale fixed to one of the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, and disposed between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, and a detector fixed to a remaining one of the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, and disposed to face the scale between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion.

A torque sensor includes: a strain body; and an optical sensor configured to detect a deformation of the strain body. The strain body includes an outer peripheral portion having a ring shape, and an inner peripheral portion of which at least a part is disposed inside the outer peripheral portion in a radial direction. The optical sensor includes a scale fixed to one of the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, and disposed between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, and a detector fixed to a remaining one of the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion, and disposed to face the scale between the outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion.

The present invention relates to a load torque detection technology, and more particularly, to a device and method for load torque detection in a robot system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to accurately detect the load torque without requiring a position sensor included in a load torque measurement actuator to have a multi-revolution function or additional power supply.

The present invention relates to a load torque detection technology, and more particularly, to a device and method for load torque detection in a robot system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to accurately detect the load torque without requiring a position sensor included in a load torque measurement actuator to have a multi-revolution function or additional power supply.

A rotary angle sensor for an electric power assisted steering system of a motor vehicle, wherein the rotary angle sensor comprises an optical sensor unit with a light source, optical components and a photodetector and a disc with an optical pattern, wherein the optical sensor unit and the disc are configured to rotate relative to each other around a rotary axis, and wherein the optical sensor unit is configured such that light reflected from the optical pattern is measured by the photodetector, wherein the optical pattern comprises steps and spaces separating the steps, such that light reflected by steps and spaces destructively interferes leading to an intensity modulation of the reflected light according to an optical pattern which encodes a binary type code for the rotary angle of the disc.

A rotary angle sensor for an electric power assisted steering system of a motor vehicle, wherein the rotary angle sensor comprises an optical sensor unit with a light source, optical components and a photodetector and a disc with an optical pattern, wherein the optical sensor unit and the disc are configured to rotate relative to each other around a rotary axis, and wherein the optical sensor unit is configured such that light reflected from the optical pattern is measured by the photodetector, wherein the optical pattern comprises steps and spaces separating the steps, such that light reflected by steps and spaces destructively interferes leading to an intensity modulation of the reflected light according to an optical pattern which encodes a binary type code for the rotary angle of the disc.

Non-contact sensors include an image sensor configured to capture image data of a portion of a surface of a rotatable shaft and an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the image sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to receive image data having a plurality of frames from the image sensor and store the image data in a memory component of the electronic control unit, determine a transformation in image space between one or more surface features that appear in a first frame of the image data and the same one or more surface features that appear in a second frame of the image data, determine a rotational position of the rotatable shaft at a time of capture of the second frame of the image data based on the transformation and a quantitatively characterized relationship between image space and object space, and store the rotational position of the rotatable shaft.

The present application discloses implementations that relate to devices and techniques for sensing position, force, and torque. Devices described herein may include a light emitter, photodetectors, and a curved reflector. The light emitter may project light onto the curved reflector, which may reflect portions of that projected light onto one or more of the photodetectors. Based on the illuminances measured at the photodetectors, the position of the curved reflector may be determined. In some implementations, the curved reflector and the light emitter may be elastically coupled via one or more spring elements; in these implementations, a force vector representing a magnitude and direction of a force applied against the curved reflector may be determined based on the position of the curved reflector.