A shaft device includes a shaft having a guide portion, a restraining member fixed to the shaft, and a movable member movably inserted into but non-rotatable relative to the restraining member and having a guide portion. When the shaft is rotated, the guide portions of the movable member and the shaft interact with each other to drive the movable member to axially displace. A restoring module is provided to restore the movable member to its original position after being axially displaced. A sensing module is provided for converting one of an axial displacement of the movable member and a deformation of the restoring module into a variable signal.

A torque sensor can measure torque introduced into an upper shaft that is rotatable around a longitudinal axis and is connectable to a lower shaft via a torsion rod. A first component is connectable to the upper shaft, and a second component is connectable to the lower shaft. The components have surfaces that protrude in a longitudinal direction and at least partially overlap. A sensor coil that can generate a high-frequency alternating magnetic field is arranged on one of the surfaces of one component, and a metallic element is arranged on one of the surfaces of the other component. A torque introduced into the upper shaft causes a change in distance between the sensor coil and the metallic element. A device can measure a frequency change of the alternating magnetic field caused by the change in distance and determine the torque introduced into the upper shaft.

A steering assist device for a motor vehicle is described, which encloses a steering-wheel-side steering shaft and a wheel-side steering shaft coupled to the latter, whereby a gear wheel coupled to a backup drive is installed on the wheel-side steering shaft. Moreover, a sensor element is integrated into the gear wheel and interacts with a second sensor counter element fixed in space over a first sensor counter element installed at the steering-wheel-side steering shaft.

A detection signal correction method includes: calculating a rotation angle of a rotation shaft of a motor, based on a detection signal of a sensor; calculating a steering velocity of a steering shaft based on the rotation angle; calculating an error of the detection signal; and correcting the error of the detection signals when the steering velocity is equal to or greater than a steering velocity threshold value and the error of the detection signal is equal to or greater than an error threshold value.

A torque sensor element for measuring a torque applied to a joint is described. The torque sensor element includes: an outer frame and an inner frame respectively to connect to first and second sides of a joint; and a compliant arrangement connecting the outer frame to the inner frame. The compliant arrangement includes: first and second members, each extending between and connecting the outer and inner frames, and each being resilient and deformable to permit some relative rotation between the outer and inner frames in response to an applied torque. A connecting structure extends between the first and second members and includes a first portion intermediate the first and second members which is configured responsive to a deformation of the first and/or second member to move by an amount determined by a degree of relative rotation between the outer and inner frames caused by a torque applied to the joint.

A method for monitoring intoxication of a user, the method including: receiving a set of samples from a body region of a user; generating an intoxication metric based on the set of samples; and providing a notification to the user based on the intoxication metric. The method can additionally or alternatively include: modifying operation of the transdermal alcohol sensing device based on the intoxication metric; determining contextual data; maintaining a hydration level of the transdermal alcohol sensing device; and any other suitable processes. A system for monitoring intoxication of a user including a sensor and a housing. The system can additionally or alternatively include any or all of: an inlet, a fastener, an electronics subsystem, a user device, and/or any other suitable component.

A detection signal correction method includes: calculating a rotation angle of a rotation shaft of a motor, based on a detection signal of a sensor; calculating a steering velocity of a steering shaft based on the rotation angle; calculating an error of the detection signal; and correcting the error of the detection signals when the steering velocity is equal to or greater than a steering velocity threshold value and the error of the detection signal is equal to or greater than an error threshold value.

This invention concerns torque sensor systems and methods that computationally compensate in real-time for hysteresis in signals output from sense elements that are indicative of a torque, including a time-varying torque. In preferred embodiments, temperature effects can also be compensated for by such methods and systems.

A dynamic torque sensing device of a thread-on freewheel structure includes a thread-on freewheel sensing body (1), a stationary housing (2) and a sensor (12). The thread-on freewheel sensing body and the stationary housing are rotatable relative to each other, and the sensor is configured to sense a torque of the thread-on freewheel sensing body. The thread-on freewheel sensing body includes a thread-on freewheel sensing body relatively stationary portion (101), a thread-on freewheel sensing body relatively rotating portion (102) and a thread-on freewheel sensing body intermediary portion (103). The thread-on freewheel sensing body relatively stationary portion, the thread-on freewheel sensing body intermediary portion and the thread-on freewheel sensing body relatively rotating portion are sequentially arranged along an axial direction of the thread-on freewheel sensing body. The thread-on freewheel sensing body intermediary portion is configured to connect the thread-on freewheel sensing body relatively stationary portion to the thread-on freewheel sensing body relatively rotating portion.

A method for monitoring intoxication of a user, the method including: receiving a set of samples from a body region of a user; generating an intoxication metric based on the set of samples; and providing a notification to the user based on the intoxication metric. The method can additionally or alternatively include: modifying operation of the transdermal alcohol sensing device based on the intoxication metric; determining contextual data; maintaining a hydration level of the transdermal alcohol sensing device; and any other suitable processes. A system for monitoring intoxication of a user including a sensor and a housing. The system can additionally or alternatively include any or all of: an inlet, a fastener, an electronics subsystem, a user device, and/or any other suitable component.