A sensing device for detecting the amount of torque transmitted through a shaft. The device has a first and second section interconnected by a flexure arrangement to which permanent magnets are attached. Deflections of the flexures produce a repeatable and proportional change of magnetic flux which flows in a stationary annular ring that is concentrically mounted with respect to the shaft and separated from it by an air gap. The annular ring is instrumented with an array of magnetic field sensors that measure the changing magnetic flux.

A device (10) for monitoring strain of an elongate member (12) is deployed underwater. The device (10) comprises a first clamp (14) configured to embrace and couple to the elongate member (12) at a first axial location, a second clamp (16) configured to embrace and couple to the elongate member at a second axial location separated from the first axial location, and a sensor which is responsive to an angle between the first clamp and the second clamp.

The present invention provides a mid-motor drive system for an electric bicycle, which includes a left shell, a right shell, a motor assembly, a gear reduction apparatus, a torque sensor, a central shaft, a controller, and a crankset, and further includes a planetary gear increase apparatus. The gear reduction apparatus is connected to the motor assembly, the planetary gear increase apparatus, and the crankset, the planetary gear increase apparatus is connected to the torque sensor and the central shaft, the torque sensor is connected to the controller, and the controller is connected to the motor assembly. The present invention can allocate an assist ratio of a motor more accurately, so as to achieve the objectives of comfortable riding, energy conservation, and environmental friendliness; meanwhile, a planetary gear increase apparatus is built inside a motor drive system, thereby making a mid-motor drive system more stable and extending a service life.

A highly-responsive sensor for use in a power-assisted mobile object. The sensor for use in power-assisted mobile object includes: ring-shaped first and second magnets each having a north pole and a south pole along a circumferential direction, having a ring shape, and disposed so as to rotate with rotation of a drive shaft coaxially with each other; at least a pair of first hall elements and a pair of second hall elements that detect a magnetic field of the first magnet and the second magnet, respectively, and is disposed at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction; and a distortion unit that is configured to get distorted in the circumferential direction due to torque during rotation of the drive shaft and disposed such that the distortion changes relative positions of the first magnet and the second magnet in the circumferential direction.

A heterogeneous sensor system includes a magnetic field sensor and an inductive sensor. A checker is configured to receive the magnetic field sensor output signal and the inductive sensor output signal and determine whether an error has occurred based on a comparison of the magnetic field sensor output signal and the inductive sensor output signal. Targets include at least a portion that is conductive and may include a ferromagnetic portion for back biased magnetic sensing. Additional features include on axis and off axis positioning of the sensors with respect to the target, multi-track targets for absolute position sensing, angle sensing and torque sensing configurations.

A measuring device for process automation in an industrial environment is provided, the measuring device including: a first sensor device configured to detect a process variable; a position detection device configured to detect a position of the measuring device; a second sensor device configured to acquire environmental data; and a controller configured to analyze the acquired environmental data, determine, based on the analysis, whether or not a current position of the measuring device should be detected, and instruct the position detection device to detect the current position of the measuring device when the analysis of the environmental data has determined that the current position should be detected. A method for determining a position of a measuring device is also provided.

The invention relates to a measuring device (10) for recording at least one force and/or torque curve resulting when a control valve (32) is actuated by an actuating drive (34), comprising a housing (11) which can be arranged between the control valve (32) and the actuating drive (34). The housing (11) is provided with a first and a second connecting wall (14, 16) and at least one connecting element (18) which connects the first and the second connecting wall (14, 16). The first connecting wall (14) is connected to the actuating drive (34), and the second connecting wall (16) is connected to the control valve (32). A connecting shaft (12) for connecting a drive shaft of the actuating drive (34) to an actuating shaft of a control valve (32) is arranged in a central through-opening (14c, 16c) in the two connecting walls (14, 16). The connecting shaft (12) penetrates the measuring device (10). The connecting shaft (12) is arranged at a distance from and freely rotatable with respect to the connecting walls (14, 16), and at least one resilient element is provided between the first connecting wall (14) and the connecting element (18), with a measuring unit being provided in the housing (11). The measuring unit has at least two sub-measuring units. The first sub-measuring unit is in the form of a torque sensor unit, and the second sub-measuring unit is in the form of a rotational-angle sensor unit. The sub-measuring units each have a signal transmitter and a signal receiver. The signal receivers are arranged in a common measuring module (20). The invention is characterized in that the first signal transmitter is arranged on the first connecting wall (14), and the second signal transmitter is arranged on the connecting shaft (12).

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.

An assembly for monitoring torque applied to a control rod of an actuator, the control rod mounted within and rotational relative to a housing, the assembly comprising a torsional spring located between the control rod and the housing, and one or more sensors for monitoring angular displacement of the control rod relative to the housing as consequence of torque applied to the control rod transmitted through the torsional spring.