A magnetostrictive material includes a FeGaSm alloy that is represented by Expression (1),

Fe.sub.(100-x-y)Ga.sub.xSm.sub.y(1) (in Expression (1), x and y are respectively a content rate (at. %) of Ga and a content rate (at. %) of Sm, and satisfy that y0.35x4.2, yx+20.1, and y0.1x+2.1).

A low-cost magnetostrictive torque sensor having a high sensitivity is obtained. A torque sensor 10 includes a substrate 12, a magnetostrictive portion 26, a magnetostrictive portion 28, a detection coil 18a, a detection coil 18b, a detection circuit 48, and a detection circuit 50. The substrate 12 has a tubular shape. Each of the magnetostrictive portions 26 and 28 is constituted by a plating film and disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the substrate 12. The detection coil 18a generates a magnetic flux passing through the magnetostrictive portion 26. The detection coil 18b generates a magnetic flux passing through the magnetostrictive portion 28. Each of the detection circuits 48 and 50 detects a potential between the detection coil 18a and the detection coil 18b.

A gap compensated torque sensing system and methods for using the same are provided. The system can include a magnetostrictive torque sensor and at least one proximity sensor in communication with a controller. The proximity sensor can be substantially rigidly coupled to a sensor head of the torque sensor, either contained within the sensor head or mounted proximate to the sensor head using a bracket or other coupling mechanism. The torque sensor can sense magnetic flux passing through the target and the proximity sensor can measure a gap between itself and the target. The controller can estimate torque applied to the target from magnetic flux sensed by the torque sensor. The estimated torque can be modified by the gap measurement to compensate for changes in magnetic properties of the target due to variations in the gap. In this manner, the accuracy of the torque measurements can be increased.

A torque sensor assembly for use in a vehicle power steering system has magnets, coaxial first, second, and third flux closure members around the magnets, and first and second magnetic sensors. Each of the plurality of magnets emits a magnetic field. The second flux closure member is between the first and third flux closure members. The first and third flux closure members collect the magnetic fields having a first polarity. The second flux closure member collects the magnetic fields having a second polarity that is opposite the first polarity. The first and second magnetic sensors are positioned to have like polarity. The first sensor is between the first and second flux closure members. The second sensor is between the second and third flux closure members. A torque signal is calculated by subtracting a second signal generated by the second sensor from a first signal generated by the first sensor.

A soft magnetic component for a torque sensor, formed by resin-molding a soft magnetic material that contains Ni, Fe in such an amount that Fe/(Fe+Ni) is within a range from 10.0% to 16.0% in terms of mass ratio, and 3.5% by mass to 7.5% by mass of M (the M represents one or more elements selected from among Mo, Nb, Cr, Cu, Ti, and W) and has a saturation magnetostriction of at least 4.0 ppm and less than 0 ppm, is provided.

There is provided a magnetostriction type torque detection sensor which is improved in torque detection sensitivity by increasing respective magnetic paths which are formed between a detected object and a plurality of cores attached to an insulating tubular body in such a manner that a magnetic path which is formed at the detected object is at a predetermined angle to an axis of the detected object.

A plurality of cores is arrayed while being inclined at a predetermined angle to an axis of a detected object, and end surfaces of two-side leg portions are attached in such a way as to face the detected object via an inner circumferential surface of an insulating tubular body.

A system and method for creating one or more magnetically conditioned regions on a rotatable shaft or disk-shaped torque sensing element, wherein rotation noise produced by the element due to magnetic field variations is substantially negated, and a system and method for creating one or more magnetically conditioned regions on a rotatable shaft or disk-shaped element to allow the element to function as part of a rotational speed or rotational position sensing device.

A magnetostrictive sensor, including a tubular or columnar substrate extending along an axis, and a magnetostrictive portion disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the substrate and including a plurality of magnetostrictive lines. The plurality of magnetostrictive lines include adjacent first and second magnetostrictive lines that extend along an extension direction, and that are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the substrate via respectively first and second contact areas. In a cross sectional view of the magnetostrictive portion taken orthogonally to the extension direction, a first length, which is a width of a widest portion of the first magnetostrictive line in a width direction parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the substrate, is larger than a width of the first contact area in the width direction, and than a shortest distance between the first and second contact areas in the width direction.

Systems and methods are presented for cancelling noise from sensed magnetostriction-based strain measurements. A drive signal corresponds to a drive coil, and a sensed signal corresponds to a sensed coil. The drive signal is used to at least partially eliminate noise similar to the drive signal from the sensed signal to generate an output signal.

The invention relates to a device (14) and to a method for the contactless detection of a torque of a shaft (10) and/or torsional natural frequencies and/or torsional oscillations. The shaft (10) contains a ferromagnetic material. A measurement head (16) facing toward a shaft wall (12) comprises an excitation coil (22) which couples a magnetic field into the shaft (10). The measurement head (16) furthermore contains a number of measurement coils (24, 26, 28, 30), which measure the magnetic field emerging from the shaft (10).