A torque sensor for detecting torque around a predetermined rotation axis, including: a first support body, a second support body, a detection part which connects the first support body and the second support body and which undergoes elastic deformation by exertion of torque to be detected, a detection element which detects elastic deformation occurring at the detection part, and a detection circuit which outputs an electric signal indicating torque around the rotation axis exerted on one of (i) the first support body in a state that a load is applied to the second support body, and (ii) the second support body in a state that a load is applied to the first support body. The detection element includes a capacitive element which includes a displacement electrode fixed to a displacement part and a fixing electrode opposing the displacement electrode. The detection circuit outputs the electric signal indicating the exerted torque based on fluctuation in capacitance value of the capacitive element.

A torque sensor chip including a semiconductor substrate, an acoustic reflector formed on the semiconductor substrate, and first and second Lamb wave resonators (LWRs). The first LWR is formed on a side of the acoustic reflector opposite the semiconductor substrate. The first LWR is at a first angle with respect to an axis of the IC. The second LWR also is formed on the side of the acoustic reflector opposite the semiconductor substrate. The second LWR is at a second angle, different than the first angle, with respect to the axis of the IC.

A nut screwed around a rotating shaft with a view to securing a part to said shaft and to cooperate with a fixed sensor sensing a quantity of material in a pre-defined volume to measure the speed of rotation of the shaft, including a ring of teeth separated by slots. At least a portion of the teeth includes at least one recess maintaining the clamping function of the ring of teeth, the at least one recess forming, with notches separating the teeth, respective material deficit intervals detected by said sensor when passing through the detection volume during the rotation of the nut. A method of using the nut with a sensor in a rotational speed measuring device and the production of same.

A sensing system includes: a surface acoustic wave sensor with a first surface acoustic wave device-and a second surface acoustic wave device; a sensing apparatus detecting an electrical characteristic of the first and second surface acoustic wave devices connected to the surface acoustic wave sensor; and a control apparatus calculating a physical quantity acting on one of a target to which the surface acoustic wave sensor is attached and the surface acoustic wave sensor. The sensitivity ratio of a first physical quantity and the sensitivity of a second physical quantity are different, and a third physical quantity is removable by averaging. The control apparatus removes the first physical quantity based on the results of a comparison operation on sensor signals from the first and second surface acoustic wave elements, uses the averaging process to remove the third physical quantity, and thereby calculates the second physical quantity.

Systems and methods for measuring displacement parameters of rotating shafts and couplings are disclosed. In some aspects, a measurement system includes a shaft extended in a longitudinal direction and a target wheel configured to rotate with the shaft. The target wheel includes sensor targets circumferentially distributed around the target wheel. Some of the targets are slanted in the longitudinal direction and some of the targets are parallel to the longitudinal direction. The measurement system includes a sensor array including at least three sensors mounted radially around the shaft and configured to detect the sensor targets as the target wheel rotates with the shaft. The measurement system includes a controller configured to receive sensor signals from the sensors and determine, based on the sensor signals, at least an axial displacement measurement of the shaft in the longitudinal direction and a radial displacement measurement of the shaft.

The present invention provides a torque sensor that is small and highly rigid and for which high production efficiency is possible. An annular deformation body (50) is disposed between a left side support body (10) and a right side support body (20). Protruding parts (11, 12) of the left side support body (10) are joined to two upper and lower sites on the left side surface of the annular deformation body (50), and protruding parts (21, 22) of the right side support body (20) are joined to two left and right sites on the right side surface of the annular deformation body (50). The annular deformation body (50) has, at four sites, detection parts (D1 to D4) that cause elastic deformation, the right side surface of each of the detection parts (D1 to D4) moves close to or moves away from the opposing surface of the right side support body (20) when torque around the Z axis is exerted on the left side support body (10) in a state that a load is applied to the right side support body (20). A displacement electrode is formed on a right side surface of each of the detection parts (D1 to D4) and a fixed electrode is formed on an opposing surface of the right side support body (20) to constitute four sets of capacitive elements, thereby detecting torque exerted as fluctuation in capacitance value thereof.

A torque sensor including an annular deformation body disposed so as to surround a circumference of a rotation axis, an exertion support body, a fixing support body, and a detection circuit. The annular deformation body has four coupling parts, and four detection parts positioned between two coupling parts which are adjacent in the circumferential direction of the annular deformation body, the detection parts undergoing elastic deformation by exertion of torque. The detection parts each are formed in a convex shape on one side in a direction along the rotation axis and are formed in a concave shape on the other side in a direction along the rotation axis. The detection circuit outputs electric signals on the basis of elastic deformation undergone to the detection part of the annular deformation body.

Systems and methods for measuring displacement parameters of rotating shafts and couplings are disclosed. In some aspects, a measurement system includes a shaft extended in a longitudinal direction and a target wheel configured to rotate with the shaft. The target wheel includes sensor targets circumferentially distributed around the target wheel. Some of the targets are slanted in the longitudinal direction and some of the targets are parallel to the longitudinal direction. The measurement system includes a sensor array including at least three sensors mounted radially around the shaft and configured to detect the sensor targets as the target wheel rotates with the shaft. The measurement system includes a controller configured to receive sensor signals from the sensors and determine, based on the sensor signals, at least an axial displacement measurement of the shaft in the longitudinal direction and a radial displacement measurement of the shaft.

A torque sensor of the present invention includes: a ring-shaped deformation body; first to fourth displacement electrodes deformable due to elastic deformation of the ring-shaped deformation body; first to fourth fixed electrodes arranged at positions opposite to those of the first to fourth displacement electrodes; and a detection circuit that outputs an electrical signal representing torque based on a variation amount of capacitance values of first to fourth capacitive elements formed by the first to fourth displacement electrodes and the first to fourth fixed electrodes, wherein the detection circuit outputs, as the electrical signals representing the acting torque, a first electrical signal corresponding to a difference between a sum of a capacitance value of the first capacitive element and a capacitance value of the second capacitive element and a sum of a capacitance value of the third capacitive element and a capacitance value of the fourth capacitive element and a second electrical signal corresponding to a difference between the capacitance value of the first capacitive element and the capacitance value of the third capacitive element and determines whether the torque sensor is normally functioning based on the first and the second electrical signals.

A sensor system includes a rotor antenna, a radio frequency (RF) sensor, a stator antenna, and one or more frequency selective structures. The rotor antenna and the RF sensor are disposed on an outer surface of a shaft and are conductively connected to each other. The RF sensor generates measurement signals as the shaft rotates. The stator antenna is mounted separate from the shaft and positioned radially outward from the rotor antenna. The stator antenna wirelessly receives the measurement signals from the rotor antenna across an air gap. The one or more frequency selective structures are disposed on the outer surface of the shaft and configured to dissipate electromagnetic current that is conducted along the shaft to alleviate interference of the measurement signals.