Unconnected capacitor type torque sensor

1. [Field of the Invention]

The present invention relates to a torque detector for detecting torque when external force is applied to a rotation shaft without contact in a car power steering unit or the like.

2. [Description of the Prior Art]

In a car power steering unit, torque applied to a steering wheel must be detected to determine the amount of assist force. There is known a torque detector disclosed by Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 63-65331 as an example of the torque sensor used for this purpose of the prior art. The structure of this device will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12 .

In these figures, reference symbol 1 A denotes a shaft to be measured, 10 and 11 a pair of electrode bases fixed to the shaft 1 A, 12 and 13 electrodes fixed to the electrode bases 10 and 11 , respectively, 16 a rotary transformer consisting of a rotary core 16 a and a stationary core 16 b , 17 a and 18 a cores embedded in the rotary core 16 a , and 17 b and 18 b cores embedded in the stationary core 16 b . As shown in FIG. 11, the electrode 12 consists of electrodes 12 a to 12 d and the electrode 13 consists of electrodes 13 a to 13 b , all of which are shaped like a fan with the center of the shaft 1 A as the center thereof. An overlapped portion between the electrodes 12 a and 13 a form a capacitor C 1 , an overlapped portion between the electrodes 12 b and 13 a forms a capacitor C 2 , an overlapped portion between the electrodes 12 c and 13 b form a capacitor C 3 , and an overlapped portion between the electrodes 12 d and 13 b form a capacitor C 4 .

These capacitors are connected to one another to form a Wheatstone bridge circuit as shown in FIG. 12 . The terminals “c” and “d” of the Wheatstone bridge circuit are connected to both ends of the coil 17 a of the rotary transformer 16 and the terminals “a” and “b” are connected to both ends of the coil 18 a of the rotary transformer 16 . The coils 17 b and 18 b magnetically connected to the coils 17 a and 18 a are connected to an unshown detection circuit.

A description is subsequently given of the operation of the torque detector. When torque is applied to the shaft 1 A from the steering wheel, the torsion deformation of the shaft 1 A occurs and relative torsion displacement between the pair of electrode bases 12 and 13 occurs. For example, when the electrodes 13 a and 13 b displace in a clockwise direction with respect to the electrodes 12 a to 12 d in FIG. 11, the areas of the overlapped portions change, whereby the capacitance of each of the capacitors C 1 and C 3 decreases and the capacitance of each of the capacitors C 2 and C 4 increases. Since the Wheatstone bridge circuit is thereby imbalanced, an AC voltage eO is generated between the terminals “a” and “b” by supplying an AC voltage eB between the terminals “c” and “d”. Since this voltage is proportional to the amount of torsion deformation of the shaft and the torque applied to the shaft, the torque is obtained from the voltage between the terminals “a” and “b”.

Since the terminals “a” to “d” are connected to the detection circuit by the rotary transformer 16 without contact, a signal can be transmitted even when the shaft 1 A turns.

Since the torque detector of the prior art is constituted as described above, to transmit a signal to the fixed detection circuit from a detection unit provided in the turning shaft 1 A, the rotary transformer must be used as in the case above or a slip ring must be used in other known examples with the result that the torque detector becomes complex in structure.

In other torque detector of the prior art, a movable magnetic member is displaced by the twisting of a torsion bar or the shaft caused by torque and this displacement is obtained as a change in the inductance of a coil wound round the shaft.

Since the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic member such as a yoke or movable magnetic member used in the rotary transformer or the coil have temperature characteristics, a torque detection error is easily produced.

It is an object of the present invention which has been made to solve the above problems of the prior art to provide a torque detector having a simple structure and high accuracy.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a torque detector for detecting torque which is applied between a first shaft and a second shaft arranged coaxial to each other in such a manner that one end of the first shaft faces one end of the second shaft, wherein the torque detector comprises an elastic member for connecting the first shaft to the second shaft and generating torsion displacement between the first shaft and the second shaft according to the torque between the first and second shafts, a ring-shaped movable electrode attached to the shafts so that it displaces in an axial direction according to a relative torsion angle between the first and second shafts, a fixed electrode installed at a location where its surface is opposed to the surface of the movable electrode and it does not turn together with the shafts, and detecting means for detecting capacitance between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a torque detector which comprises first and second fixed electrodes arranged on the same side of the movable electrode and detecting means for detecting capacitance between each of the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode and the movable electrode.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a torque sensor which comprises a third fixed electrode arranged on a side opposite to the first and second fixed electrodes of the movable electrode.

The above elastic member has a first group of elastic columns which are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the first shaft and formed at predetermined intervals on a side where it is fixed to the first shaft and a second group of elastic columns which are inclined at the same predetermined angle in an opposite direction to that of the first group of elastic columns with respect to the second shaft and formed at predetermined intervals on a side where it is fixed to the second shaft. The movable electrode is supported between the first group of elastic columns and the second group of elastic columns directly or indirectly.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a torque detector according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the torque detector according to Embodiment 1;

FIG. 3 is a top (plan) view of a torque detector according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the torque detector according to Embodiment 2;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the torque detector according to Embodiment 2;

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of the torque sensor according to Embodiment 2;

FIG. 7 is a top (plan) view of a torque detector according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention:

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of the torque sensor according to Embodiment 3;

FIG. 9 is a schematic front view of a torque sensor according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention:

FIG. 10 is a partially front sectional view of a torque sensor of the prior art;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the electrodes of the torque sensor of the prior art; and

FIG. 12 is a circuit block diagram of the torque detector of the prior art.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a torque detector according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a first shaft connected to a steering wheel (not shown), and 2 a second shaft connected to the pinion gear (not shown) of a steering mechanism. The first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 are arranged coaxial to each other with a predetermined interval therebetween in such a manner that one ends thereof face each other and connected to each other by a torsion bar 6 as an elastic member provided along the center axes of the shafts 1 and 2 . Denoted by 3 is a ring which is installed at a joint 12 j between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 so that it displaces in an axial direction according to a relative torsion angle between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 , used to fix and support a movable electrode 4 , formed cylindrical and made from an insulating material. Numeral 4 represents a ring-shaped movable electrode fixed and supported by the ring 3 , having a hole at the center and made from a conductive material. That is, the movable electrode 4 is attached to the shafts through the ring 3 so that it displaces in an axial direction according to a relative torsion angle between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 . FIG. 1 gives a half cutaway view of the ring 3 and the movable electrode 4 to show their sectional shapes. Reference symbols 5 a and 5 b represent first and second fixed electrodes having surfaces opposite to the left side surface 4 L shown in FIG. 1 of the movable electrode 4 (that is, two fixed electrodes arranged to face one surface of the movable electrode 4 ). The first fixed electrode 5 a and the second fixed electrode 5 b are fixed in a housing (not shown) for storing a detection circuit which will be described hereinafter (that is, the first fixed electrode 5 a and the second fixed electrode 5 b are provided at a location where they do not turn together with the shafts 1 and 2 and their electrode surfaces face the surface of the movable electrode).

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of Embodiment 1. In the figure, 7 a denotes a capacitor having capacitance Ca constructed by the fixed electrode 5 a and the movable electrode 4 , 7 b a capacitor having capacitance Cb constructed by the second fixed electrode 5 b and the movable electrode 4 , and 20 a detection circuit.

A description is subsequently given of the operation of this Embodiment 1.

When torque in a right direction is applied between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1 by the operation of the steering wheel by a driver, the torsion bar 6 is twisted and torsion displacement occurs between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 . Then, the ring 3 displaces in a left direction as shown by arrows in FIG. 1 according to this relative torsion angle. At this point, the capacitance of each of the capacitors 7 a and 7 b increases because the distance between the electrodes reduces. Since the capacitors 7 a and 7 b are connected in series, capacitance between the first fixed electrode 5 a and the second fixed electrode 5 b increases. Therefore, by detecting capacitance between the first fixed electrode 5 a and the second fixed electrode 5 b by means of the detection circuit 20 , the distance between the movable electrode 4 and the first fixed electrode 5 a and the distance between the movable electrode 4 and the second fixed electrode 5 b as well as the amount of given torque can be obtained.

The detection of capacitance may be carried out by known systems such as one for detecting and calculating a voltage change, one for detecting and calculating a current change, one for detecting and calculating a change in the resonance frequency of LC oscillation or CR oscillation, or a Wheatstone bridge system of capacitors by constructing the Wheatstone bridge circuit of capacitors as shown in Embodiment 2 which will be described hereinafter.

In the prior art shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 , since the both electrodes of the capacitor rotate together with the shaft, a rotary transformer is required to connect them to the detection circuit. According to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, even when the shafts 1 and 2 and the movable electrode 4 turn, the fixed electrodes 5 a and 5 b which are part of the detection unit (capacitors 7 a and 7 b constructed by the fixed electrodes 5 a and 5 b and the movable electrode 4 ) do not turn, thereby making it possible to eliminate the need of a rotary transformer or a slip rig to connect the detection unit to the detection circuit 20 and to obtain a torque detector having a simple structure.

Since a magnetic member is not used, the temperature characteristics of the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic member have no influence upon torque detection accuracy and a high-accuracy torque detector can be obtained.

Since the ring 3 has to move only in an axial direction, the ring 3 may be attached to the shaft apart from the joint 12 j between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 .

A torque detector according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 . In each of the figures, the same or corresponding members or elements as those of FIGS. 1 and 2 are given the same reference symbols.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a torque detector according to Embodiment 2, FIG. 4 is a front sectional view cut on line A—A of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a side sectional view cut on line B—B of FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, reference symbols 5 c and 5 d denote third and fourth fixed electrodes which are symmetrical to each other and provided on a side opposite to the first and second fixed electrodes 5 a and 5 b of the movable electrode 4 d.

Numeral 30 denotes a substantially cylindrical elastic member whose both end portions 30 L and 30 R are fixed to the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 , respectively, and which is made from a metal. Reference symbol 31 a indicates a first group of elastic columns which are inclined at a positive angle θ with respect to the first shaft 1 and formed at equal intervals on an end portion 30 L side of the elastic member 30 by press punching a group of windows 32 a . Reference symbol 31 b indicates a second group of elastic columns which are inclined at a negative angle θ with respect to the second shaft 2 and formed at equal intervals on an end portion 30 R side of the elastic member 30 by press punching a group of windows 32 b . Numeral 33 denotes a cylindrical centering shaft provided at the end of the second shaft 2 , and 34 a cylindrical bush, provided at the second shaft 2 , for rotably supporting the centering shaft 33 to prevent the centers of the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 from shifting from each other. Denoted by 35 is a receiving portion of the first shaft 1 and 36 a projection portion of the second shaft 2 . As shown in FIG. 5, the receiving portion 35 and the projecting portion 36 form a stopper for limiting rotation angle to prevent the elastic member 30 from being twisted excessively. The diameters on the connection sides of the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 are made slightly smaller than those on the other sides to form a gap 37 between the elastic member 30 and the first shaft 1 and between the elastic member 30 and the second shaft 2 as an escape when the elastic member 30 bends. The ring 3 and the movable electrode 4 are installed at the center of the elastic member 30 where the groups of widows 32 a and 32 b are not formed.

In FIG. 6, reference symbol 7 c is a capacitor having capacitance Cc constructed by the third fixed electrode 5 c and the movable electrode 4 , 7 d a capacitor having capacitance Cd constructed by the fourth fixed electrode 5 d and the movable electrode 4 , 21 a drive circuit for generating an AC voltage, and 8 a and 8 b capacitors connected to the fixed electrodes 5 b and 5 c , respectively. The capacitors 7 b and 7 c form a Wheatstone bridge circuit. Reference symbol 22 a denotes a first receiving circuit connected to the capacitor 7 b and the capacitor 8 a , and 22 b a second receiving circuit connected to the capacitor 7 c and the capacitor 8 b.

A description is subsequently given of the operation of this Embodiment 2.

When torque in a right direction is applied between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 by the operation of the steering wheel by a driver as shown by an arrow in FIG. 3, as the first group 31 a of elastic columns are forced down, the inclination angle θ increases, and as the second group 31 b of elastic columns are pulled and raised up, the absolute value of the inclination angle θ reduces. Thereby, the ring 3 and the movable electrode 4 fixed to the ring 3 displace toward the left side. Therefore, the capacitance of each of the capacitors 7 a and 7 b increases and the capacitance of each of the capacitors 7 c and 7 d decreases as in Embodiment 1. Since the capacitors 7 a and 7 d are connected to the drive circuit 21 and the movable electrode 4 in parallel, when the obtained integrated capacitance is represented by Ct, the dielectric constant of the air by ξ, the areas of the portions where the fixed electrodes 5 a to 5 d face the movable electrode 4 are all equal and represented by S, and the distances between the fixed electrodes 5 a to 5 d and the movable electrode 4 are represented by La to Ld, respectively, the following relationships are established.

Ca=ξS/La

Cd=ξS/Ld

Ct= 1/(1 /Ca+ 1 /Cd )=ξ S /( La+Ld )

Therefore, if the movable electrode 4 displaces, La +Ld does not change and hence, Ct does not change as well. However, since the capacitance Cb of the capacitor 7 b forming the Wheatstone bridge increases and the capacitance Cc of the capacitor 7 c decreases, when an AC voltage is applied from the drive circuit 21 through Ct, the amplitude of voltage input into the receiving circuit 1 expands and the amplitude of voltage input into the receiving circuit 2 shrinks. The displacement of the movable electrode 4 and the amount of given torque can be obtained by detecting the amplitude of this voltage.

In Embodiment 1, there is only one detection circuit. In Embodiment 2, there are two detection circuits. Therefore, if one of them fails, the other can be used as a back-up or can be used to detect a failure.

In Embodiment 1, the torsion bar 6 is used as an elastic member to displace the ring 3 in an axial direction according to a relative torsion angle between the first shaft 1 and the second shaft 2 . In Embodiment 2, the substantially cylindrical elastic member 30 which can be produced by pressing at a low cost is used to displace the ring 3 and the movable electrode 4 in an axial direction by directly attaching the ring 3 to the elastic member 30 , thereby making production easy and reducing costs.

In the above Embodiment 2, the fixed electrode 5 d is provided to form the capacitor 7 d so as to achieve symmetricity. This is not always necessary, the fixed electrode 5 d may be omitted to achieve a simpler structure, and driving may be effected through the capacitor 7 a only.

In the above Embodiment 2, a portion devoid of windows is provided between the first group 31 a of elastic columns and the second group 31 b of elastic columns and the ring 3 is fixed in that portion. The groups 32 a and 32 b of windows may be made continuous to each other and the left ends of the elastic columns of the second group 31 b may be connected to the right ends of the elastic columns of the first group 31 a , respectively. In this case, it is slightly difficult to secure machining accuracy but the movement of the movable electrode against the same torsion deformation becomes larger and sensitivity becomes higher.

The above-described elastic member 30 may be made from a material having certain measures of strength and elasticity, such as rubber, ceramic, resin, wood or the like.

Since the elastic member 30 is made from a metal in Embodiment 2, the movable electrode 4 is attached to the elastic member 30 through the ring 3 indirectly. When the elastic member 30 is made from an insulating material such as rubber, the movable member 4 can be attached to the elastic member 30 directly.

In the above embodiments, variable capacitors are formed by making the surface in an axial direction of the movable electrode opposed to the surfaces in an axial direction of the fixed electrodes. AS shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 (FIG. 7 is a top view and FIG. 8 is a substantially front view showing the positional relationship between the movable electrode and the fixed electrodes), a movable electrode 4 a having a cylindrical outer surface coaxial to the shafts 1 and 2 is provided and fixed electrodes 5 a to 5 d are arc electrodes facing the movable electrode 4 a with a predetermined gap therebetween. When the movable electrode 4 a displaces toward the left side as shown in FIG. 7, the areas of capacitors formed by the fixed electrodes 5 a and 5 b and the movable electrode 4 a increase with the result of growth in capacitance and the areas of capacitors formed by the fixed electrodes 5 c and 5 d and the movable electrode 4 a decrease with the result of a reduction in capacitance. Therefore, the same effect as those of the above embodiments can be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 9 (substantially front view showing the positional relationship between the movable electrode and the fixed electrodes), a movable electrode 4 b whose electrode surfaces are formed by part of a cone having an apex at the center of the axis may be provided. In other words, the movable electrode 4 b shaped like the bead of an abacus may be provided and fixed electrodes 5 a to 5 d may be provided to face the conical surfaces 4 x and 4 y on both sides of the movable electrode 4 b . In this case, the same effect as those of the above embodiments can be obtained.

In the above embodiments, a plurality of fixed electrodes are provided. Capacitance between one movable electrode and one fixed electrode may be detected. For example, there is a musical instrument which changes the interval by varying the floating capacitance of an antenna with moving hands before a single antenna or a case where floating capacitance generated around iron is measured by driving an iron stake into the ground of an oil field. This is the case where a human body or the ground serves as the other electrode. Based on the same principle, capacitance between one movable electrode and one fixed electrode may be detected by arranging the movable electrode and the fixed electrode to face each other.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the fixed electrodes do not turn even when the shafts and the movable electrode turn, a rotary transformer or a slip ring is not required to connect them to the detection circuit. Therefore, a torque detector having a simple structure can be obtained.

Since a magnetic member is not used, the temperature characteristics of the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic member have no influence upon torque detection accuracy. Therefore, a high-accuracy torque detector can be obtained.

Since a third fixed electrode is provided, two receiving circuits can be formed, thereby making possible back-up and the detection of a failure when one of them fails.

Since an elastic member consisting of a first group of elastic columns and a second group of elastic columns is used to support the movable electrode between the first group and the second group of elastic columns directly or indirectly, production becomes easy and costs can be reduced.