US 12,276,559 B2
Electronic torque realization apparatus
Leon Shih Chao, Gaithersburg, MD (US); and Stephan Schlamminger, Silver Spring, MD (US)
Assigned to GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, Gaithersburg, MD (US)
Filed by Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD (US)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/126,043.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/323,685, filed on Mar. 25, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0324239 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. G01L 3/02 (2006.01); G01D 5/12 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 3/02 (2013.01) [G01D 5/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for electronic torque realization of a torque tool, said apparatus comprising:
a rotor for coupling to the torque tool, wherein the rotor comprises:
a top ring magnet assembly comprising a first ring magnet and a second ring magnet, wherein each of the first and the second ring magnets comprises a plurality of segments coupled to form the first and the second ring magnets, wherein alternate segments of the plurality of the segments coupled to form each of the first and the second ring magnets are positioned upside-down, wherein the first ring magnet is coupled to the second ring magnet along a plane perpendicular to axes of the first and the second ring magnets, wherein the first ring magnet coupled to the second ring magnet is oriented to position the at least one upside-down segment of the plurality of segments of the first ring magnet above an unturned segment of the second ring magnet, wherein the first and the second ring magnets are oriented with a polarization in the axial direction;
a bottom ring magnet assembly comprising a third ring magnet and a fourth ring magnet, wherein each of the third and the fourth ring magnets comprises a plurality of segments coupled to form the third and the fourth ring magnets, wherein alternate segments of the plurality of the segments coupled to form each of the third and the fourth ring magnets are positioned upside-down, wherein the third ring magnet is coupled to the fourth ring magnet along a plane perpendicular to axes of the third and the fourth ring magnets, wherein the third ring magnet coupled to the fourth ring magnet is oriented to position the at least one upside-down segment of the plurality of segments of the third ring magnet above an unturned segment of the fourth ring magnet, wherein the third and the fourth ring magnets are oriented with a polarization in the axial direction, wherein the bottom ring magnet assembly is positioned below the top ring magnet assembly and spaced apart from the top ring magnet by a gap;
a rotor shaft extending through axial bores of the top and the bottom ring magnet assemblies, wherein the rotor shaft is mounted for rotational movement with the top and the bottom ring magnet assemblies;
a top rotor flange extending radially from the rotor shaft for receiving the top ring magnet assembly, wherein a circumferential edge of the top rotor flange receives the axial bore of the top ring magnet assembly;
a bottom rotor flange extending from the rotor shaft for receiving the bottom ring magnet assembly, wherein a circumferential edge of the bottom rotor flange receives the axial bore of the bottom ring magnet assembly, wherein the top rotor flange and the bottom rotor flange are positioned on the rotor shaft to provide the gap between the top and the bottom ring magnet assemblies;
a top yoke fastened to the top rotor flange, wherein the top yoke comprises an axial bore for receiving the rotor shaft, wherein the top yoke extends radially from the rotor shaft to a circumferential edge of the top ring magnet assembly to form a first mounting surface, wherein the top ring magnet is mounted on the first mounting surface formed by the top yoke, wherein rotating the rotor shaft rotates the top yoke fastened to the top rotor flange;
a bottom yoke fastened to the bottom rotor flange, wherein the bottom yoke comprises an axial bore for receiving the rotor shaft, wherein the bottom yoke extends radially from the rotor shaft to a circumferential edge of the bottom ring magnet assembly to form a second mounting surface, wherein the bottom ring magnet is mounted on the second mounting surface formed by the bottom yoke, wherein rotating the rotor shaft rotates the bottom yoke fastened to the bottom rotor flange;
an encoder scale ring mounted on the rotor shaft, wherein the encoder scale provides a reference scale for determining an angular position of the rotor;
a stator positioned in the gap between the top and the bottom ring magnet assemblies, wherein the stator generates a first magnetic field that interacts with a second magnetic field of the top and the bottom ring magnet assemblies, wherein the interaction of the first magnetic field generated by the stator with the second magnetic field of the top and the bottom ring magnet assemblies generates a torque on the rotor shaft;
a base plate for mounting a first end of the rotor shaft and the stator;
a cantilever for mounting a second end of the rotor shaft;
a bearing assembly positioned on the rotor shaft to provide axial alignment to the rotor shaft extending from the base plate through the axial bores of the top and the bottom ring magnets to the cantilever; and
an encoder positioned on the base plate and adjacent to the encoder scale for recording the angular position of the rotor.