Torque monitoring apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for detecting and measuring torque applied about the central longitudinal axis thereof, comprising: (a) a first radially extending member; (b) a second radially extending member, said second radially extending member being longitudinally spaced from said first radially extending member; (c) a plurality of circumferentially symmetrically spaced elongate, longitudinally extending members connecting said first and second radially extending members comprising: (i) a first elongate longitudinally extending member having a first surface portion facing in a first circumferential direction and a second surface portion facing in a second circumferential direction opposite said first circumferential direction and having a first end portion fixedly attached to said first radially extending member and having a second end portion fixedly attached to said second radially extending member; and (ii) a second elongate longitudinally extending member having a first surface portion facing in said first circumferential direction and a second surface portion facing in said second circumferential direction and having a first end fixedly attached to said first radially extending member and having a second end fixedly attached to said second radially extending member; (d) first and second strain detecting means operably associated with at least one end portion of at least one of said first and second surface portions of said first elongate member for generating a first and a second strain detection signal indicative of the strain in said associated portions of said first elongate member; (e) third and fourth strain detecting means operably associated with at least one end portion of at least one of said first and second surface portions of said second elongate member for generating a third and a fourth strain detection signal indicative of the strain in said associated portions of said second elongate member; and (f) data processing means for receiving and processing said first, second, third and fourth strain detection signals for determining the amount of torque being applied to said apparatus about said central longitudinal axis thereof and for generating a torque signal indicative thereof.

Claim 2

An apparatus for detecting and measuring torque applied about the central longitudinal axis thereof, comprising: (a) a first radially extending member; (b) a second radially extending member, said second radially extending member being longitudinally spaced from said first radially extending member; (c) a plurality of circumferentially symmetrically spaced elongate, longitudinally extending members connecting said first and second radially extending members comprising: (i) a first elongate longitudinally extending member having a first surface portion facing in a first circumferential direction and a second surface portion facing in a second circumferential direction opposite said first circumferential direction and having a first end portion fixedly attached to said first radially extending member and having a second end portion fixedly attached to said second radially extending member; and (ii) a second elongate longitudinally extending member having a first surface portion facing in said first circumferential direction and a second surface portion facing in said second circumferential direction and having a first end fixedly attached to said first radially extending member and having a second end fixedly attached to said second radially extending member; (d) first and second strain detecting means operably associated with at least one end portion of at least one of said first and second surface portions of said first elongate member for generating a first and a second strain detection signal indicative of the strain in said associated portions of said first elongate member; (e) third and fourth strain detecting means operably associated with at least one end portion of at least one of said first and second surface portions of said second elongate member for generating a third and a fourth strain detection signal indicative of the strain in said associated portions of said second elongate member; and (f) data processing means for receiving and processing said first, second, third and fourth strain detection signals for determining the amount of torque being applied to said apparatus about said central longitudinal axis thereof and for generating a torque signal indicative thereof.

Claim 12

An apparatus for detecting and measuring the amount of torque applied about the central longitudinal axis thereof, comprising: (a) a generally tubular member having a first end and a second end; (b) a first elongate window cutout extending through said tubular member and defining a first generally radially and longitudinally extending first window first sidewall surface facing in a first circumferential direction and a second generally radially and longitudinally extending first window second sidewall surface facing in a second circumferential direction opposite said first circumferential direction; (c) a second elongate window cutout extending through said tubular member and defining a generally radially and longitudinally extending second window first sidewall surface facing in said first circumferential direction and a generally radially and longitudinally extending second window second sidewall surface facing in said second circumferential direction; said second window cutout being positioned diametrically opposite said first window cutout; (d) each of said longitudinally extending window sidewall surfaces comprising a first and positioned proximate said tubular member first end and a second end positioned proximate said tubular member second end; (e) first and second strain detection means operably associated with selected end portions of at least one of said longitudinally extending sidewall surfaces of said first window cutout; (f) third and fourth strain detection means operatively associated with selected end portions of at least one of said longitudinally extending sidewall surfaces of said second window cutout; and (g) data processing means for processing said first, second, third and fourth strain detection signals for determining the amount of torque being applied to said apparatus about said central longitudinal axis thereof; said data processing means comprising data storage means responsive to said torque signal for storing data indicative of the value of said torgue signal over a selected period of time; said data storage means comprising a compact data storage unit positioned within a central enclosure defined by said tubular member.

Claim 13

An apparatus for detecting and measuring the amount of torque applied about the central longitudinal axis thereof, comprising: (a) a generally tubular member having a first end and a second end; (b) a first elongate window cutout extending through said tubular member and defining a first generally radially and longitudinally extending first window first sidewall surface facing in a first circumferential direction and a second generally radially and longitudinally extending first window second sidewall surface facing in a second circumferential direction opposite said first circumferential direction; (c) a second elongate window cutout extending through said tubular member and defining a generally radially and longitudinally extending second window first sidewall surface facing in said first circumferential direction and a generally radially and longitudinally extending second window second sidewall surface facing in said second circumferential direction; said second window cutout being positioned diametrically opposite said first window cutout; (d) each of said longitudinally extending window sidewall surfaces comprising a first and positioned proximate said tubular member first end and a second end positioned proximate said tubular member second end; (e) first and second strain detection means operably associated with selected end portions of at least one of said longitudinally extending sidewall surfaces of said first window cutout; (f) third and fourth strain detection means operatively associated with selected end portions of at least one of said longitudinally extending sidewall surfaces of said second window cutout; and (g) data processing means for processing said first, second, third and fourth strain detection signals for determining the amount of torque being applied to said apparatus about said central longitudinal axis thereof; said data processing means comprising data storage means responsive to said torque signal for storing data indicative of the value of said torgue signal over a selected period of time; said data storage means comprising a compact data storage unit positioned within a central enclosure defined by said tubular member.

Claim 20

An apparatus for detecting and measuring torque applied about the central longitudinal axis of the apparatus, comprising: (a) a generally tubular member having a first end and a second end and comprising an outer sidewall surface, an inner sidewall surface, a first end surface, and a second end surface; (b) a plurality of symmetrically arranged axially and circumferentially extending openings extending between said inner wall surface and said outer wall surface of said tubular member, each said opening defining a pair of circumferentially oppositely facing, radially and axially extending, opening wall surfaces, each said opening wall surface having a first end positioned proximate said tubular member first end and a second end positioned proximate said tubular member second end; (c) a first and second strain detecting means operatively associated with end portions of at least one of said opening wall surfaces which are located in a first, relatively small, circumferential region of said tubular member for detecting the relative strain in said associated portion of said opening wall surface; (d) a third and fourth strain detecting means operatively associated with end portions of at least one of said opening wall surfaces which are located in a second, relatively small, circumferential region of said tubular member positioned approximately diametrically opposite said first, relatively small, circumferential region; and (e) data processing means for receiving and processing said first, second, third and fourth strain detection signals for determining the amount of torque being applied to said apparatus about said central longitudinal axis thereof and for generating a torque signal indicative thereof; said data processing means comprising data storage means responsive to said torque signal for storing data indicative of the value of said torque signal over a selected period of time; said data storage means comprising a compact data storage unit positioned within a central enclosure defined by said tubular member.

Claim 21

An apparatus for detecting and measuring torque applied about the central longitudinal axis of the apparatus, comprising: (a) a generally tubular member having a first end and a second end and comprising an outer sidewall surface, an inner sidewall surface, a first end surface, and a second end surface; (b) a plurality of symmetrically arranged axially and circumferentially extending openings extending between said inner wall surface and said outer wall surface of said tubular member, each said opening defining a pair of circumferentially oppositely facing, radially and axially extending, opening wall surfaces, each said opening wall surface having a first end positioned proximate said tubular member first end and a second end positioned proximate said tubular member second end; (c) a first and second strain detecting means operatively associated with end portions of at least one of said opening wall surfaces which are located in a first, relatively small, circumferential region of said tubular member for detecting the relative strain in said associated portion of said opening wall surface; (d) a third and fourth strain detecting means operatively associated with end portions of at least one of said opening wall surfaces which are located in a second, relatively small, circumferential region of said tubular member positioned approximately diametrically opposite said first, relatively small, circumferential region; and (e) data processing means for receiving and processing said first, second, third and fourth strain detection signals for determining the amount of torque being applied to said apparatus about said central longitudinal axis thereof and for generating a torque signal indicative thereof; said data processing means comprising data storage means responsive to said torque signal for storing data indicative of the value of said torque signal over a selected period of time; said data storage means comprising a compact data storage unit positioned within a central enclosure defined by said tubular member.