Patent ID: 7415896
Filing Date: 2008-08-26
Classification: G01D,G01L

Abstract:
1. Force and angle sensor for measuring the angle of rotation of a shaft and a force exerted on a torsion rod which interconnects first and second parts of the shaft, said force and angle sensor comprising: a housing through which said shaft runs; a main circuit board which is arranged non-rotatably in relation to the housing and which has a central opening through which the shaft runs; a first circuit board arranged in said housing for measuring the angle of rotation arranged non-rotatably on the first shaft part on one side of the main circuit board, said first circuit board having a central opening through which the first shaft part runs; a second circuit board arranged in said housing for measuring the force connected non-rotatably to the second shaft part on the other side of the main circuit board, said second circuit board having a central opening through which the second shaft part runs; planes of the main circuit board, of the first circuit board and of the second circuit board each running perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; mutually opposing electrodes for measuring the angle of rotation and/or the force and for the capacitive measurement of the twist between the first circuit board and the main circuit board and/or the twist between the second circuit board and the first circuit board being arranged on a first surface of the main circuit board and on a first surface of the first circuit board that faces said first main circuit board surface, and also on a second surface of the main circuit board and on a first surface of the second circuit board that faces said second main circuit board surface; electrodes on the first surface of the main circuit board including first transmitting electrodes distributed along a first periphery of the main circuit board and first receiving electrodes distributed along a second periphery of the main circuit board; electrodes on the second surface of the main circuit board including second transmitting electrodes distributed along a third periphery of the main circuit board and second receiving electrodes distributed along a fourth periphery of the main circuit board; electrodes on the first surface of the first circuit board facing said first main circuit board surface including third receiving electrodes lying opposite to the first transmitting electrodes of the main circuit board and third transmitting electrodes located opposite to the first receiving electrodes of the main circuit board; and electrodes on the first surface of the second circuit board facing said second main circuit board surface including fourth receiving electrodes located opposite to the second transmitting electrodes of the main circuit board and fourth transmitting electrodes lying opposite to the second receiving electrodes of the main circuit board; and transmitting signals being transmitted from the first transmitting electrodes to the third receiving electrodes, from the third receiving electrodes to the third transmitting electrodes, and from the third transmitting electrodes to the first receiving electrodes, and transmitting signals also being transmitted from the second transmitting electrodes to the fourth receiving electrodes, from the fourth receiving electrodes to the fourth transmitting electrodes, and from the fourth transmitting electrodes to the second receiving electrodes.