Patent ID: 6557425
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: G01L

Abstract:
A torque sensor comprising:a first shaft; an elastic member; a second shaft connected to the first shaft through the elastic member; a covered member fixed to the first shaft, the covered member being made of magnetic material and comprising a plurality of cutout portions which are formed at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the covered member, the cutout portions being located on at least one of both covered-member side surfaces perpendicular to an axis of the first shaft; a cover member fixed to the second shaft, the cover member being faced with a plane including the cutout portions of the covered member, the cover member being made of conductive and non-magnetic material, the cover member comprising a plurality of cutout portions which are formed corresponding the cutout portions of the covered member; a detector coil positioned relative to the covered member so as to detect a change of an overlapped quantity between the cutout portions of the covered member and the cutout portions of the cover member on the basis of a change of an impedance as a torque quantity generated between the first and second shafts; and an outer cylinder portion integrally connected to an outer periphery of the cover member, the outer cylinder portion extending from the outer periphery of the cover member along an outer circumference of the covered member.