Patent ID: 7281438

Claim:
A torque measuring apparatus comprising: a chassis; first and second flexible mechanical beams each having first and second opposite ends with said first ends attached to said chassis and said seconds being unattached to said chassis; a reversible electrical motor having a motor housing and a rotatable motor output shaft projecting from one end of said motor housing; means for coupling said motor output shaft to a rotatable component of a device to be subjected to torque measurement; motor support means rotatably secured to said chassis, said motor support means including first and second force-transmitting means engaged with said second ends of said first and second beams so that rotation of said motor support means in a first direction will cause said first force-transmitting means to bend said first beam and rotation of said motor support means in a second opposite direction will cause said second force-transmitting means to bend said second beam; means securing said motor housing to said motor support means so that said motor housing and motor support means can rotate as a unit relative to said chassis; and measuring means coupled to said motor support means for generating an electrical signal output that varies as a function of the rotation of said motor support means; whereby when said motor output shaft is coupled to a rotatable component of a device to be subjected to torque measurement and said motor is energized so as to rotate said motor output shaft in a first direction, (1) said motor output shaft will apply a torque to said rotatable component and the resistance to rotation offered by said rotatable component will result in a reactionary torque that causes said motor support means and said motor housing to rotate in a second opposite direction and cause one or the other of said beams to bend under the influence of one or the other of said force-transmitting means, according to the direction of rotation of said reactionary torque, and (2) said measuring means will generate an electrical signal that varies as a function of said reactionary torque.