The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 05, 1988
Filed:
Jan. 27, 1986
Frederick J Adams, Clevedon, GB;
Kenneth Chandler, Bristol, GB;
TRW Cam Gears Limited, Hitchin, GB;
Abstract
A steering system has annular pressure responsive electric components, such as piezo-electric transducers, mounted between thrust and restraining faces respectively, the transducers respond to a mechanical load applied to them by generating or determining electrical signals which are proportional to the load, the signals are supplied to a comparator by way of electrical connections. The transducers are arranged in pairs on the axially opposed faces of a bearing, so that in response to an axial thrust applied to the bearing by an input shaft of a steering gear incorporated in the system, the signals provided by the transducers will change from a predetermined comparative condition, one signal increasing in response to the increased compressive load on one transducer, the other signal decreasing in response to a decrease in compressive load on the other transducer in the pair. The predetermined comparative condition is established by compressing the transducer pair during installation by means of a retaining cap, which is screw threadedly connected to a housing. The changes in the electrical signal enable the comparator to determine the magnitude and direction of the thrust and to use this information for monitoring or control purposes.