Electromechanical transducer

Claim 2

An electro-mechanical transducer including a substantially cylindrical main body disposed about a longitudinal central axis, said main body including: two end portions, each of said end portions having a longitudinal axial bore extending at least part way therethrough, a flexure element disposed in a plane normal to said central axis, said flexure element having a pair of mutually parallel surfaces connected by a rim, at least one strain gauge mounted on said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, at least one first pillar extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with one of said end portions, at least one second pillar extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with the other of said end portions, and a rod located in said bore to reduce bending of said transducer.

Claim 3

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 1, wherein the flexure element comprises a plurality of guided cantilevers.

Claim 4

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 1, including a ball bushing in which said rod is journalled.

Claim 5

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 3, including screw threads towards either end of said bore and screw threaded plugs engaging said screw threads.

Claim 6

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 4, wherein threads of bars of a halo-pelvic traction equipment engaged said screw threads.

Claim 7

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 3, including an end cap, said end cap bearing against said ball bushing to retain said ball bushing in place.

Claim 8

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 1, including an end cap.

Claim 9

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 1, additionally including a screw means protruding from said main body, an aperture in said main body, said aperture being threaded to receive the external threads of an externally threaded socket, and a shroud, said shroud having an aperture and a slot, said slot engaging said screw means in said main body to permit rotational movement of said shroud with respect to said main body and to bring said aperture in said shroud into coincidence with said aperture in said main body.

Claim 10

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 1, wherein at least said main body comprises monel metal.

Claim 11

An electro-mechanical transducer including a substantially cylindrical main body disposed about a longitudinal central axis, said main body including: two end portions, each of said end portions having a longitudinal axial bore extending at least part way therethrough, a flexure element disposed in a plane normal to said central axis, said flexure element having a pair of mutually parallel surfaces connected by a rim, at least two pairs of strain gauges, a first strain gauge of each pair being mounted on one of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, the second strain gauge of each of said pairs being mounted on the other of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, each of said second strain gauges being opposite said first strain gauge of its pair, a pair of diametrically opposed first pillars extending from one surface of the flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with one of said end portions, a pair of diametrically opposed second pillars extending from the other surface of the flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with the other of said end portions, said second pillars being disposed orthogonally of said first pillars, and a rod located in said bore to reduce bending of the transducer.

Claim 12

An electro-mechanical transducer including a substantially cylindrical main body disposed about a longitudinal central axis, said main body including: two end portions, each of said end portions having a longitudinal axial bore extending at least part way therethrough, a flexure element disposed in a plane normal to said central axis, said flexure element having a pair of mutually parallel surfaces connected by a rim, at least two pairs of strain gauges, a first strain gauge of each pair being mounted on one of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, the second strain gauge of each of said pairs being mounted on the other of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, each of said second strain gauges being opposite said first strain gauge of its pair, a pair of diametrically opposed first pillars extending from one surface of the flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with one of said end portions, a pair of diametrically opposed second pillars extending from the other surface of the flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with the other of said end portions, said second pillars being disposed orthogonally of said first pillars, and a rod located in said bore to reduce bending of the transducer.

Claim 13

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 10 wherein said flexure element comprises four guided cantilevers.

Claim 14

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 11 having four pairs of strain gauges arranged as opposed pairs on the parallel surfaces of said flexure element, with one pair on each of said guided cantilevers.

Claim 15

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 12, wherein said strain gauges are mounted at a point midway between the root and the point of inflection of each of said guided cantilevers.

Claim 16

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 10, including a ball bushing in which said rod is journalled.

Claim 17

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 14, including screw threads towards either end of said bore and screw threaded plugs engaging said screw threads.

Claim 18

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 15, wherein threads of bars of a halo-pelvic traction equipment engage said screw threads.

Claim 19

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 14, including an end cap, said end cap bearing against said ball bushing to retain said ball bushing in place.

Claim 20

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 10, including an end cap.

Claim 21

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 10, additionally including a screw means protruding from said main body, an aperture in said main body, said aperture being threaded to receive the external threads of an externally threaded socket, and a shroud, said shroud having an aperture and a slot, said slot engaging said screw means in said main body to permit rotational movement of said shroud with respect to said main body and to bring said aperture in said shroud into coincidence with said aperture in said main body.

Claim 22

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 10, wherein at least said main body comprises monel metal.

Claim 23

An electro-mechanical transducer comprising a main body disposed about a longitudinal central axis, said main body including: two end portions, a flexure element disposed in a plane normal to said central axis, said flexure element having a pair of mutually parallel surfaces connected by a rim, a pair of diametrically opposed first pillars extending from one surface of said flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with one of said end portions, a pair of diametrically opposed second pillars extending from the other surface of said flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said main body and connecting said flexure element with the other of said end portions, said second pillars being disposed orthogonally of said first pillars, at least four pairs of strain gauges, the first strain gauge of each pair being mounted on one of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, the second strain gauge of each pair being mounted on the other of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element with each of said second strain gauges opposite said first strain gauge of its pair, said flexure element comprising four guided cantilevers with said strain gauges mounted at a point midway between the root and the point of inflection of each of said guided cantilevers, the electro-mechanical transducer additionally having a longitudinal axial bore, a rod retained in said bore and journalled in a ball bushing, an end cap, said end cap engaging said ball bushing, screw threads towards either end of said axial bore and screw threaded plugs engaging said screw threads, a screw means protruding from said main body, an aperture in said main body, said aperture being threaded to receive the external threads of an externally threaded socket, a shroud, said shroud having an aperture and a slot, said slot engaging said screw means in said main body to permit rotational movement of said shroud with respect to said main body and to bring said aperture in said shroud into coincidence with said aperture in said main body, said main body being of monel nickel.

Claim 24

An electro-mechanical transducer comprising a main body disposed about a longitudinal central axis, said main body including: two end portions, a flexure element disposed in a plane normal to said central axis, said flexure element having a pair of mutually parallel surfaces connected by a rim, a pair of diametrically opposed first pillars extending from one surface of said flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the main body and connecting said flexure element with one of said end portions, a pair of diametrically opposed second pillars extending from the other surface of said flexure element in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said main body and connecting said flexure element with the other of said end portions, said second pillars being disposed orthogonally of said first pillars, at least four pairs of strain gauges, the first strain gauge of each pair being mounted on one of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element, the second strain gauge of each pair being mounted on the other of said parallel surfaces of said flexure element with each of said second strain gauges opposite said first strain gauge of its pair, said flexure element comprising four guided cantilevers with said strain gauges mounted at a point midway between the root and the point of inflection of each of said guided cantilevers, the electro-mechanical transducer additionally having a longitudinal axial bore, a rod retained in said bore and journalled in a ball bushing, an end cap, said end cap engaging said ball bushing, screw threads towards either end of said axial bore and screw threaded plugs engaging said screw threads, a screw means protruding from said main body, an aperture in said main body, said aperture being threaded to receive the external threads of an externally threaded socket, a shroud, said shroud having an aperture and a slot, said slot engaging said screw means in said main body to permit rotational movement of said shroud with respect to said main body and to bring said aperture in said shroud into coincidence with said aperture in said main body, said main body being of monel nickel.

Claim 25

An electro-mechanical transducer according to claim 1, wherein threads of bars of a halo-pelvic traction equipment engage said screw threads towards either end of said axial bore.