Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus having a refrigerant circuit including a condenser, a pressure reducing device, an evaporator, and a variable displacement compressor. The air-conditioning apparatus has a torque detecting device and an external information detecting device. The torque detecting device directly or indirectly detects the reaction torque acting on the compressor, and the external information detecting device detects various external information other than the torque. The air-conditioning apparatus further has a control device for determining a target torque in accordance with the external information provided by the external information detecting device. The control device executes a feedback control program for controlling the displacement of the compressor such that the torque detected by the torque detecting device approaches the target torque.

Abstract: A torque sensor having an improved detection accuracy is disclosed. The torque sensor includes a cylindrical stator. The stator is arranged to face a magnetostrictive member fixed to a shaft. The stator includes a stator body and two retainer rings. When assembling the stator body and the two retainer rings, a pair of exciting coils and a pair of detecting coils are accommodated in the inner wall of the stator. Joints between the stator body and the two retainer rings are not exposed to the inner surface of the stator.

Abstract: An improved magnetostrictive torque sensor for sensing torque applied to a shaft that is rotatably supported in a housing. A magnetostrictive cylinder is fixed to the shaft. A stator is supported on the shaft by bearings to surround the magnetostrictive cylinder and is accommodated in the housing. The stator incorporates exciting coils and detecting coils such that the coils are located about the shaft. The magnetosttrictive cylinder is strained by torque applied to the shaft. The exciting coils generate flux running through the magnetostrictive cylinder. The generated flux is changed in accordance with the strain of the magnetostrictive cylinder. The detecting coils detect the flux changes. The stator is also rotatably fixed to the housing by bearings. Rotation of the stator relative to the housing is prevented by connectors that couple the stator with the housing. This prevents tension in wires that lead from the stator.

Abstract: A sensor head is configured by beam-welding a magnetostrictive sleeve made of a magnetostrictive material to an intermediate sleeve. The intermediate sleeve is longer than the magnetostrictive sleeve. The intermediate sleeve protrudes from both ends of the magnetostrictive sleeve by a length "L". For the sensor head, an annealing process is performed. The sensor head for which the annealing process is performed is installed to a shaft. At this time, the contact portion between both ends of the intermediate material and the shaft are beam-welded all around.

Abstract: A torque sensing and strain detecting device that detects torque applied to a rotary shaft is described. The torque sensing and strain detecting device including a core made of a magnetostrictive material and at least two fastening sections fixed to the rotary shaft. A coil is wound around the core between the fastening sections. When torque is applied to the shaft, electromotive force is induced in the coil according to the strain produced in the core. Torque is detected based on the induced electromotive force.

Abstract: An inductive coupler for transferring electrical power from the primary to the secondary is disclosed. A secondary coil assembly having a pair of cores each having a secondary winding is disposed in a case having an opening at one end thereof. The core has a central post projecting from the axial center of a disc-shaped base and an annular skirt projecting from the rim of the base in the same direction, thus forming therebetween an annular groove in which the secondary winding is disposed. As a coil case having a primary winding is inserted between the paired cores and moved further inward of the case, the secondary coil assembly is moved inward of the case. During this movement of the secondary coil assembly, its paired cores are caused to displace toward each other while being guided by pins sliding along guide slits until the cores are mated together thereby to form a magnetic circuit of the inductive coupler.

Abstract: A magnetostriction type torque sensor has a magnetostrictive film formed on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary shaft, a coil having a coil centerline extending in a radial direction of the rotary shaft, and a signal processor responsive to coil impedance. Since the coil includes a coil centerline extending in a radial direction of the rotary shaft, magnetic fluxes are formed mainly in a radial direction of the rotary shaft. Accordingly, the magnetic fluxes intruding deep into the rotary shaft are decreased, and the rate of the magnetic fluxes passing through the magnetostrictive film is increased. As a result, the magnetostriction type torque sensor comes to have high sensitivity even when the rotary shaft has high magnetic permeability or high electric conductivity.

Abstract: A rotation detecting apparatus disposed on the outer periphery of a compressor including an airtight casing containing a rotor. The rotation detecting apparatus is constituted by plural magnetism detecting elements attached to the outer periphery of the airtight casing of the compressor in correspondence with a rotational orbit of a magnet disposed on the rotor within the airtight casing, such plural magnetism detecting elements each having a core made up of at least one amorphous alloy wire and a coil wound around the outer periphery of the core.