GB2244334A

GB2244334A - Height gauge

Info

Publication number: GB2244334A
Application number: GB9011473A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wen-Ping Chen
Original assignee: CHEN WEN PING
Current assignee: CHEN WEN PING
Priority date: 1990-05-23
Filing date: 1990-05-23
Publication date: 1991-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-23
Also published as: GB9011473D0; GB2244334B

Abstract

A suspension-type height measuring apparatus comprises a fixed unit (1), and a movable unit (13) in which there is a tape reel for the end of a tape (2). The device can be stuck or hung by the unit (1) on a wall and after having been reset to zero enables the value of a person's height to be read out directly at a window (15) by just pulling down the unit (13) to the top of the head. <IMAGE>

Description

HEIGHT GAUGE The present invention relates to apparatus for measuring a person's height.

Conventionally, a height gauge includes a long ruler extending vertically upwards from a base plate and carrying a slider which can be slid down until it touches a person's head, the height then being read from the scale on the ruler. Because the gauge occupies space on the floor of a room, it is not commonly used in family homes.

According to the invention, apparatus for measuring a person's height comprises an upper unit which is arranged to be mounted at a fixed height above the head of a standing person whose height is to be measured; a lower unit which is suspended from the upper unit by a tape, an end of which is wound on a spool in the lower unit, the spool being urged by a spring to rotate to wind in the tape, and means for displaying a person's height in response to the length of the tape which has been drawn from the lower unit when, after zeroing the display means with the lower unit in contact with the ground, the lower unit is drawn downwards until the lower unit it brought into contact with the top of the person's head.

With such apparatus, the upper unit may be fixed or hung on a wall at any of a range of convenient heights, and with the tape fully retracted, the whole apparatus will take up a minimum space in a room, and no floor space. It should thus obtain wide acceptance in the home.

In one construction, the other end of the tape is wound on a spool in the upper unit, that spool also being urged by a pring to rotate to wind in the tape; and each of the units has a selectively engagable gripping device which, when engaged, grips the tape to lock the tape relatively to that unit. In that case, the gripping devices are both used to provide a datum zero setting for the display means, dependent on the height of the upper unit from the floor.

In an alternative construction, there is a return-tozero mechanism for the display means, operable at least when the lower unit is in contact with the ground.

The display may show a scale reading on the tape.

Alternatively, the tape may be provided with a longitudinal series of equally spaced perforations which engage and rotate a sprocket wheel in the lower unit when the tape is drawn out of the lower unit, rotation of the sprocket wheel operating the display means. For example, the arrangement may be such that rotation of the sprocket wheel operates a variable electrical resistance and the display is electronic or rotation of the sprocket wheel operates a gear train and the display is a mechanical counter.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing the construction of a first example of a height measuring apparatus in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation as seen on the line D-D in Fig.

1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the apparatus in use; Fig. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig.

3; Fig. 5 is a section similar to Figure 1 but showing a second example of the apparatus; Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line E-E in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section similar to Figures 1 and 5, but showing a third example of the apparatus; Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line F-F in Fig. 7; and, Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit of the third example.

Fig. 1 shows a height measuring apparatus having a main, upper measuring unit 1, which includes a tape 2 wound on a reel 3, a tape rewind torsion spring 4, a rubber pad 5, a stop piece 7 and a control key 8. By pushing down the control key 8, it is possible to press the stop piece 7 towards the rubber pad 5 so that the tape 2 is firmly gripped in position therebetween.

The apparatus also has a lower unit 13, corresponding to the conventional right angular slider. The unit 13 has thereinside a tape 11 on which there is wound the other end of the tape which is wound on the spool 3, a tape rewind torsion spring 12, the rubber pad 14, a stop piece 9 and a control key 10. This control key 10 performs the same action as that of the control key 8 on the main measuring unit 1 for gripping the tape firmly to the movable unit 13 and both control keys 8 and 10 are utilised in the returnto-zero function.

To install the apparatus, the main unit 1 is stuck, by means of an adhesive layer 6, or otherwise fixed, at any appropriate height on a wall. It is then first necessary that a scale on the tape displayed at a display window 15 of the unit 13 reads zero. Then the stop control key 10 is pressed down to "stop" position to hold the tape 2 tightly to the unit 13. Next, the unit 13 is pulled down into contact with the ground, where it is held temporarily.

Now, the control key 8 on the main unit 1 is pressed down in the "stop" position. Finally, the control key 10 on the unit 13 is pressed down to the "free" position and the unit 13 is returned up to the main unit.

In use of the apparatus, it is necessary that the control key of the unit 13 is in the "free position so the movable unit 13 can be freely vertically moved down the wall for taking the measurement of a person's height.

When using the device of the invention to measure the body height, the movable unit 13 is pulled down until the undersurface of the unit bears against the top of a person's head as shown in Fig. 3. The height of the person can then be read out directly in the display window 15 as shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the second example of the height measuring apparatus of the present invention, its principal and construction following more or less those of the first example except that the tape 2a is changed to one having a series of small holes 2b of the same pitch provided therethrough. The tape engages a sprocket wheel 17 to rotate the wheel as the tape is drawn out of, or retracted into, the unit 13, and the wheel 17, in turn, drives a mechanical counter 16 via a train of gears 18a to 18g. The counter 16 thus gives a reading indicative of the amount of tape which has been drawn out of the unit 13 and hence the person's height directly from the counter display as seen in the display window 15b.

Fig. 7 shows the third example of height measuring apparatus, the construction of which is essentially similar to that of the second example, differing only in that the tape 2a moves the pin wheel 17 and this directly varies, like a potentiometer, a precise variable resistance 19 thereby causing an electrical voltage transmitted by the resistance to vary in proportion to the movement of the tape 2a relatively to the unit 13. This voltage is used as an analog input to a digital-analog converter shown in Fig.

9 and is processed through a comparator and the logic control unit so that a corresponding numerical output is produced in the digital counter. The numerical output is then shown on a digital display 16a.

In the second and third examples, the digital counter 16,16a may have a return-to-zero function operated by a button. In that case the spool in the upper unit and the stop pieces 7,9 and control key 8,10 may be redundant.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring a person's height, the apparatus comprising an upper unit which is arranged to be mounted at a fixed height above the head of a standing person whose height is to be measured; a lower unit which is suspended from the upper unit by a tape, an end of which is wound on a spool in the lower unit, the spool being urged by a spring to rotate to wind in the tape, and means for displaying a person's height in response to the length of the tape which has been drawn from the lower unit when, after zeroing the display means with the lower unit in contact with the ground, the lower unit is drawn downwards until the lower unit it brought into contact with the top of the person's head.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tape is provided with a longitudinal series of equally spaced perforations which engage and rotate a sprocket wheel in the lower unit when the tape is drawn out of the lower unit, rotation of the sprocket wheel operating the display means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein rotation of the sprocket wheel operates a variable electrical resistance and the display is electronic.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein rotation of the sprocket wheel operates a gear train and the display is a mechanical counter.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the other end of the tape is wound on a spool in the upper unit, that spool also being urged by a pring to rotate to wind in the tape; and each of the units has a selectively engagable gripping device which, when engaged, grips the tape to lock the tape relatively to that unit.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a return-to-zero mechanism for the display means, operable at least when the lower unit is in contact with the ground.

7. Apparatus for measuring a person's height, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.