IT201800004218A1 - ELECTRONIC MICROMETER WITH OPTICAL READING - Google Patents

Description

Invention with TITLE: "ELECTRONIC MICROMETER WITH OPTICAL READING

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an electronic device for the micrometric measurement of distances (Drawing 1 - 100) called "Optical reading electronic micrometer" having as its purpose the accurate measurement of the relative distance between two parts of the device, sliding relative to each other. other according to a predetermined direction, making this information available through a data line.

The device finds its application in the continuous detection of the distances between two points, these points being respectively made integral with the cursor.

According to the representation referred to in Drawing no. 1, the device (100) accurately detects the relative distances between the stator (120) and the cursor (110) based on the intercept point of the optical beam (113) emitted by a laser diode illuminator (112) on a linear optical array (124), the aforementioned laser diode illuminator (112) being an integral part of the cursor (110) and the aforementioned linear optical array (124) being an integral part of the stator (120).

The principle underlying the present invention is that of the direct reading of the relative position of the cursor (110) with respect to the position of the stator (120), by detecting the intercept point of the optical beam (113) emitted by a laser diode illuminator on an optical linear being the aforementioned laser diode illuminator (112) an integral part of the cursor (110) and the aforesaid linear optical array (124) being an integral part of the stator (120). This solution is particularly economical and mechanically simple offering, at the same time, high resolution, high linearity and minimum thermal drift.

The operation of the device described with reference to Drawing no. 1 in which are schematically represented:

- the device itself (100) consisting of the two slider (110) and stator (120) components, the aforesaid slider (110) being free to move through a linear slide (140) with respect to the aforesaid stator (120) and being the aforesaid slider (110) consisting of a movable body (111) to which a laser diode illuminator (112) is integrally fixed and the aforementioned stator being constituted by a fixed body (121) to which a detector circuit (122) is integrally fixed to it once constituted by a microprocessor module (123), a linear optical array (124) and a line interface (125), through which the aforementioned microprocessor module (123) is able to communicate with the outside through a data line (130) and the aforementioned laser diode illuminator (112) being powered by the microprocessor module (123) and made so that the light beam (113) emitted by the illuminator (112) intercepts the optical array linear (124) in variable points in func ion of the relative position of the slider (110) with respect to the stator (120).

The operation of the device can be described as follows with reference to Drawing no. 1, which represents the entire device:

- the microprocessor module (123) activates, at regular intervals, the laser diode illuminator (112) causing the optical beam (113) emitted by it to intercept the linear optical array (124) at the point corresponding to the current relative position of the slider (120) with respect to the stator (110);

- the microprocessor module (123) will read the linear optical array (124) going to determine which of the photodetector elements of said array (124) are illuminated and which are not, consequently determining the relative position of the cursor (110) with respect to to the stator (120) with precision depending on the distance between the photodetector elements of the array (124);

- the microprocessor module (123) will communicate to the outside, through the data line (130), the result of each reading, encoding the corresponding data signal through the line interface (125),

The operation of the device can be described as follows with reference to Drawing no. 2, which represents a limited section view of the high stator (120), consisting of:

Protective outer tube (300),

- Termination (310) in turn consisting of: termination body (311), sealing ring (312), constriction spring (313) inside the sealing ring, sealing o-ring (314) between termination (310 ) and tube (300);

Stator cradle (315);

Detector circuit (122) containing inside (not shown) the microprocessor module (123) and the line interface (125), linear optical array (124);

Bottom (316) for closing the tube (300) with rubber grommet (317);

- Sealing O-ring (318) between the stator cradle (121) and the base (316);

- Sealing O-ring (319) between stator cradle (315) and tube (300).

The aforesaid elements Cradle of the stator (315) and Bottom (316) constitute the aforesaid fixed body of the stator (121), while the remaining elements of connection, protection and gasket constitute useful means to make the device impermeable to atmospheric agents.

The operation of the device can be described as follows with reference to Drawing no. 3 which represents in section, in addition to the external protection tube (300) and the termination (310) which are part of the stator, the elements that make up the slider (110) consisting of:

- Measuring axis (320);

- Return spring (321);

- Cradle of the slider (322);

- Laser diode illuminator (112) in turn consisting of: laser emitting diode (323), focusing lens (324) and mirror (325) for deflecting the optical beam.

The aforesaid elements Measurement axis (320) and Cradle of the cursor (322) constitute the aforementioned movable body of the cursor (111).

The function of linear slide (140) is performed by the set of elements External tube (300), stator cradle (315) and cursor cradle (322) which allow the relative sliding of the cursor (110) according to the line coinciding with the 'geometric axis of the protection tube (300) preventing any other rotary or translational motion of the slider elements (110) thanks to the semi-cylindrical shape of the two cradles (315) and (322)

With reference to Drawings 2 and 3, the operation of the device can be described as follows:

The measuring axis (320) is made integral with one of the two points whose distance is to be continuously measured, while the entire stator (120) is made integral with the other point;

The return spring (321) pushes all the elements of the cursor towards the right side of the figure, this motion being held by the constraint between the measuring axis (320) and the first measuring point;

In these conditions the laser diode illuminator (112), when activated by the microprocessor module (123), will emit an optical ray (113) which, deflected by the mirror (325) will intercept the optical array (124) allowing this allows the microprocessor module (123) to determine which photodetector elements are activated and, consequently, to determine the reference condition of the measurement;

Should the relative distance between the two measurement points vary, the cursor will move accordingly to the right or to the left according to whether the distance between the points decreases or increases, thus bringing the 'intercepts of the optical beam (113) emitted by the laser diode illuminator (112) and deflected by the mirror (325);

The distance between the photodetectors of the optical array (124) excited by the optical beam (113) between the reference condition and the measurement condition allows the determination of the distance variation between the measurement points, the more accurate the smaller the pitch of the photodetector elements in the optical array (124).

Claims (1)

CLAIMS CLAIM 1: Device for measuring the differences in distance between a pair of measuring points, characterized by the fact that it is composed of a cursor and a stator, the aforesaid cursor being free to move through a linear slide with respect to the aforesaid stator and being the aforementioned cursor consisting of a movable body to which a laser diode illuminator is solidly fixed and the aforementioned stator being constituted by a fixed body to which a detector circuit is solidly fixed in turn consisting of a microprocessor module, a linear optical array and a line interface, through which the aforementioned microprocessor module is able to communicate with the outside via a data line and the aforementioned laser diode illuminator being powered by the microprocessor module and made so that the light beam emitted by the illuminator intercept the linear optical array in variable points according to the position ne relative of the slider with respect to the stator. CLAIM 2: Device as per CLAIM 1 characterized in that the aforementioned movable body of the cursor is made through the integral coupling of a measuring axis and an element called the cradle of the cursor. CLAIM 3: Device as per CLAIM 1 characterized by the fact that the aforesaid fixed body of the stator is made through the integral coupling of a bottom plate and an element called the stator cradle. CLAIM 4: Device as per CLAIM 1 characterized by the fact that the function of the linear slide is achieved through the use of an external tube and two semi-cylindrical cradles, respectively cradle of the stator and cradle of the cursor which, coupling mechanically according to the median plane of the external tube allow the linear sliding of the cursor with respect to the stator, preventing any translational or rotary movement. CLAIM 5: Device as per CLAIM 1 characterized by the fact that the optical beam is emitted by the laser diode illuminator in a direction parallel to the sliding axis of the linear slide and is then deflected in a direction transversal to this axis by means of a mirror.