JP2706801B2 - Thickness measuring device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of an iron plate or the like.

[Prior Art] An iron plate is usually used for a bottom plate of an oil tank, and this iron plate corrodes due to aging and the like. Then, since the thickness is gradually reduced by the corrosion, it is necessary to measure the thickness over the entire surface every predetermined number of years.

In order to measure the above thickness, a probe such as an ultrasonic thickness measuring instrument is brought into close contact with the measuring point of the iron plate, the thickness is read by a meter, a display, etc., and the thickness value is recorded in a record table or the like. And
Move the probe to the next measurement point and perform the same operation as above. Then, the above operation is repeated at many measurement points.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when the thickness of the object to be measured is to be measured by placing the probe on a carriage or the like and moving the probe up and down, the probe is used. The measurement accuracy cannot be obtained unless the pressure-bonded surface of the sample and the surface of the object to be measured are completely adhered. In other words, if the probe is simply lowered to the thick workpiece, it is difficult to completely adhere the probe to the thick workpiece, and it is difficult to increase the measurement accuracy. There is.

On the other hand, as described above, when attempting to perform measurement manually over a large area such as the entire bottom plate of the tank, the measurement operation is very complicated, and it is necessary for the measurer to perform an inspection from the center, which is very difficult. There is a problem that there is a lot of physical fatigue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a thickness measuring apparatus capable of simplifying a gimbal mechanism required at the time of automatic measurement and reliably increasing the thickness measurement accuracy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a thickness measuring apparatus that can easily measure a multi-point thickness in a short time with a small number of probes over a large area.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a conical part fixed to an upper part of a probe for measuring a wall thickness, a funnel-shaped part provided on an elevating plate and corresponding to the conical part, Is provided between the lower part of the probe and the lower part of the elevating plate, and has a small gimbal mechanism including a spring for pressing the lower part of the probe on the surface of the thick workpiece. Things.

In addition, the present invention provides the above-described small gimbal mechanism, three legs supporting the small gimbal mechanism, and two mutually orthogonal rotations that impart angular motion to the small gimbal mechanism and the three legs in two directions. A large gimbal mechanism having a shaft.

Further, the present invention provides a probe for measuring a thickness, a contact driving means for rotating and moving the probe up and down to make a multi-point contact with a thick workpiece, and a signal from the probe. Thickness calculating means for calculating a thickness based on the thickness, storage means for storing the calculated thickness data, and a battery for supplying power to the thickness calculating means and the storage means are mounted on a cart. is there.

[Operation] The present invention provides a method in which, when the probe is floating from the thick workpiece, the conical portion of the probe and the funnel-shaped portion of the lifting plate
The probe has a position restoring function that the center axis of the probe is located almost at the center of the hole through which the probe is inserted. Measurement accuracy is improved.

Further, the present invention provides a small gimbal mechanism including a probe conical part and a funnel-shaped part of an elevating plate, three feet supporting the small gimbal mechanism, the small gimbal mechanism and the three feet. And a large gimbal mechanism that gives angular motion in two directions. The degree of adhesion between the probe and the thick workpiece is roughly adjusted by the large gimbal mechanism. Since the area is finely adjusted by the small bimbal mechanism, the measurement accuracy of the wall thickness measurement is further improved even when the measured object has a distortion or inclination.

Further, according to the present invention, a contact driving means for rotating and raising / lowering the probe, a thickness calculating means for calculating a thickness based on a signal from the probe, and storing data of the calculated thickness. Since the memory and the battery are mounted on the trolley, it is easy to measure the thickness of the large area with good mobility.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The thickness measuring apparatus 10 includes a probe S for measuring the thickness, and a contact driving means 30 (rotating and moving the probe S up and down to make a multi-point contact with the iron plate 50 as a thickness measurement object). 2), a computer 11 for calculating the thickness based on the signal from the probe S, a memory 12 as storage means for storing the data of the thickness calculated in this way, a computer 11, The memory 12, the contact driving means 30, a control box 16 for controlling the computer 11, a battery 13 for supplying power to necessary parts such as a water pump (not shown), the probe S, the contact driving means 30, the computer 11, and the memory 12. A trolley on which the battery 13 is placed
14 and. The close contact driving means 30 is housed in the close contact driving means case 21.

Further, the cart 14 includes a caster 14a, a water tank 15,
A large gimbal mechanism 20;

The large gimbal mechanism 20 is provided between the lever 22 and the case 21 for the close contact driving means. The case 21 is provided with a shaft 24 for giving an angular movement in the left-right direction in FIG. And an axis 23 for providing angular movement in the direction. The case 21 has three legs for supporting the contact driving means 30 (shown in FIG. 2).
21a, 21b, 21c are fixed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the close contact driving means 30 provided in the close contact driving means case 21 in the above embodiment.

The contact drive means 30 includes a motor 31, its rotating shaft 31a,
A cam 32 fixed to 1a and a plate that moves up and down by the cam 32
33, a vertically moving rotary shaft 34 attached to the plate 33 via a rotating mechanism, a lifting plate 35 fixed to the lower end of the shaft 34, and 1: 1.
A bevel gear 36 having a ratio and a rotating shaft 37 thereof, a hollow driven axle 39a rotating with an original vehicle 38 constituting a Geneva drive device.
And a driven vehicle 39 attached to the vehicle. The upper and lower portions of the shaft 37 are supported by bearings, the original vehicle 38 is fixed to the shaft 37, the driven vehicle 39 is fixed to the hollow driven wheel shaft 39a, and the upper and lower portions of the driven shaft 39a are supported by bearings. Next, the shaft 39a has a fixed drive lever 34a, and the rotation is transmitted to the lifting plate 35 by the bin 34b of the lever 34a. The elevating plate 35 is fixed to a shaft 34, and the plate 33 is pushed up by a spring.

A probe S is provided away from the center of rotation of the lift plate 35, and a small gimbal mechanism 40 is provided between the probe S and the lift plate 35. The probe S is connected with a lead wire S1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the Geneva drive device in the above embodiment.

The original vehicle 38 is provided with a pin 38a, and the rotation of the pin 38a causes the driven vehicle 39 to rotate by 60 degrees.

FIG. 4 shows that when the motor 31 of the close contact driving means 30 shown in FIG. 2 rotates, the probe S rotates by 60 degrees, and when the rotation stops, the probe S descends. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of an operation of ascending and contacting the iron plate 50.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the probe S and the small gimbal mechanism 40 in the above embodiment.

In FIG. 5, a conical portion 41 is fixed above the probe S, a hole is provided in the elevating plate 35, and a funnel-shaped portion 35a corresponding to the conical portion 41 is provided on a side wall of the hole. A spring 43 is provided for bringing the lower surface of the probe S into close contact with the surface.
The spring 43 winds the probe S and is provided between the protrusion 42 of the holder 44 of the probe S and the groove 35b provided on the lower surface of the elevating plate 35.

 Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the measurer pushes and moves the carriage 14 to the measurement position of the iron plate 50, removes the lever 22 from a stopper (not shown) at the measurement start position, and lowers the case 21 for close contact drive means to the upper surface of the iron plate 50. In this case, the large gimbal mechanism 20 allows the carriage 41 to descend vertically even if the carriage 41 is inclined. Therefore, the case
The three legs 21a, 21b, and 21c of 21 firmly and vertically adhere along the surface of the iron plate 50. In this case, the lower surface of the probe S is an iron plate
Although not in contact with 50 yet, the parallelism between the lower surface of probe S and the upper surface of iron plate 50 is roughly adjusted.

When a switch (not shown) is turned on, the motor 31
Rotates slowly. With this rotation, the cam 32 rotates, and with the rotation of the cam 32, the plate 33 descends, and the shaft 34 and the elevating plate 35 also descend, so that the probe S also descends, and the probe S Is adhered to the upper surface of the iron plate 50. Thus, the probe S
FIG. 6 shows a state in which is adhered to the upper surface of the iron plate 50.

Then, while the lower surface of the probe S is in close contact with the iron plate 50, data is sent from the probe S to the computer 11 via the lead wire S1. When the thickness measurement at that point is completed in this way, the plate 33 moves up with the rotation of the cam 32, and the shaft 34 and the elevating plate 35 also move up. The child S moves away from the iron plate 50, and the state shown in FIG. 5 is obtained.

On the other hand, the rotation of the motor 31 causes the shaft 31a to rotate, and the original vehicle 38 of the Geneva drive device via the bevel gear 36.
Rotates, and the driven vehicle 39 rotates intermittently. With this rotation, the lift plate 35 and the probe S rotate by 60 degrees. That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the follower 39 stops rotating every 60 degrees, and when the rotation stops, the cam 32 causes the plate 33, the lift plate 35, the probe When S descends or rises on the iron plate 50, the thickness is measured in the middle, and when the probe S or the like has finished ascending (in the state shown in FIG. 5),
The probe S rotates together with the driven vehicle 39, the shaft 34, and the lift plate 35 by 60 degrees.

Then, 6 in a state where the carriage 14 is stopped as described above.
When the thickness measurement of the point is completed, the case 21 is lifted by the lever 22 and then the measurer moves the carriage 14 a predetermined distance, and measures the thickness in the same manner as described above. In this way, the carriage 14 is moved by a predetermined distance, and the thickness is measured at six points at the stopped position.

In this case, the probe S, the contact driving means 30, the computer
11, a memory 12, and a battery 13 are mounted on a carriage 14, which enables the thickness measurement to be performed in a standing posture and is easy to move. However, the measurement operation is easy.

 Next, the operation of the small gimbal mechanism 40 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the lifting plate 35 is raised, the probe S is separated from the iron plate 50, so that the tapered portion of the conical portion 41 serves as a guide for the funnel-shaped portion 35a. The center axis of the hole into which the probe S is inserted and the center axis of the probe S are held coaxially. For this reason, the clearance between the hole of the elevating plate 35 and the holder 44 of the probe S can be secured equally over the entire circumference.

Next, when the lower surface of the probe S comes into contact with the iron plate 50 and measurement is to be performed, no matter in which direction the surface of the iron plate 50 is inclined, as shown in FIG. The holder 44 of the probe S attempts to make contact while tilting so that the lower surface of the probe S is parallel to the surface of the iron plate 50. In this case, regardless of the inclination of the iron plate 50 in any direction, the clearance between the hole of the elevating plate 35 and the holder 44 of the probe S is not changed until the probe S comes into contact with the iron plate 50. Therefore, the holder 44 of the probe S can be inclined by an equal amount over the entire circumference within a range where the clearance becomes zero. That is, the gimbal can be taken.

By the way, if the clearance is not equal over the entire circumference, the direction in which the probe S comes into contact with the inclined surface of the iron plate 50 and the holder 44 of the probe S tries to incline,
When the direction coincides with the direction of the small clearance, the holder 44 of the probe S comes into contact with the hole of the elevating plate 35 and cannot be satisfactorily tilted. In some cases, the measurement accuracy is degraded or missing. That is, for example, when the funnel-shaped portion 35a and the conical portion 41 are not attached, that is, a normal cylindrical hole is used instead of the funnel-shaped portion 35a, and the holder 44 of the probe S is used instead of the conical portion 41. When a cylindrical part is used, the measurement is finished and the lift plate 35 rises, and as the probe S moves away from the iron plate 50, the probe S falls to a position as it is. And the center axis of the probe S are not necessarily held coaxially. Therefore, when the next measurement is performed, there is a possibility that the gimbal cannot be sufficiently obtained, and there is a possibility that the measurement accuracy is deteriorated or the measurement is not performed.

In order to avoid such a state, in the above embodiment,
The funnel 35a and the tapered portion of the conical portion 41 are to be mounted, so that the elevating plate 35 rises, and when the probe S leaves the iron plate 50, the center axis of the probe S and the elevating plate The central axis of the 35 holes is held coaxially, and the gimbal at the time of the next measurement is sufficiently secured to secure measurement accuracy and reduce the missing rate.

In the above embodiment, by the large gimbal mechanism 20,
Three feet 21a, 21b, 21c of case 21 containing probe S
Coarsely adjusts the inclination of the iron plate 50 and the inclination of the lower surface of the probe S,
Next, the inclination of the surface of the iron plate 50 and the inclination of the lower surface of the probe S are completely matched by the small gimbal mechanism 40, and both are brought into close contact with each other.

In the above embodiment, the computer 11 is an example of a thickness calculating means for calculating a thickness based on a signal from the probe S, and means other than the computer 11 may be used.

In the above embodiment, the probe S is brought into close contact with the iron plate 50 every 60 degrees, but may be brought into close contact with each other at other angles. When the six-point measurement is completed, the control device controls the motor 31 so that the six-point measurement can be performed again. Alternatively, a plurality of probes S may be attached to the elevating plate 35 to perform multipoint measurement at a finer pitch.

The above embodiment can also be applied to the case where the thickness of an iron plate other than the bottom plate of an oil tank is measured, or the case where the thickness of a plate other than an iron plate is measured.

[Effect] According to the invention of claim (1), there is an effect that the probe is securely brought into close contact with the object to be measured and the measurement accuracy of the thickness measurement is improved.

According to the invention of claim (2), there is an effect that it is easy to perform multi-point measurement of a thick workpiece with a small number of sensors in a short time.

According to the invention of claim (3), the probe is more securely brought into close contact with the object to be measured, and the measurement accuracy of the thickness measurement is further improved.

According to the invention of claim (4), there is an effect that it is easy to measure the wall thickness over a wide area.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the contact driving means 30 in the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the Geneva drive device in the above embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the trajectory of the probe S in the above embodiment. FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of the small gimbal mechanism 40 in the above embodiment. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which the probe S is brought into close contact with the iron plate 50. FIG. 7 shows the probe S when the surface of the iron plate 50 is inclined.
It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state which has adhered. 10 ... Thickness measuring device, 11 ... Computer, 12 ... Memory, 13 ... Battery, 14 ... Dolly, 20 ... Large gimbal mechanism, 30 ... Contact drive means, 35 ... Elevating plate, 35a ... ... funnel-shaped part, 40 ... small gimbal mechanism, 41 ... conical part, 43 ... spring, 50 ... iron plate, S ... probe.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A conical portion fixed to an upper portion of a probe for measuring a wall thickness; a funnel-shaped portion provided on an elevating plate corresponding to the conical portion; A spring provided between a lower part of the probe and a lower part of the elevating plate, for pressing the lower part of the probe on a surface of the thick workpiece. 2. The Geneva drive device according to claim 1, wherein a small gimbal mechanism configured by the probe, the conical portion, the funnel-shaped portion, and the spring is rotated by a predetermined angle. A thickness measuring device, comprising: a contact driving means for bringing the probe into close contact with the object to be measured while the rotation of the gimbal mechanism is stopped. 3. A conical portion fixed to an upper portion of a probe for measuring a wall thickness, a funnel-shaped portion provided on an elevating plate and corresponding to the conical portion, and the probe is wound around the conical portion. A small gimbal mechanism having a spring provided between the lower part of the probe and the lower part of the lifting plate and pressing the lower part of the probe on the surface of the thick workpiece; three supporting the small gimbal mechanism; A small gimbal mechanism and the three feet and a large gimbal mechanism having two mutually orthogonal rotation axes that provide angular motion in two directions. . 4. A probe for measuring a thickness; a contact driving means for rotating and moving the probe up and down to make a multi-point contact with an object to be measured; and based on a signal from the probe. Thickness calculating means for calculating the calculated thickness; storage means for storing the calculated thickness data; at least a battery for supplying power to the thickness calculating means and the storing means; and the probe and the close contact A thickness measuring device, comprising: a driving unit, the thickness calculating unit, the storage unit, and a carriage on which the battery is mounted.