JP7397312B2 - Measuring instrument - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a measuring device for measuring the dimensions of an object to be measured.

Traditionally, calipers have been used to measure dimensions such as the length, width, thickness, outer diameter, and inner diameter of objects to be measured. Digital calipers (measuring instruments) that display measured values are known. This digital caliper has a slider that is movably attached to a main scale that serves as a measurement reference, converts the amount of displacement of the slider into an electrical signal, and digitally displays the measured value.

In order to accurately measure the dimensions of an object with such a digital caliper, when the pair of measuring jaws of the digital caliper are brought into contact with the object to be measured, the measuring force applied by the measuring jaws to the object to be measured must be It is necessary to keep it constant or control it to a desired measurement force.

Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a digital caliper that notifies the user through various displays or audio output whether or not the measuring force of pressing the object to be measured by a measuring jaw brought into contact with the object is a predetermined value. ing. Thereby, the user can easily recognize whether the measuring force is a predetermined value or not.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-25777

By the way, when the digital caliper described in Patent Document 1 is used, it is possible to notify the user whether the measuring force used to press the object to be measured by the measuring jaws is a predetermined value, but the size of the object to be measured cannot be determined. When performing measurement, it is necessary to press an operation button provided on one of the digital calipers. When pressing this operation button, it may be difficult to press depending on the position of the operation button, so the amount of force in the hand holding the digital caliper changes, causing the problem that the measuring force is not stable as intended by the user. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a measuring instrument capable of stabilizing the measuring force that presses the object to be measured.

A measuring instrument for achieving the object of the present invention has a first measuring element that contacts the object to be measured, a main scale that extends in the longitudinal direction, and a second measuring element that contacts the object to be measured, A slider is provided to be movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the main scale, an operating lever is provided on the slider and is tiltable in one longitudinal direction and the other, and the operating lever is preset in one direction. A measuring section that obtains the dimension between the first measuring point and the second measuring point when tilted to a predetermined tilting angle and when tilted to the other direction side to a tilting angle, and a measuring section provided on the operating lever. and an elastic body that generates a drag force against the tilting of the operating lever.

According to this measuring device, it is possible to press the object to be measured with a constant measuring force using the second feeler each time the dimension of the object is measured.

In a measuring instrument according to another aspect of the present invention, the elastic body generates a drag force that is larger than the frictional force between the main scale and the slider when the operating lever is tilted to a tilting angle. This prevents the measurement of the dimensions of the object to be measured in a state where each probe is not in contact with the object to be measured.

In a measuring instrument according to another aspect of the present invention, the operation lever is a cylindrical lever body having a support shaft provided on a slider, a first opening, a second opening, and a hollow part, and A lever body supported so as to be tiltable in one direction and the other direction with respect to the shaft end with the shaft end of the support shaft inserted into the hollow part from the opening, and a first opening of the lever body. includes a lid provided on the second opening on the opposite side, and a movable body movably provided between the lid and the shaft end within the hollow part, and the elastic body moves between the lid and the movable body within the hollow part. The movable body is provided between the shaft end and urges the movable body toward the shaft end. Thereby, each time the operating lever is tilted to a predetermined tilt angle, the second probe can press the object to be measured with a constant measuring force.

In the measuring device according to another aspect of the present invention, the movable body moves toward the lid within the hollow portion in response to tilting of the lever body with respect to the support shaft, and the elastic body is compressed between the lid and the movable body. This generates drag. Thereby, each time the operating lever is tilted to a predetermined tilt angle, the second probe can press the object to be measured with a constant measuring force.

In a measuring instrument according to another aspect of the present invention, a contact portion that abuts the shaft end in the movable body is formed narrower than the shaft end in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the contact portion can be easily tilted on the shaft end in response to the tilting operation of the operating lever.

In the measuring device according to another aspect of the present invention, a region on one side of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end is defined as a first region, and a region on the other direction side of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end is defined as a second region. In the case where the area facing the first area on the inner peripheral surface of the lever body is defined as the first opposing area, and the area opposing the second area on the inner circumferential surface of the lever body is defined as the second opposing area. , a contact type or button type switch provided in the first area or the first opposing area and the second area or the second opposing area, and when the operating lever is tilted to the tilting angle in one direction. When one of the switches is turned on and the operating lever is tilted in the other direction to a tilting angle, the other switch is turned on, and the measurement unit acquires the dimensions when the switch is turned on. Thereby, the dimensions of the object to be measured can be obtained when the operating lever is tilted to a predetermined tilt angle.

In a measuring device according to another aspect of the present invention, the elastic body is a spring.

The present invention can stabilize the measuring force that presses the object to be measured.

It is a front view of a digital caliper. FIG. 3 is a front view of the operating lever. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the operating lever. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining measuring force when measuring the dimensions of an object to be measured using a digital caliper. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining measuring force when measuring the dimensions of an object to be measured using a digital caliper.

[Digital caliper configuration]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a digital caliper 10 corresponding to the measuring instrument of the present invention. The digital caliper 10 is used to measure dimensions such as the length, width, thickness, outer diameter, and inner diameter of measurement objects W1 and W2 of various shapes. In addition, among the mutually orthogonal XYZ directions in the figure, the X direction is the longitudinal direction of the main scale 12 of the digital caliper 10, the Y direction is the lateral direction of the main scale 12, and the Z direction is the thickness direction of the main scale 12. It is. Further, one side in the X direction is defined as a +X direction side and the other direction side is defined as a -X direction side, one direction side in the Y direction is defined as a +Y direction side, and the other direction side is defined as a -Y direction side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital caliper 10 includes a main scale 12 (also referred to as a main scale or caliper body), a slider 14 (also referred to as a detector), an operating lever 16, a measuring section 18, and a display section 20. , is provided.

The main scale 12 has a shape extending in the X direction. At the tip of the main scale 12 on the +X direction side, an outer measuring jaw 22A and an inner measuring jaw 24A, which correspond to the first measuring element of the present invention, are provided. Further, the base end portion of the main scale 12 on the -X direction side serves as a gripping portion that is gripped by the user.

The outer measuring jaw 22A is provided to protrude from the tip of the main scale 12 in the −Y direction. The outer measurement jaw 22A comes into contact with a portion to be measured (outer surface, etc.) of the measurement object W1 when measuring dimensions such as the length, width, thickness, and outer diameter of the measurement object W1.

The inner measuring jaw 24A is provided to protrude from the tip of the main scale 12 in the +Y direction. The inner measuring jaw 24A comes into contact with a portion to be measured (the inner surface of a hole, a recess, etc.) of the object to be measured W2 when measuring dimensions such as the inner diameter of the object to be measured W2.

The slider 14 is provided so as to be movable (slidable) along the X direction with respect to the main scale 12 . The slider 14 is provided with an outer measuring jaw 22B and an inner measuring jaw 24B, which correspond to the second measuring element of the present invention, an operating lever 16, a measuring section 18, a display section 20, and a set screw 21. ing.

The outer measurement jaw 22B is provided to protrude from the tip of the slider 14 on the +X direction side in the -Y direction side. The outer measuring jaw 22B makes a measurement between the outer measuring jaw 22A and the outer measuring jaw 22A by coming into contact with the part to be measured of the measuring object W1 when measuring dimensions such as the length, width, thickness, and outer diameter of the measuring object W1. The object W1 (part to be measured) is sandwiched.

The inner measuring jaw 24B is provided to protrude from the tip of the slider 14 in the +Y direction. The inner measuring jaw 24B comes into contact with a portion to be measured of the object to be measured W2 when measuring dimensions such as the inner diameter of the object to be measured W2. As a result, the inner measurement jaws 24A and 24B are inscribed in the +X direction and -X direction ends of the measured portion of the measurement object W2.

The operating lever 16 is provided on the lower surface of the slider 14 on the −Y direction side so as to be tiltable toward the +X direction side and the −X direction side. More specifically, the operating lever 16 is provided on the lower surface of the slider 14 at a position where it can be tilted and operated with a user's finger (index finger, middle finger, etc.). The operating lever 16 is tilted in the +X direction or in the -X direction when determining the measured values of the dimensions of the measurement objects W1 and W2, that is, when operating the measuring section 18, which will be described later.

Specifically, the operating lever 16 is tilted in the +X direction (the direction in which the outer measurement jaws 22B press the measurement object W1) when measuring the dimensions of the measurement object W1 using the outer measurement jaws 22A and 22B. . Further, the operating lever 16 is tilted toward the −X direction (the direction in which the inner measuring jaws 24B press the measuring object W2) when measuring the dimensions of the measuring object W2 using the inner measuring jaws 24A and 24B.

The measurement unit 18 uses a known encoder, transducer, etc., and when one of the switches 40 and 42 in the operation lever 16, which will be described later, is turned on in response to a tilting operation of the operation lever 16, the measurement object W1, W2 is measured. Get the dimensions of. The measuring section 18 detects the amount of displacement of the slider 14 with respect to the main scale 12 as an electrical signal, and outputs this detected amount to the display section 20 as the measured dimensions of the objects W1 and W2. The amount of displacement of the slider 14 corresponds to the dimension between the outer measuring jaws 22A and 22B when measuring the dimensions of the object to be measured W1, and corresponds to the dimension between the inner measuring jaws 24A and 24B when measuring the dimensions of the object to be measured W2. corresponds to

The display section 20 uses, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays the measured values of the dimensions of the measurement objects W1 and W2 inputted from the measurement section 18. The set screw 21 is used to fix the slider 14 to the main scale 12.

[Control lever]
FIG. 2 is a front view of the operating lever 16. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the operating lever 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operating lever 16 includes a support shaft 30, a lever main body 32, a lid 34, a moving body 36, and a spring 38. Moreover, button-type or contact-type switches 40 and 42 are provided inside the operating lever 16.

The support shaft 30 is provided on the bottom surface of the base end of the slider 14 and has a shape extending in the −Y direction. The shaft end 30a of the support shaft 30 on the −Y direction side supports the lever body 32 via the swing shaft 31 so as to be swingable in the ±X direction.

The lever main body 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a first opening 32a, a second opening 32b, and a hollow portion 32c. The inner diameter of this lever body 32 is larger than the outer diameter of the support shaft 30. The lever main body 32 is swingable in the ±X direction with respect to the shaft end 30a via the swing shaft 31 with the shaft end 30a inserted into the hollow portion 32c from the first opening 32a side. is supported by

The lid 34 is provided in the second opening 32b of the lever body 32 on the opposite side to the first opening 32a. This lid 34 is a finger rest part on which the user's finger rests.

The movable body 36 is movably provided between the shaft end 30a in the hollow portion 32c and the lid 34. The moving body 36 is urged toward the shaft end 30a by a spring 38, which will be described later. A block 36a is provided on the opposing surface of the moving body 36 that faces the shaft end 30a.

The block 36a corresponds to a contact portion of the present invention, and is constantly brought into contact with the shaft end portion 30a as the movable body 36 is biased by a spring 38, which will be described later. This block 36a is formed narrower than the shaft end portion 30a at least in the X direction. As a result, as will be described in detail later, the block 36a (moving body 36) can be easily tilted in the ±X direction on the shaft end 30a in response to the tilting operation of the operating lever 16 in the ±X direction (see FIGS. (See Figure 5).

The spring 38 corresponds to the elastic body of the present invention, and for example, a coil spring is used. This spring 38 is provided in a compressed state between the lid 34 and the movable body 36 in the hollow portion 32c. Thereby, the spring 38 always urges the movable body 36 toward the shaft end 30a, so that the block 36a always comes into contact with the shaft end 30a. Note that the symbol L0 in the figure is the length of the spring 38 (the distance between the lid 34 and the movable body 36) before the operation lever 16 is tilted.

The biasing force F1 of the spring 38 will be described in detail later, but when the operating lever 16 is tilted in the +X direction, the measuring force MF1 ( (see Figure 4). Conversely, when the operating lever 16 is tilted in the -X direction, the biasing force F1 of the spring 38 is equal to the measuring force MF2 ( (see Figure 5).

The switches 40 and 42 are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the lever body 32 and at positions facing the outer circumferential surface of the support shaft 30. Specifically, the region on the −X direction side in the outer peripheral surface of the shaft end portion 30a is referred to as a first region R1, and the region opposite to the first region R1 in the inner peripheral surface of the lever body 32 is referred to as a first region R1. In the case of the opposing region OR1, the switch 40 is provided in the first opposing region OR1. Further, the area on the +X direction side of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end portion 30a is defined as a second area R2, and the area opposite to the second area R2 in the inner circumferential surface of the lever main body 32 is defined as a second opposing area OR2. In this case, the switch 42 is provided in the second opposing region OR2.

The switch 40 is turned on by being pressed by or in contact with the first region R1 when the operating lever 16 (lever main body 32) is tilted in the +X direction to a predetermined inclination angle. , is off in other states (see FIG. 4).

The switch 42 is turned on by being pressed by or in contact with the second region R2 when the operating lever 16 (lever main body 32) is tilted to a predetermined inclination angle in the −X direction. and is off in other states (see FIG. 5).

[Effects of digital calipers]
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the measuring force MF1 when measuring the dimensions of the measurement object W1 using the digital caliper 10. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the measuring force MF2 when the digital caliper 10 measures the dimensions of the object to be measured W2.

As shown in FIG. 4, when measuring the dimensions of the object to be measured W1, the user presses the operating lever 16 while the outer measuring jaws 22A and 22B are in contact with the object to be measured W1 (see FIG. 1). Tilt it in the +X direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when measuring the dimensions of the object W2 to be measured, with the inner measuring jaws 24A and 24B in contact with the object W2 to be measured (see FIG. 1), the user presses the operating lever. 16 in the -X direction.

In response to the tilting operation of the operating lever 16, the movable body 36 (block 36a) is tilted on the shaft end 30a in the tilting direction of the operating lever 16 (+X direction side, -X direction side).

As the tilt angle of the movable body 36 increases, the movable body 36 moves relatively toward the lid 34 within the lever body 32. As a result, the spacing L1 between the lid 34 and the movable body 36 becomes narrower than the spacing L0, so that the spring 38 is compressed (elastically deformed). As a result, a biasing force F1 is generated in which the spring 38 biases the movable body 36 toward the support shaft 30, and a portion of this biasing force F1 becomes a drag force F2 (resistance force) that resists the tilting of the operating lever 16. That is, it acts as a restoring force to restore the operating lever 16 (moving body 36) to its original posture (see FIG. 3). This drag force F2 increases as the tilt angle of the operating lever 16 increases, that is, as the spring 38 contracts.

When the operating lever 16 is tilted in the +X direction to a predetermined tilt angle (hereinafter referred to as a predetermined tilt angle), the switch 40 is turned on by being pressed by the first region R1. As a result, the measurement unit 18 acquires the dimensions of the measurement object W1 (the dimensions between the outer measurement jaws 22A and 22B), and the display unit 20 displays the measured dimensions (see FIG. 4).

Conversely, when the operating lever 16 is tilted in the -X direction to a predetermined inclination angle, the switch 42 is turned on by being pressed by the second region R2. As a result, the measuring section 18 acquires the dimensions of the object to be measured W2 (the dimension between the inner measuring jaws 24A and 24B), and the display section 20 displays the measured dimension values (see FIG. 5).

As described above, in this embodiment, if the value of the drag force F2 when the control lever 16 is tilted in the ±X direction by a predetermined inclination angle is defined as a "drag force threshold", a force corresponding to this drag force threshold is applied to the control lever 16. When the voltage is applied, the dimensions of the measurement objects W1 and W2 are measured and displayed. Therefore, the drag force threshold becomes the measuring force MF1 that causes the outer measurement jaw 22B to press the measurement object W1 in the +X direction in each dimension measurement of the measurement object W1, and the inner force in each dimension measurement of the measurement object W2. The measuring jaw 24B generates a measuring force MF2 that presses the measuring object W2 in the −X direction. As a result, the dimensions of the measurement objects W1, W2 can be measured with always constant measuring forces MF1, MF2 simply by the user tilting the operating lever 16 in the ±X directions up to a predetermined inclination angle.

[Measuring force MF1, MF2 and drag force threshold]
The magnitude of the measuring forces MF1 and MF2 (drag threshold) depends on the magnitude of the biasing force F1. Therefore, the measuring forces MF1 and MF2 (drag force thresholds) can be adjusted as appropriate by changing the type of spring 38 (spring constant) or by changing the distance between the lid 34 and the moving body 36.

Moreover, it is preferable that the drag threshold value is a value larger than the frictional force (sliding resistance) between the main scale 12 and the slider 14. As a result, at least when the operating lever 16 is rotated to a predetermined inclination angle, "the force in the X direction applied to the slider 14 via the operating lever 16>frictional force", so that the slider 14 , W2 with a force that exceeds the frictional force. As a result, even if there is a gap between the measuring objects W1, W2 and each measuring jaw (outer measuring jaw 22B, inner measuring jaw 24B), each measuring jaw can be securely brought into contact with the measuring objects W1, W2. can be done. In other words, the operation lever 16 is tilted to a predetermined inclination angle while the measurement jaws are not in contact with the objects W1, W2, that is, the dimensions of the objects W1, W2 are measured. Prevented.

[Effects of this embodiment]
As described above, in this embodiment, by tilting the operating lever 16 to a predetermined inclination angle, constant measuring forces MF1, MF2 (drag force threshold) that press the measurement objects W1, W2 are generated, and the measurement objects The dimensions of W1 and W2 can be obtained. As a result, the measuring forces MF1 and MF2 can be stabilized in each dimension measurement of the measurement objects W1 and W2.

[others]
In the above embodiment, the outer measuring jaw 22B and the inner measuring jaw 24B move in the X direction together with the slider 14, but the inner measuring jaw 24B may be held with respect to the slider 14 so as to be movable in the X direction.

In the above embodiment, the switch 40 is provided in the first opposing region OR1 of the lever body 32 and the switch 42 is provided in the second opposing region OR2, but conversely, the switch 40 is provided in the first region R1 of the support shaft 30 and the switch 42 is provided in the first opposing region OR2 of the lever body 32. The switch 42 may be provided in the second region R2.

In the above embodiment, the operating lever 16 is provided on the lower surface of the slider 14 on the -Y direction side, but it may be provided on the upper surface of the slider 14 on the +Y direction side. In this case, the operating lever 16 is provided on the upper surface of the slider 14 at a position where it can be tilted and operated by the user's thumb or the like.

In the embodiment described above, the switch 40 is turned on when the operating lever 16 is tilted to a predetermined inclination angle in the +X direction, and the switch 40 is turned on when the operating lever 16 is tilted to a predetermined inclination angle in the -X direction. is turned on, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the switches 40 and 42 are provided at positions on the +Y direction side relative to the swing shaft 31, the switch 42 is turned on when the operating lever 16 is tilted to the +X direction side to a predetermined inclination angle. Conversely, when the operating lever 16 is tilted to a predetermined inclination angle in the -X direction, the switch 40 is turned on.

In the above embodiment, a coil spring is exemplified as the spring 38, but various springs such as a plate spring that can generate the biasing force F1 by compression may be used. Further, instead of providing the spring 38 in the hollow portion 32c, for example, a torsion spring (elastic body) is provided on the swing shaft 31, and this torsion spring generates a drag force F2 that resists the tilting of the operating lever 16. You can. Further, in the above embodiments, various springs are exemplified as the elastic body of the present invention, but various elastic bodies such as rubber that can generate the above-mentioned drag force F2 (restoring force) by elastic deformation may also be used.

In the embodiment described above, the measurement results of the dimensions of the measurement objects W1 and W2 obtained by the measuring section 18 are displayed on the display section 20, but the results may be output as audio from a speaker (not shown). Furthermore, the measurement results of the dimensions may be output to external equipment (monitor, printer, storage, server, etc.).

In the above embodiment, the digital caliper 10 has been described as an example, but various types of calipers such as micrometers that obtain dimensions between the first measuring point and the second measuring point of various shapes according to the user's measurement start operation are described. The present invention is applicable to digital measuring instruments.

10 Digital caliper 12 Main scale 14 Slider 16 Operation lever 18 Measuring section 20 Display section 21 Set screws 22A, 22B Outer measuring jaws 24A, 24B Inner measuring jaw 30 Support shaft 30a Shaft end 31 Swing shaft 32 Lever body 32a First opening 32b Second opening 32c Hollow part 34 Lid 36 Moving body 36a Block 38 Spring 40, 42 Switch F1 Biasing force F2 Resistance force MF1, MF2 Measuring force OR1 First opposing area OR2 Second opposing area R1 First area R2 Second area W1, W2 Measurement object

Claims (7)

a main scale extending in the longitudinal direction and having a first measuring element that comes into contact with the object to be measured;
a slider having a second measuring element that comes into contact with the object to be measured and is provided movably along the longitudinal direction with respect to the main scale;
an operating lever provided on the slider and tiltable in one direction and the other direction in the longitudinal direction;
When the operating lever is tilted in the one direction to the predetermined tilt angle and when the operation lever is tilted in the other direction to the tilt angle, the first contact point and the second contact point are a measurement unit that obtains the dimensions between the
an elastic body that is provided on the operating lever and generates a resistance against tilting of the operating lever;
Measuring instrument equipped with. The measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body generates the drag force that is larger than the frictional force between the main scale and the slider. The operating lever is
a support shaft provided on the slider;
A cylindrical lever body having a first opening, a second opening, and a hollow part, and the shaft end of the support shaft is inserted into the hollow part from the first opening, and the shaft end part is inserted into the hollow part from the first opening. a lever main body that is tiltably supported on the one direction side and the other direction side;
a lid provided on a second opening of the lever body opposite to the first opening;
a movable body movably provided between the lid and the shaft end within the hollow part;
Equipped with
The measuring instrument according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elastic body is provided between the lid and the movable body within the hollow portion, and biases the movable body toward the shaft end. In response to the tilting of the lever body with respect to the support shaft, the movable body moves toward the lid within the hollow portion, and the elastic body is compressed between the lid and the movable body. 4. The measuring device according to claim 3, which generates a drag force. The measuring instrument according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a contact portion that abuts the shaft end in the movable body is formed narrower than the shaft end in the longitudinal direction. A region on the one direction side of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft end is defined as a first region, a region on the other direction side of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft end is defined as a second region, and an inner periphery of the lever body. A region facing the first region in the surface is defined as a first opposing region, and a region opposing the second region in the inner circumferential surface of the lever body is defined as a second opposing region; comprising a contact type or button type switch provided in the area or the first opposing area and the second area or the second opposing area,
One of the switches is turned on when the operating lever is tilted in the one direction to the tilting angle, and the other switch is turned on when the operating lever is tilted in the other direction to the tilting angle. is,
The measuring instrument according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the measuring unit acquires the dimensions when the switch is turned on. The measuring instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the elastic body is a spring.

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