JPS62147302A - Electronic sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable accurate measurement in a wide range, by supporting a movable member having a sensing pin mounted thereto by an air bearing. CONSTITUTION:A pad 34 constituting an air bearing is provided inside a Z-frame 32. The pad 34 is formed into a disc shape and air is injected from the hole formed to the plate surface thereof to support the frame 32 so as to float the same from a guide 30. Therefore, the frame 32 freely slides to a Z-direction. An intermediate guide 38 is fixed to the under surface of the frame 32 and the frame body 40A of a Y-frame 40 is externally fitted to said guide 38. Pads 40 are provided to the upper, under, left and right surface of the frame body 40A and the frame 40 is supported by the guide 38 so as to be made freely movable to the Y-direction. Further, the square pole shaped part 46A at the upper end of an X-frame 46 is engaged with the guide hole in the frame body of the frame 40. Pads 48, 52, 50 are provided to the upper, under, left and right surfaces of the guide hole and the frame 46 is supported by the guide hole so as to be made freely movable to the X-direction. A sensing pin 54 is provided to the end part 46B of the frame 46 and parallelly moved to arbitrary X-, Y- and Z-directions to perform measurement.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an electronic sensor used for measuring the shape of a machined workpiece (for example, measuring length, width, height, inner diameter, outer diameter, angle, etc.), and in particular, The present invention relates to an electronic sensor that performs sensing by bringing a sensing pin into contact with an object to be measured.

[Background of the invention]

As a conventional electronic sensor of this type, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 50-811
There are those disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 71 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-6218. In this electronic sensor, a sensing pin is supported by parallel temporary springs, and when the sensing pin is placed along an object to be measured, the length or the like is measured from a displacement device of the sensing pin. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the sensing pin 10 is attached to a support 12, and this support 12 is connected to the support 1 through a pair of parallel temporary springs 14, 14.
It is configured to be movable in the X direction with respect to 6. Furthermore, this support 16 is attached to the support 20 via a pair of parallel temporary springs 18, 18 so as to be movable in the Y direction. Further, the support body 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 24 so as to be movable in the Z direction via a pair of parallel leaf springs 22, 22 arranged in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the lowermost support 12 can move in three directions, X, Y, and Z, and the middle support 16 can move in two directions, Y and Z, and can move in the upper support 20. JolJ can only be moved in the Z direction. Therefore, the sensing pin 10 attached to the lowermost support 12 can move in three directions, X, Y, and Z, and can measure the amount of movement of each support 12, 16, and 20 in the X, Y, and Z directions. x, y of sensing pin 10,
By measuring the amount of movement in the Z direction, it is possible to measure the length of the object to be measured.

However, in the electronic sensor configured in this way, the length etc. are measured from the amount of displacement of each support plate 12, 16, 20, but each support plate 12, 16, 20 is a pair of parallel plates. Since it is composed of a spring, when the amount of displacement increases, the locus of movement of the leaf spring draws a circular arc, so when the amount of displacement increases, accurate measurements cannot be made. Therefore, in order to make accurate measurements, the measurement range must be narrowed. There are certain drawbacks. Furthermore, since the elastic force of the temporary spring changes depending on the amount of deformation, there is also the problem that the measuring force of the sensing pin changes during measurement.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to propose an electronic sensor that can measure a large amount without using a spring, and can measure accurately.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sensing pin that is moved along the shape of an object to be measured, a movable member to which the sensing pin is attached, a guide member that guides the movable member, and a movable member. [Embodiment] The present invention will be described below according to the attached drawings. A preferred embodiment of such an electronic sensor will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional configuration diagram of an electronic sensor according to the present invention viewed from the X side surface, and FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional configuration diagram viewed from the Y side surface. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a Z frame 32 is provided on a guide 30 that is integral with the main body (not shown) so as to be slidable in the vertical direction in the drawings. The guide 30 has a substantially square cross section, and the Z frame 32 is fitted around its circumferential surface, suspended from the main body (PLL) by a spring or the like (not shown), and can slide vertically on the surface of the guide 30. This Z frame 32 is formed in a lattice shape as shown in the figure in order to reduce the weight. Buds 34 that constitute air bearings are provided at predetermined intervals on the four inner sides of the Z frame 32. Buds 34 The Z
The frame 32 is supported by floating it from the guide 30 using pressurized air. The Z-flare 1.32 is therefore slidable in the Z direction relative to the guide 30 via the air bearing 34.

A recess 36 is formed in the lower surface of the Z frame 32, and the upper end of an intermediate guide 38 is fixed to the four parts 36 via bolts or the like. Thereby, the intermediate guide 38 forms a part of the Z frame 32. In FIG. 3, the overall shape of the member below the intermediate guide 38 is shown, and the intermediate guide 38 has a rectangular space 39 formed in the upper part, and a square columnar part 38A in the lower part.
is formed. A Y frame 40 is connected to the intermediate guide 38 in a chain shape, and the Y frame 40 is supported by the square columnar portion 38A of the intermediate guide 38 so as to be movable in the Y direction in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG.
A substantially square frame 40A of 0 is fitted onto the outside. Frame body 40A
Pads 44 are provided on the upper, lower, left and right surfaces of the Y frame 40, and the Y frame 40 is supported by the intermediate guide 38 so as to be movable in the Y direction.

Bands 42.42 are provided on ears 40B, 40B at the upper end of the Y frame 40, and the upper end of the Y frame 40 is supported by pressurized air at the upper end 38B of the intermediate guide 38 via a pad 42.42. It is designed to prevent rotation (steady rest). Bad 42.44 is Bad 34
It is formed in the same shape and has the same function. As a result, the Y frame 40 can move freely in the Y direction via an air bearing on the intermediate guide 38, which is a part of the Z frame 32. is supported by That is, as shown in FIG.
A square columnar portion 46A is formed at the upper end of the frame 46,
This square columnar portion 46Δ is fitted into the guide hole 41 in the substantially square frame body 40D of the X frame 40. Guide hole 4
Pads 48, 52, 50 are provided on the top, bottom, left and right surfaces of the
is supported so as to be movable in the X direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the X frame 46 extends downward on both sides of the square columnar section 46A, and its lower end 46B is connected to surround the intermediate guide 38A and the frame 40A of the X frame 40.
is connected to the intermediate guide 38A and the X frame 40 in a chain. Pads 53 are provided on the ears 40C, 40C at the lower end of the X frame 40, and support the lower end 46B of the X frame 46 to prevent it from rotating (preventing it from moving). As a result, the X frame 46 is supported by the X frame 40 via the air itb receiver so as to be movable in the X direction.

A sensing pin 54 is provided at the lower end 46B of the X frame 46.
is provided, and this sensing pin 54 has x, y,
They are formed to protrude downward and sideways so that they can be measured in the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, a sensor section 5 for detecting the amount of movement of the X frame 46 is provided between the X frame 40 and the X frame 46.
6 is provided. The sensor section 56 is connected to the X frame 46
It consists of a scale 56A attached to the X frame 40 and a detection section 56B attached to the X frame 40. Although not shown, there is also a Y between the intermediate guide 38 and the X frame 40.
A sensor section is provided to detect the amount of movement of the frame in the Y direction, and a similar sensor section is also provided between the X frame 32 and the guide 30 to detect the amount of movement in the Z direction.

Further, an upper cover 60 is provided around the X frame 32, an intermediate cover 62 is provided below the upper cover 60, and a lower cover 64 is further provided below the intermediate cover 62. The cover 60 and cover 62 are separated, the cover 60 is fixed to the guide 30, and the cover 62 can be moved in the Z-axis direction together with the X frame 32. The cover 62 and cover 64 are further separated, and the lower part of the cover 64 is It is fixed to the frames J and 46 so that it can move in the X and Y directions together with the internal X frames 40 and 46. Therefore, since the cover can follow each frame, there is no possibility of dust or the like infiltrating the sliding surfaces of the frames.

Although not shown in the drawings, each frame is designed to apply a constant measuring force using an electric coil and a magnet to prevent detection errors due to changes in the measuring force.

The operation of the embodiment according to the present invention constructed as described above is as follows. First, when the X frame 32 moves up and down, the X frame 40 and the X frame 46 are all supported by the Z frame 1132, so these frames move up and down in the Z direction. The sensing pin 54 also moves up and down. Also X
When the frame 40 moves in the Y direction, the Y frame 4o and the X frames l and li6 supported thereon also move in the Y direction, and therefore the sensing pin 54 attached to the lower end of the X frame 46 moves in the Y direction. do. At this time, since the X frame 32 and the X frame 40 are separated,
The frame 32 does not move. Furthermore, when the X frame 46 moves one more time in the X direction, the sensing pin 54
moves in the X direction, and in this case, since the Y frame 40 and the X frame 46 are separated, the X frame 40 (does not move).
, Z-direction, and can be moved and measured in any three directions.

In the above embodiments, the electronic sensor according to the present invention is applied to an X, Y, and Z three-dimensional measuring machine, but the present invention is not limited to this. The electronic sensor according to the present invention can be used as a sensor in the original measurement chamber.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the electronic sensor according to the present invention,
Since the movable member to which the sensing pin is attached is supported by an air bearing, there is no deformation of the arcuate shape of the spring, which would occur when a temporary spring is used in the past, and the measuring force of the sensing pin is constant and accurate. Moreover, since the sensing pin moves in parallel to the measurement direction, it is possible to measure a wide range.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of the electronic sensor according to the present invention as seen from the X side, Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the electronic sensor as seen from the Y side, and Fig. 3 shows the intermediate guide, the X frame, and the X frame. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connected state, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a conventional electronic sensor. 30...Guide, 32...Z frame, 3
4...Bad, 38...Intermediate guide, 40
...X frame, 42...pad, 46...
・X frame, 48.50.52...bad,
54...Sensing pin.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A sensing pin that is moved along the shape of an object to be measured, a movable member to which the sensing pin is attached, a guide member that guides the movable member, and a movable member that is attached to the movable member and allows the movable member to slide freely relative to the guide member. An electronic sensor consisting of a supporting air bearing and a sensor unit that measures the amount of movement of a movable member.