Displacement measuring device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6691424
  • Patent Number
    6,691,424
  • Date Filed
    Friday, December 6, 2002
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 17, 2004
    20 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Gutierrez; Diego
    • Guadalupe; Yaritza
    Agents
    • Baxley; Charles E.
Abstract
A displacement measuring device includes a body which is movable on a plurality of rails and driven by a first shaft. An extension portion is connected to the body and a second shaft connected to the body extends through the extension portion. A first gear and a second gear are respectively mounted to the first shaft and the second shaft. Both of the two gears are engaged with a rack. A spring is received in the extension portion and pushes the second gear so that the second gear is pushed toward the rack. The second gear is snugly engaged with the rack so that the tolerance therebetween is reduced. A counting member is connected to the second shaft so that the number of the revolution of the second gear is counted and the sum of the displacement of the object can be precisely calculated.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a displacement measuring device that includes a gear mounted to shaft and engaged with a rack. The gear is pushed toward the rack by a spring so that the displacement of the diameter of the revolutions of the shaft can be precisely measured.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




A conventional displacement measuring device for measuring the sum of displacement of the diameter of a shaft is shown in FIG.


1


and generally includes a body


10


which is moved transversely relative to rails and a shaft


11


is rotatably connected to the body


10


and driven by a driving means which is not shown in the drawings. A gear


14


is mounted to the shaft


11


and a rack


16


is engaged with the gear


14


. When the body


10


is moved, the gear


14


engaged with the rack


16


rotates and the number of the revolution of the gear


14


is counted by a counting member


13


connected to an end of the shaft


11


. The sum of the displacement of the object


10


can be measured by calculating the number of revolution of the shaft


11


times the diameter of the shaft


11


. As shown in

FIG. 2

, there is a gap ā€œDā€ between the tooth of the rack


16


that is engaged with the tooth of the gear


14


. In other words, a tolerance is generated when a tooth of the gear


14


engages with the tooth of the rack


16


so that the sum of the displacement of the object


10


is not precise enough.




The present invention intends to provide a displacement measuring device wherein a spring pushes the gear toward the rack so that the gap ā€œDā€ is reduced and the tolerance is reduced.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a displacement measuring device which comprises a body which is movable on a plurality of rails and an extension portion is connected to the body and includes a spring received therein. A first shaft and a second shaft are connected to the body which is driven by the first shaft. A first gear and a second gear are respectively mounted to the first shaft and the second shaft. The second shaft extends through the extension portion and a counting member is connected to the second shaft. A rack is engaged with the first gear and the second gear. The spring pushes the second shaft so as to push the second gear toward the rack.











The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view to show a conventional displacement measuring device;





FIG. 2

shows a gap is defined between the rack and the gear on the shaft of the conventional displacement measuring device;





FIG. 3

is a perspective view to show the displacement measuring device of the present invention, and





FIG. 4

shows the second shaft is pushed by a spring and the second gear on the second shaft is snugly engaged with the rack.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the displacement measuring device of the present invention comprises a body


20


which is movable on a plurality of rails


30


and an extension portion


50


is connected to the body


20


. The extension portion


50


includes a recess


51


and an end of a spring


52


is engaged in the recess


51


.




A first shaft


21


is connected to the body


20


and is driven by a motor which is not shown and the body


20


is moved by the rotation of the first shaft


21


. A first gear


23


is mounted to the first shaft


21


. A second shaft


40


is connected to the body


20


and extends through the extension portion


50


. A second gear


41


is connected to the second shaft


40


. A rack


31


is engaged with the first gear


23


and the second gear


41


. The spring


52


pushes the second shaft


40


so as to push the second gear


41


toward the rack


31


. A counting member


53


is connected to an end of the second shaft


40


and calculates the number of the revolution of the second shaft


40


. The sum of the displacement of the object


20


can be obtained by the product of the number of the revolution and the diameter of the second shaft


40


.




Because of the spring


52


so that the teeth of the second gear


41


are snugly engaged with the rack


31


. In other words, there is only a small gap between the teeth of the rack


31


and the second gear


41


and the number of the revolution of the second shaft


40


is a precise number that the second shaft


40


actually rotates.




While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A displacement measuring device comprising:a body which is movable on a plurality of rails, an extension portion connected to the body and including a spring received therein; a first shaft connected to the body and driving the body, a first gear mounted to the first shaft, a second shaft connected to the body and extending through the extension portion, a counting member and a second gear connected to the second shaft, and a rack engaged with the first gear and the second gear, the spring pushing the second shaft so as to push the second gear toward the rack.
  • 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension portion includes a recess and an end of the spring is engaged in the recess.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number Name Date Kind
1863007 Elkins Jun 1932 A
2105703 Self Jan 1938 A
2488237 Raible Nov 1949 A
2568524 Verderber Sep 1951 A
3926062 Neff Dec 1975 A