Patent Application
20140355009
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a measuring apparatus and especially relates to a measuring apparatus for measuring the thicknesses of workpieces.
2. Description of Relative Art
The thickness of workpieces needs to be measured when being manufactured. The workpiece is usually secured on a securing tool, and then is manually measured with a measuring tool. However, when a workpiece being measured has an irregular shape, it is difficult to take a manual measurement. Normally, errors will occur when the workpiece is manually measured, which will affect a measurement result. Moreover, manual measurements take longer times. Therefore, a improvement in the art which takes less time and improves the measurement result is needed.
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one”.
The supporting column 20 is located on the control box 10. The supporting column 20 defines a mounting groove 221 and a hole 222 on one surface. The mounting groove 221 is defined longitudinally for mounting the securing assembly 30. The hole 222 is defined adjacent to the mounting groove 221 and receives cables (not shown) connecting the measuring elements 40 with the control unit 12, thus, the measuring elements 40 can be electrically connected to the control unit 12 in the control box 10 via the cables.
The securing assembly 30 includes a fixing board 31, a pair of connecting boards 32, a pair of strengthening boards 33, a first securing board 34, and a second securing board 35. The fixing board 31 is substantially rectangular and defines a slot 311 and a pair of mounting holes 312. The slot 311 is aligned with the mounting groove 221. The pair of mounting holes 312 are defined on opposite ends of the slot 311, each mounting hole 312 receives a fastener (not shown) which is also mounted to the mounting groove 221, thereby securing the fixing board 31 to the mounting groove 221. In one embodiment, the fastener can be a screw. Furthermore, the fixing board 31 can be moved relative to the mounting groove 221 to an appropriate position before being secured by the fasteners, thereby a height of the securing assembly 30 and the measuring elements 40 mounted thereon can be adjusted.
The pair of connecting boards 32 is connected to opposite ends of the fixing board 31 and extend perpendicularly from the fixing board 31. The connecting boards 32 are parallel. Each strengthening board 33 is connected to one of the connecting boards 32. Each strengthening board 33 is substantially a right-angle triangle and has a side supporting the connecting board 32 and another side abutting against the fixing board 31. The strengthening boards 33 are used for strengthening a connection of the connecting boards 32 and the fixing board 31.
The first securing board 34 is substantially an L-shaped board and includes a horizontal portion 341 and a longitudinal portion 342. The horizontal portion 341 is connected to one end of the connecting board 32 away from the fixing board 31. The longitudinal portion 342 is perpendicularly connected to the horizontal portion 341 and defines a securing groove 343. The securing groove 343 is defined longitudinally for securing one of the measuring elements 40. The second securing board 35 is substantially an L-shaped and defines a pair of securing holes 351 on opposite ends. One side of the second securing board 35 is connected to an end of the other connecting board 32. The second securing board 35 is opposite to the first securing board 34.
In one embodiment, the pair of measuring elements 40 includes a laser source element for emitting a laser and a laser detector for detecting a laser. Each measuring element 40 defines a pair of fixing holes 401 at its opposite ends. The fixing holes 401 of one measuring element 40 and the corresponding securing holes 351 receive corresponding fasteners, thereby securing one of the measuring elements 40 to the second securing board 35. The fixing holes 401 of the other measuring element 40 and the securing groove 343 receive fasteners, thereby securing the other measuring element 40 to the first securing board 34. In addition, the measuring element 40 can be moved relative to the securing groove 343 to an appropriate position before being secured by fasteners, thereby a distance between the pair of measuring elements 40 can be adjusted. In one embodiment, the fasteners can be screws.
When the measuring apparatus 100 begins to work, a robot (not shown) is provided to work cooperatively with the measuring apparatus 100. The robot positions a workpiece 200 in a space between the pair of measuring elements 40 and adjusts a portion of the workpiece 200 to be measured to be aligned with a portion of the measuring element 40 where lasers are transmitted. A total distance between the measuring elements 40 is defined as “D”. The laser source element of each the measuring element 40 emits a laser to the workpiece 200. The laser emitted by the measuring element 40 reaches a surface of the workpiece 200, then is reflected by the surface, and then is detected by the laser detector of the corresponding measuring element 40. The measuring element 40 records a time of reflection. Then the measuring element 40 transmits the recorded data to the computer 300 via the control unit 12 connected to the measuring element 40 and the computer 300. The computer 300 calculates a first distance between the measuring element 40 and the surface of the workpiece 200 according to the recorded time and a velocity of laser. The first distance between the measuring element 40 and the surface of the workpiece 200 is defined as “D1”. With the same method, the other measuring element 40 measures a second distance of another surface of the workpiece 200. The second distance between the other measuring element 40 and another surface of the workpiece 200 is defined as “D2”. A thickness of the workpiece 200 can be calculated by the total distance D minus the first distance D1 and the second distance D2.
It should be known that the distance first D1 and the second distance D2 are average results after measuring several times.
In other embodiments, when the workpiece 200 is transparent material or has a mirror surface, the surface of the workpiece 200 is covered by non-reflective materials before being measured, thereby ensuring the measuring results.
The measuring apparatus 100 can measure the thickness of the workpiece 200 even when the workpiece 200 has irregular shape, by placing the workpiece 200 between the measuring elements 40. The measurement is automatically operated by lasers, which takes less time and improves measurement results.
It is believed that the exemplary embodiment and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013102038352 | May 2013 | CN | national |
