Adjustable load transmitter

• US 10,605,649 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Eckert, Martin, Tomaschko, Siegfried, Dieterle, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Guadalupe-McCall, Yaritza
• Application Number:
  US16/353,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20190204138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 33533
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/00 Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters without heads F16M13/00; easels or stands for blackboards or the like A47B97/04; show-stands A47F7/00; for workmen E04G1/32; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; supporting or suspending for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/24 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/1414 Arrangements for correcting or for compensating for unwanted effects
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7015 Reference, i.e. alignment of original or workpiece with respect to a reference not on the original or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/703 Gap setting, e.g. in proximity printer

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an adjustable load transmitter for adjusting an alignment between planar members separated from each other by a gap. The load transmitter comprises a set of plates to be received inside the gap, the set comprising two rotatable plates and being adapted for transmitting a load via a load transmission path between the planar members. The load transmission path comprises the rotatable plates. Each of the plates comprises two flat, non-parallel contact faces, and one of the contact faces of the first rotatable plate is in permanent surface contact with one of the contact faces of the second rotatable plate. The rotatable plates are adapted for being rotated relative to each other around one of their respective normal axes.

Claims

1. An adjustable load transmitter for adjusting an alignment between a first planar member and a second planar member, the planar members being separated from each other by a gap, the adjustable load transmitter comprising:

a set of plates adapted to be received inside the gap, the set comprising a first rotatable plate and a second rotatable plate, the set being adapted for transmitting a load between the planar members, each of the plates comprising two flat contact faces, the contact faces of the first rotatable plate being non-parallel to each other, the contact faces of the second rotatable plate being non-parallel to each other, one of the contact faces of the first rotatable plate being in surface contact with one of the contact faces of the second rotatable plate, each of the first rotatable plate and the second rotatable plate being adapted for being rotated relative to each other around one of their respective normal axes.

2. The load transmitter of claim 1, the load transmitter further comprising a bolt, each of the plates comprising a hole, the bolt being received by the holes, at least one of the plates being floatingly supported by the bolt.

3. The load transmitter of claim 2, the set further comprising a base plate, the base plate comprising two flat contact faces, the contact faces of the base plate being parallel to each other, the first rotatable plate being arranged between the base plate and the second rotatable plate.

4. The load transmitter of claim 3, the base plate being adapted for being fixed to the first planar member.

5. The load transmitter of claim 3, the base plate comprising a hole, an end of the bolt comprising an external thread, the hole of the base plate comprising an internal thread, the internal thread being adapted for receiving the external thread, the load transmitter being adapted for interlocking the plates by tightening the bolt.

6. The load transmitter of claim 2, the set further comprising a slide plate, the slide plate comprising two flat contact faces and being shiftable along at least one of its contact faces, the contact faces of the slide plate being non-parallel to each other.

7. The load transmitter of claim 6, the second rotatable plate being arranged between the slide plate and the first rotatable plate.

8. The load transmitter of claim 6, the slide plate comprising a hole and being floatingly supported by the bolt, the hole of the slide plate being a slot hole.

9. The load transmitter of claim 1, at least one of the rotatable plates having a right trapezoidal cross section.

10. The load transmitter of claim 1, at least two of the plates being adapted for adhering to each other via magnetic forces.

11. The load transmitter of claim 1, the plates being made of metallic material.

12. A method for adjusting an alignment between a first planar member and a second planar member, the planar members being separated from each other by a gap, the method comprising:

providing an adjustable load transmitter in the gap, the load transmitter comprising a set of plates adapted to be received inside the gap, the set comprising a first rotatable plate and a second rotatable plate, the set being adapted for transmitting a load between the planar members, each of the plates comprising two flat contact faces, the contact faces of the first rotatable plate being non-parallel to each other, the contact faces of the second rotatable plate being non-parallel to each other, one of the contact faces of the first rotatable plate being in surface contact with one of the contact faces of the second rotatable plate, each of the first rotatable plate and the second rotatable plate being adapted for being rotated relative to each other around one of their respective normal axes;

setting an angular alignment between the second planar member and the contact face of the set of plates facing the second planar member by rotating each of the rotatable plates about a pre-determined adjustment angle around its respective rotational axis, the adjustment angles being determined such that two angles of inclination, defined in different non-parallel directions between the second planar member and the contact face of the set of plates facing the second planar member, each assume a pre-determined value; and

closing a clearance between the second planar member and the contact face of the set of plates facing the second planar member.

13. The method of claim 12, the set further comprising a base plate, the base plate comprising two flat contact faces, the contact faces of the base plate being parallel to each other, the providing comprising installing the base plate between the first planar member and the first rotatable plate.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising dimensioning each of the plates such that a thickness of the set of plates is adjustable to match the clearance by rotating the rotatable plates.

15. The method of claim 12, the set further comprising a slide plate, the slide plate comprising two flat contact faces and being shiftable along at least one of its contact faces, the contact faces of the slide plate being non-parallel to each other, the providing comprising installing the slide plate between the second planar member and the second rotatable plate, the closing comprising shifting the slide plate until one of its contact faces comes into contact with the second planar member.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising measuring the inclination angles and measuring a length of the clearance.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining the adjustment angle for each of the rotatable plates based on the inclination angles and on the dimensions of the plates.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising using the inclination angles and the dimensions of the plates for dimensioning each of the plates such that a thickness of the set of plates is adjustable to match the clearance.

19. A load bearing system, comprising:

a first planar member and a second planar member, the planar members being separated from each other by a gap;

a load transmitter comprising a set of plates adapted to be received inside the gap, the set comprising a first rotatable plate and a second rotatable plate, each of the plates comprising two flat contact faces, the contact faces of the first rotatable plate being non-parallel to each other, the contact faces of the second rotatable plate being non-parallel to each other, one of the contact faces of the first rotatable plate being in surface contact with one of the contact faces of the second rotatable plate, each of the first rotatable plate and the second rotatable plate being adapted for being rotated relative to each other around one of their respective normal axes; and

wherein the load transmitter is configured to transmit a load between the planar members by closing the gap.

20. The load bearing system of claim 19, the set further comprising a base plate, the base plate comprising two flat contact faces, the contact faces of the base plate being parallel to each other, the base plate located between the first planar member and the first rotatable plate;

and

the set further comprising a slide plate, the slide plate comprising two flat contact faces and being shiftable along at least one of its contact faces, the contact faces of the slide plate being non-parallel to each other, the slide plate located between the second planar member and the second rotatable plate, the slide plate having one of its contact faces in contact with the second planar member.