Apparatus for measuring dimensions of travelling objects

• US 3,997,270 A
• Filed: 07/14/1975
• Issued: 12/14/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shinri Kogyo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shinri Kogyo Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bauer, Edward S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Punter, Wm. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/595,831
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 356/102, 356/159-160, 356/167, 250/223-224, 250/223 B, 250/560, 250/571-572
• US Class Current: 356/634
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/04 specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/105 using photoelectric detection means

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring a dimension of an object which is travelling through a measuring position comprising a conveying belt, a pair of plane mirrors each of which is arranged at each side of said conveying belt, a laser light source producing a laser light beam which is repeatedly reflected between said plane mirrors so as to form a light screen at said measuring position and a photoelectric converting device receiving the laser beam leaving said plane mirrors. The apparatus further comprises a pulse generator for producing a number of pulses a repetition rate of which is proportional to the movement of said object, a pulse counter for counting the number of said pulses for a time interval during which said object enters in said light screen and a device for calculating said dimension of the object on the basis of a count value of said pulse counter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring dimensions of travelling objects comprising:

conveying means for transferring the objects to be measured through a measuring position;

a base member arranged at one side of said conveying means;

a substantially U-shaped frame having two leg portions, one of which is secured to the base member and the other leg portion is of a free end;

a laser light source for producing a laser light beam and secured to the base member;

a pair of plane mirrors each of which is arranged on the respective one of said leg portions, said plane mirrors being so arranged with respect to each other that the laser light beam is incident upon one of said plane mirrors and is repeatedly reflected between said plane mirrors so as to form a light screen at said measuring position;

photoelectric converting means arranged to receive the laser beam leaving the plane mirrors and produce a first signal representing time intervals during which said objects are in the light screen;

a pulse generator for producing pulses the number of which is related to amounts of movements of said objects by means of the conveying means;

a pulse counter for counting the number of those pulses which are generated in the time intervals during which said photoelectric converting means produce said first signal;

means for calculating the dimensions of the objects on the basis of the count values of said pulse counter; and

means for securing said plane mirrors to said leg portions of the frame in an adjustable manner, said adjustably securing means including a vertical angle adjusting plate onto which the plane mirror is cemented, a horizontal angle adjusting plate is pivotally coupled, a spring member disposed between these angle adjusting plates, a vertical angle adjusting member provided in the vertical angle adjusting plate at an end position which is remote from the pivotally coupled position, means for securing said horizontal angle adjusting plate to the leg portion in such a manner that the horizontal angle adjusting plate can be tilted with respect to the leg portion so as to adjust the horizontal angle of the plane mirror.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light screen is so positioned that it intersects with the travelling direction of the objects to be measured at about 45°

and said apparatus further comprises another set of a laser light source, a pair of plane mirrors and photoelectric converting means, this other set being so arranged that it produces another light screen which intersects with said first mentioned light screen substantially at right angles.