Angle measuring device

• US 6,104,480 A
• Filed: 08/17/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Skultety-Betz, Uwe, Matzo, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US09/135,337
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 356/148, 356/140, 33/341, 33/452, 33/471, 33/495, 33/496, 33/497, 33/498, 33/499, 33/500
• US Class Current: 356/148
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/24 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes

Abstract

An angle measuring device comprising two legs, a hinge supporting the legs turnably relative to one another about a common axis, at least one rotor, drive unit driving the rotor rotatably about a rotary axis coincided with the turning axis, reference points associated with the legs, at least one reference mark rotating together with the rotor and passing the reference points over a rotary path, the hinge having a central bearing part which is fixedly connected with one of the legs, and a bearing receptacle provided for the other of the legs and arranged concentrically to the turning axis.

Claims

1. An angle measuring device comprising two legs;

a hinge supporting said legs turnably relative to one another about a common axis;

at least one rotor;

drive means driving said rotor rotatably about a rotary axis coinciding with said turning axis;

reference points associated with said legs;

at least one reference mark rotating together with said rotor and passing said reference points over a rotary path, said hinge having a central bearing part which is fixedly connected with one of said legs and forms bearing receptacle provided for the other of said legs and arranged concentrically to said turning axis.

2. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing part is hollow cylindrical and at least partially receives said drive means, said bearing receptacle for the other of said legs being provided on an outer periphery of said bearing part.

3. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 2, wherein said bearing part is cup-shaped.

4. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 2, wherein said drive means has a drive motor provided with a bearing projection which is oriented concentrically to a rotary axis of said drive shaft and which engages in an opening formed in a bottom of said cup-shaped bearing part concentrically to said turning axis.

5. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said one leg is composed of a U-shaped profile, said other leg being composed of a rectangular hollow profile, said U-shaped profile receiving said hollow profile in a folded position of the angle measuring device.

6. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 5, wherein each of said legs has at least one throughgoing opening which in the folded position of the angle measuring device coincides with a corresponding throughgoing opening of another of said legs.

7. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference points of said legs are arranged so that they are passed one after the other by said reference mark of said rotor.

8. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference points are formed by sensors.

9. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 8, wherein said sensors are formed by fork light barriers, said reference marks at a side of said rotor being formed by a projection extending outwardly beyond a periphery of said rotor.

10. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 9, wherein said projection has an interruption edge which is formed at least partially along a radial ray extending through said turning axis.

11. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 10, wherein said rotor is formed substantially as a disc which, for compensation of imbalance, is provided with a compensating opening radially between said projection and said turning axis.

12. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing part supports a turning support concentrically to said turning axis, said turning support being non-rotatably connected with said other leg and carries a sensor associated with said other leg.

13. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising a support non-rotatably supported on said bearing part and carrying a sensor associated with said second leg.

14. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein said legs are provided with lateral measuring surfaces and abutment surfaces which are offset relative to said measuring surfaces by 90°

and provided with outwardly projecting ribs.

15. An angle measuring device as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said legs is provided with an evaluating device which together with an indicating device and operational buttons is assembled to form a mounting assembly which is inserted in a corresponding one of said legs.