Dial gauge

• US 6,497,052 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Inventors: Nishimura, Yasunori, Shinohara, Toshiyuki, Fujimitsu, Toru, Suzuki, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US09/803,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 338/32, 338/25, 338/31, 338/33, 335/49, 335/56, 335/59
• US Class Current: 33/832
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/22 Feeler-pin gauges, e.g. dial gauges for measuring contours or curvatures G01B5/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/02 Bearings or suspensions for moving parts

Abstract

A dial gauge (1A) has stem bush (20) having a fitting (21) fitted to an inner wall of a stem (5) and having a predetermined clearance between a spindle (3), a holder (22) for slidably holding the spindle (3) while securing a predetermined clearance against the inner wall of the stem (5), and an elastically deformable connector (23) for connecting the fitting (21) and the holder (22), whereby an influence of deformation of the stem (5) and the fitting (21) on the holder (22) during clamping can be minimized, so that the dial gauge (1A) can be fixed to a supporting stand without deteriorating slidability of the spindle (3).

Claims

1. A dial gauge, comprising:

a spindle having a probe to be in contact with a workpiece at a distal end thereof;

a body; and

a stem provided to the body for slidably holding the spindle through a stem bush, wherein the stern bush has;

a fitting fitted to an inner wall of the stem while securing a predetermined first clearance relative to the spindle;

a holder for slidably holding the spindle, and having a predetermined second clearance relative to the spindle; and

an elastically deformable connector for connecting the fitting and the holder, the first clearance between the fitting and the spindle being larger than the second clearance between the holder and the spindle.

2. The dial gauge according to claim 1, wherein the fitting is formed in a cylinder, and wherein the holder is formed in a cylinder having a diameter capable of keeping the second clearance.

3. The dial gauge according to claim 2, wherein the fitting and the holder are spaced apart along an axial direction of the spindle, and wherein the connector is a tapered cylinder connecting the fitting and the holder, one end of the connector having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the fitting and the other end of the connector having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the holder.

4. The dial gauge according to claim 2, wherein the holder is located in the cylinder of the fitting, and wherein the connector connects mutually adjacent ones of ends of the fitting and the holder, the thickness of the connector being smaller than the respective thickness of the fitting and the holder.

5. The dial gauge according to claim 2, wherein the fitting and the holder are spaced apart along an axial direction of the spindle, and wherein the connector connects a part of mutually opposing ends of the fitting and the holder, the connector being thinner than the respective cylinders of the fitting and the holder.