Securing device for transporting and mounting a measuring arrangement

• US 7,143,523 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
• Original Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
• Inventors: Mauermann, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US10/958,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 337/02, 337/06, 337/07, 337/08
• US Class Current: 33/706
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/34761 Protection devices, e.g. caps; Blowing devices

Abstract

A securing device for transporting and mounting a measuring arrangement that includes a linearly extending measuring graduation, a support body for the measuring graduation, a scanning device for scanning the measuring graduation, and a mounting base for fastening the scanning device to one of two components movable with respect to each other. The securing device includes a base body which is longitudinally shifted along a guide track of the support body and which is on the one hand fixable to the mounting base and which is on the other hand fixable to the support body in order to maintain the mounting base in a defined nominal position with respect to the support body and an extended part protruding away from the base body and extending along the measuring graduation in an extension direction. A connector provided on the extended part which can be automatically brought into engagement with a connecting point of the mounting base.

Claims

1. A securing device for transporting and mounting a measuring arrangement for the determination of the position of two components which are movable with respect to each other, said measuring arrangement comprising a linearly extending measuring graduation, a support body for said measuring graduation, a scanning device for scanning said measuring graduation, which is guided at a defined distance from said measuring graduation, and a mounting base for fastening said scanning device to one of said two components which are movable with respect to each other, wherein said securing device comprises:

a base body which is longitudinally shifted along a guide track of said support body, and which is on the one hand fixable to said mounting base; and

which is on the other hand fixable to said support body in order to maintain said mounting base in a defined nominal position with respect to said support body; and

an extended part protruding away from said base body and extending along said measuring graduation in an extension direction; and

a connector provided on said extended part which can be automatically brought into engagement with a connecting point of said mounting base, wherein said connector is distanced from said base body in said extension direction, and said connector is provided at an end of said extended part distanced from said base body and said connector is brought into engagement with said connecting point by shifting said base body in said extension direction.

2. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connector is formed as one piece on said extended part.

3. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connector is inserted into said connecting point of said mounting base.

4. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connector makes a plug connection.

5. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connector makes a positive connection.

6. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said extended part is angled off in an area of said connector, so that the connector slides over a ramp of said connecting point.

7. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a section of said extended part is moved transversely with respect to said extension direction by elastic deformation.

8. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connector comprises a contact protrusion which engages said connecting point.

9. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said extended part is formed as one piece on said base body.

10. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a guide provided on said extended part, said guide shifts said extended part along an associated guide device of said support body in said extension direction.

11. The securing device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said guide adjoins said connector in said extension direction.

12. The securing device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said guide comprises a first guide area and a second guide area, which are spaced apart from each other in said extension direction and are provided on said extended part.

13. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said extended part comprises a first leg and a second leg, each of which extends substantially parallel with respect to each other, and said first leg is provided with said connector and said second leg is provided with a second connector.

14. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base body is fastened on said mounting base by being shifted along a guide track of said support body.

15. The securing device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said base body is positively connected with said mounting base by a snap-in connection and/or a plug connection.

16. The securing device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said base body comprises a plug element that is plugged into a plug area of said mounting base.

17. The securing device in accordance with claim 16, wherein said plug element comprises a protrusion that is inserted into a recess of said mounting base.

18. The securing device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said base body comprises a snap-in element snapped into a snap-in opening of said mounting base.

19. The securing device in accordance with claim 18, wherein said snap-in element comprises a snap-in lever that is snapped into said snap-in opening.

20. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base body comprises a guide that allows said base body to be shifted along a guide track of said support body in said extension direction.

21. The securing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base body comprises a clamping device that clamps on said support body.

22. The securing device in accordance with claim 21, wherein said base body comprises a guide that allows said base body to be shifted along a guide track of said support body in said extension direction.

23. The securing device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said guide is clamped in place on said guide track by said clamping device.

24. The securing device in accordance with claim 23, wherein an actuator is provided on said base body, said actuator actuates said clamping device, which acts on a clamping element of said clamping device.

25. The securing device in accordance with claim 24, wherein said actuator is rotatable.

26. The securing device in accordance with claim 25, wherein said actuator comprises a knurled screw or a knurled nut.

27. The securing device in accordance with claim 24, wherein a blocker is provided at said actuator, said blocker works together with a second blocker associated with said base body so as to limit a return movement of said actuator.

28. The securing device in accordance with claim 27, wherein snap-in points are provided on said actuator for arresting said actuator at different positions, each of which corresponds to a different state of said clamping device which is actuated by said actuator.

29. The securing device in accordance with claim 24, wherein markers are provided on said actuator, which represent different states of said clamping device which is actuatable by said actuator.

30. A measuring arrangement for determining the position of two components, which are movable in relation to each other, the arrangement comprising:

a linearly extending measuring graduation;

a support body for said measuring graduation, said support body comprising a guide track;

a scanning device that scans said measuring graduation and is guided at a defined distance from said measuring graduation;

a mounting base that fastens said scanning device to one of said two components which are movable with respect to each other; and

a securing device comprising;

a base body longitudinally shifted along said guide track, wherein said base body can be fastened to said mounting base and said base body can be fastened to said support body in order to maintain said mounting base in a defined nominal position with respect to said support body; and

an extended part protruding away from said base body and extending along said measuring graduation in an extension direction; and

a connector provided on said extended part which can be automatically brought into engagement with a connecting point of said mounting base; and

wherein said mounting base comprises a first face and a second face that are spaced apart from each other in said extension direction, wherein said base body can be fixed in place on said first face, and said extended part can be fixed in place on said mounting base at said connecting point, which is distant from said first face in said extension direction.

31. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein a connecting point is provided on said mounting base, which is automatically engaged by said connector when said base body is fixed in place on said mounting base.

32. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 31, wherein said connector snaps into said connecting point when said base body is shifted along said guide track for being fastened to said mounting base.

33. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 32, wherein said connector is brought into engagement with said connecting point in a positively connected manner.

34. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 31, wherein said connecting point has a ramp that allows said extended part to be moved in an area of said connector in a direction transverse with respect to said extension direction.

35. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 34, wherein said connector is moved transversely with respect to said extension direction by said ramp in such a way that a guide of said extended part is pushed against a stop of said guide track.

36. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein said extended part extends between said mounting base and said support body.

37. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, further comprising an insertion heel provided on said mounting base for easing movement of said connector to said connecting point.

38. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein said base body is fastened on said mounting base by being shifted along a guide track of said support body and said mounting base comprises a second connecting point that is assigned to a second connector of said extended part.

39. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein a plug area for introducing a plug element of said base body is provided on said mounting base.

40. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein said base body comprises a snap-in element snapped into a snap-in opening of said mounting base and wherein a snap-in point for snapping in said snap-in element is provided on said mounting body.

41. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 40, wherein said snap-in element comprises a snap-in lever that is snapped into said snap-in opening.

42. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein said base body comprises:

a clamping device that clamps on said support body;

a guide that allows said base body to be shifted along a guide track of said support body in said extension direction, wherein said guide is clamped in place on said guide track by said clamping device;

a first blocker that defines a return stop;

wherein an actuator is provided on said base body, said actuator actuates said clamping device, which acts on a clamping element of said clamping device; and

wherein a second blocker is provided at said actuator, said second blocker works together with said first blocker so as to limit a return movement of said actuator.

43. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein said base body comprises:

a clamping device that clamps on said support body;

a guide that allows said base body to be shifted along a guide track of said support body in said extension direction, wherein said guide is clamped in place on said guide track by said clamping device;

a snap-in element;

wherein an actuator is provided on said base body, said actuator actuates said clamping device, which acts on a clamping element of said clamping device, wherein snap-in points are provided on said actuator for arresting said actuator at different positions, each of which corresponds to a different state of said clamping device which is actuated by said actuator; and

wherein said snap-in element snaps into said snap-in points.

44. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 30, wherein a guide track of said support body comprises a guide to which said securing device can be clamped.

45. The measuring arrangement in accordance with claim 44, wherein said support body comprises a second guide that extends parallel with said first guide in order to fix a position of said securing device in a plane defined by said first and second guides transversely to said extension direction.