Digital measurement instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10673174-B2
Application number	US-201815967036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A digital measurement instrument with excellent environmental durability and at least a conventional level of usability including a main scale, a slider movable relative to the main scale, a displacement sensor configured to detect displacement or position of the slider in relation to the main scale, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls change between a normal measuring mode and an origin setting mode. The control circuit also sets and stores a first area, the first area being a preset predetermined range outside of a measurement range. The control circuit also changes operation mode from the normal measuring mode to the origin setting mode when the slider is detected to have stopped within the first area for a consecutive predetermined period of time. Additionally, the digital calipers are provided with no mechanical push button switches.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measurement instrument, comprising:
a fixed member;
a moving member movable relative to the fixed member;
a displacement sensor configured to detect displacement or position of the moving member in relation to the fixed member; and
a control circuit; wherein
the control circuit is configured to
control change between a first operation mode and a second operation mode,
set and store a first area, the first area being a preset predetermined range outside of a measurement range, and
change an operation mode from the first operation mode to the second operation mode when the moving member is detected to have stopped within the first area for a consecutive predetermined period of time.

2. Digital calipers, comprising:
a main scale;
a slider movable relative to the main scale;
a displacement sensor configured to detect displacement or position of the slider in relation to the main scale; and
a control circuit configured to
control change between a first operation mode and a second operation mode,
set and store a first area, the first area being a preset predetermined range outside of a measurement range, and
change an operation mode from the first operation mode to the second operation mode when the slider is detected to have stopped within the first area for a consecutive predetermined period of time.

3. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein
the second operation mode is an origin setting mode, and
the control circuit is further configured to set, as an origin, a detection value from the displacement sensor when the detection value is detected to have stopped at an identical value within a measurement range for a predetermined period of time, after the operation mode is changed to the origin setting mode.

4. The digital calipers according to claim 3 , wherein a mechanical push button switch is not provided.

5. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein a mechanical push button switch is not provided.

6. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a display device configured to display a result based on a detection by the displacement sensor.

7. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a wireless transmitter configured to transmit a result based on a detection by the displacement sensor.

8. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the first operation mode is a metric units operation mode.

9. The digital calipers according to claim 8 , wherein the second operation mode is an imperial units operation mode.

10. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the first operation mode is a origin setting operation mode.

11. The digital calipers according to claim 10 , wherein the second operation mode is a measurement operation mode.

12. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to control change between the first operation mode, the second operation mode, and a third operation mode.

13. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the consecutive predetermined period of time is 2 seconds or more.

14. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the consecutive predetermined period of time is 5 seconds or more.

15. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the consecutive predetermined period of time is 10 seconds or more.

16. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the first area is set to a value greater than 150.00 mm.

17. The digital calipers according to claim 16 , wherein the measurement range is between 0.0 mm and 150.00 mm.

18. The digital calipers according to claim 2 , wherein the first area is set to a range of from 150.01 to 155.00.

Assignees

• Mitutoyo Corp

Inventors

• Hayashida Shuuji

Classifications

• H01R13/52 Primary

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases · CPC title

• G01B3/205 Primary

  provided with a counter for digital indication of the measured dimension · CPC title

• G01B3/22

  Feeler-pin gauges, e.g. dial gauges (for measuring contours or curvatures G01B5/20) · CPC title

• G01B3/18

  Micrometers · CPC title

• G01B3/20 Primary

  Slide gauges · CPC title