Air gap measuring apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9026380-B2
Application number	US-201213528449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2012
Priority date	Dec 21, 2009
Publication date	May 5, 2015
Grant date	May 5, 2015

Abstract

Disclosed is an air gap measuring apparatus, for measuring width of an air gap formed between a rotator and a stator. An insertion section has a first flat plate section and a second flat plate section. Gap adjusting means drives the second flat plate section such that the second flat plate section moves away from the first flat plate section, until the first flat plate section and the second flat plate section abuts on the rotator and the stator. An operating section extends to outside of the insertion section, and operates the gap adjusting means. An elastic body has an end that follows the first flat plate section, and other end that follows the second flat plate section. A strain gage outputs electrical signals corresponding to the strain of the elastic body, the strain being formed due to the movement of the second flat plate section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air gap measuring apparatus for measuring width of an air gap formed between a rotator rotatably supported about an axis and a stator fixedly set up at an outer periphery of the rotator in a rotating electrical machine, the apparatus comprising:
an insertion section that has a first flat plate section, and a second flat plate section which is disposed parallel to the first flat plate section with a space and which is movable toward and away from the first flat plate section, the insertion section being configured to be inserted into the air gap;
gap adjusting means that is disposed inside the insertion section, and drives the second flat plate section such that the second flat plate section moves away from the first flat plate section, until an outer surface of the first flat plate section and an outer surface of the second flat plate section abuts on the outer periphery of the rotator and an inner periphery of the stator;
an operating section that is attached to the gap adjusting means, extends to outside of the insertion section, and operates the gap adjusting means;
an elastic body that has an end that follows the first flat plate section, and other end that follows the second flat plate section, such that strain is formed due to movement of the second flat plate section away from the first flat plate section;
a strain gage that is adhered on a surface of the elastic body, and outputs electrical signals corresponding to the strain of the elastic body, the strain being formed due to movement of the second flat plate section away from the first flat plate section; and
calculating means that is connected to the strain gage, and calculates distance between the first flat plate section and the second flat plate section based on the electrical signals from the strain gage.

2. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
an end of the elastic body is fixed to the first flat plate section so as to follows the first flat plate section, and other end of the elastic body abuts on an abutting bar which is fixed to the second flat plate section so as to follows the second flat plate section.

3. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the operating section has:
a tubular holding pole that is fixed to the first flat plate section, and extends outside of the insertion section; and
a pusher rod that is disposed penetrating the holding pole such that the pusher rod can slide in an insertion direction or in a direction opposite to the insertion direction with respect to the holding pole, an end of the pusher rod being attached to the gap adjusting means.

4. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the gap adjusting means is a wedge shape member which is disposed on an inner surface of the first flat plate section such that the wedge shape member slides on the inner surface of the first flat plate section, and when the wedge shape member slides in the insertion direction, a slope surface of the wedge shape member abuts on an abutting bar, and the second flat plate section moves away from the first flat plate section.

5. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the gap adjusting means is a link mechanism which has a turning bar, an end of the turning bar being rotatably attached to a front end of the pusher rod in the insertion direction, another and of the turning bars being rotatably attached to the second flat plate section, the link mechanism being so configured that that the turning bars rises when the pusher rod slides in the insertion direction, and the second flat plate section moves away from the first flat plate section.

6. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claims 3 , wherein
the operating section farther has:
biasing means that biases the pusher rod in the direction opposite to the insertion direction with respect to the holding pole.

7. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the insertion section has:
a first case that includes the first flat plate section as a bottom surface thereof;
a second case that includes the second flat plate section as an upper surface thereof; and
guide pins that engage the second case with the first case such that the second case is movable toward and away from the first case.

8. The air gap measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , farther comprising:
a display unit that displays the distance between the first flat plate section and the second flat plate section calculated by the calculating means.

Assignees

• Ito Kenichi
• Hashimoto Yasuaki
• Toshiba Mitsubishi Elec Inc

Inventors

• Ito Kenichi
• Hashimoto Yasuaki

Classifications

• G01B7/14

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B7/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01B5/14 Primary

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B5/24 takes precedence) · CPC title