Wireless taper gauge and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255779-B2
Application number	US-201314133967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Oct 9, 2013
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A taper gauge that includes an elongate taper assembly that has a tip section and an electronics section that includes a location determining element that collects data related to a measurement area when the tip section is inserted in the measurement area and a power source. An embodiment allows for increased precision, accuracy, and speed for wireless measurement of gaps. A method and system that uses the taper gauge.

First claim

We claim:

1. A taper gauge comprising:
an elongate taper assembly having a tip section;
an electronics section comprising:
a location determining element configured to collect data related to a measurement area when the tip section is inserted in the measurement area, the location determining element comprises a sensor section comprising a linear displacement sensor configured to obtain a displacement of a slidable measurement assembly upon engaging thereof, wherein the slidable measurement assembly is slidably engaged with the elongate taper assembly, the location determining element comprises a linear encoded section that is further in communication with the elongate taper assembly, wherein the linear encoded section comprises a magnetic encoded section comprising two rows of pole pairs, the first row of pole pairs having n pole pairs and the second row having n−1 pole pairs and a the linear displacement sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor associated with each of the first and second row of pole pairs; and
a power source.

2. The taper gauge of claim 1 , the electronics section further comprising a transmitting element configured to wirelessly transmit the collected data to a computing device.

3. The taper gauge of claim 1 , the electronics section further comprising a receiving element configured to wirelessly receive data derived from the collected data.

4. A method comprising:
inserting an elongate taper assembly of a taper gauge into a measurement area, wherein the taper gauge further comprises:
a slidable measurement assembly; and
an electronics section comprising:
a location determining element configured to collect data related to a measurement area, the location determining element comprises a sensor section comprising a linear displacement sensor configured to obtain a displacement of a slidable measurement assembly upon engaging thereof, wherein the slidable measurement assembly is slidably engaged with the elongate taper assembly, the location determining element comprises a linear encoded section that is further in communication with the elongate taper assembly, wherein the linear encoded section comprises a magnetic encoded section comprising two rows of pole pairs, the first row of pole pairs having n pole pairs and the second row having n−1 pole pairs and a the linear displacement sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor associated with each of the first and second row of pole pairs; and

a power source;

sliding the slidable measurement assembly until a portion of slidable measurement assembly contacts a surface of the measurement area; and
initiating the location determining element so as to collect data related to a dimension of the measurement area.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the dimension comprises a width of a gap.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising digitally calibrating the taper gauge.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising wirelessly connecting the taper gauge to a computing device.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting the collected data to a computing device.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising wirelessly receiving from the computing device data derived from the collected data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data received is received at the taper gauge.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting the collected data to one of: a computer cloud, a taper gauge, a second computing device, a person;
processing the collected data.

12. The method of claim 11 , the processing comprising providing the dimension.

13. A measurement system comprising:
a taper gauge comprising:
an elongate taper assembly having a tip section at a first end distal from a second end; and
a measurement assembly engaging the taper assembly, wherein the measurement assembly comprises an electronics section, said electronics section comprising a location determining element configured to collect data related to a measurement area when the tip section is inserted in the measurement area and a power source, the location determining element comprises a sensor section comprising a linear displacement sensor configured to obtain a displacement of a slidable measurement assembly upon engaging thereof, wherein the slidable measurement assembly is slidably engaged with the elongate taper assembly, the location determining element comprises a linear encoded section that is further in communication with the elongate taper assembly, wherein the linear encoded section comprises a magnetic encoded section comprising two rows of pole pairs, the first row of pole pairs having n pole pairs and the second row having n−1 pole pairs and a the linear displacement sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor associated with each of the first and second row of pole pairs; and
a computing device in wireless communication with the taper gauge.

14. The measurement system of claim 13 , wherein the electronics section is configured to wirelessly transmit the collected data and wirelessly receive data derived from the collected data.

15. The taper gauge of claim 1 , wherein the first row of pole pairs has 64 pairs and the second row has 63 pole pairs.

16. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first row of pole pairs has 64 pairs and the second row has 63 pole pairs.

17. The measurement system of claim 13 , wherein the first row of pole pairs has 64 pairs and the second row has 63 pole pairs.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Laflen John Brandon
• Herbold John William
• Hendrix William Judson
• Karp Jason Harris
• Polishchuk Yakov
• Tait Robert William
• Wik Steven William
• Wu Juntao

Classifications

• G01B3/306

  with inclined slide plane · CPC title

• G01B3/26 Primary

  Plug gauges · CPC title

• G01B3/46

  Plug gauges for internal dimensions with engaging surfaces which are at a fixed distance, although they may be preadjustable · CPC title

• G01B5/14

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