There is provided a measuring device (dial gauge) capable of performing measurement with a desired measuring force regardless of the posture of the measuring device.

A dial gauge in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a measuring force adjustment unit provided to a body case and capable of moving and being positioned and fixed in a direction substantially parallel to a moving direction of a spindle.

A biasing means has one end directly or indirectly engaged with the spindle and the other end directly or indirectly engaged with the measuring force adjustment unit, and biases the spindle toward a tip end.

The measuring force adjustment unit includes an external thread portion and a connection supporting member having one end screwed with the external thread portion and the other end coupled to the biasing means. The connection supporting member is screw-fed by rotationally operating the external thread portion in such a manner that a position of the connection supporting member is changed and fixed.

A self-diagnosing sensor system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a bumper with fascia material. The sensor system includes an elongated, deflectable cable disposed in the bumper generally adjacent to the fascia material. A tensioning and sensing unit is coupled to each end of the cable and fixed to the vehicle. Each unit includes a tension sensor electrically connected with an ECU of the vehicle such that the ECU receives signals from the tension sensors regarding tension in the cable, indicative of 1) whether the bumper has been impacted based on deflection of the cable from a sensing position, or 2) whether damage to the cable or a tensioning and sensing unit has occurred.

A force sensing device is disclosed that includes a housing tip, a plurality of sensors stationarily spaced from each other, and a spring element connecting the housing tip to the sensors such that moving the housing tip and the sensor relative to each other causes a resilient deformation of the spring element. The spring element is configured to arrange the housing tip in a zero position relative to the sensors by a spring force of the spring element. The force sensing device is also equipped with a spring tensioning structure configured to adapt the spring force of the spring element.

A load detector includes a housing having a height direction, and a load sensor provided within the housing. The load detector further includes a base platform, an elastic beam and an elastic member, the base being floatingly supported on the housing by the elastic beam, and the elastic member being provided on the base platform for receiving a load force. With the load force is applied to the elastic member, the elastic beam and the elastic member are simultaneously elastically deformed in the height direction, and the load force is transmitted to the load sensor via the base platform. The base platform is floatingly supported on the housing by the elastic beam, so that a high sensitivity of the load sensor may be enabled and the load sensor may be prevented from damage caused by excessive load.

Embodiments of a series elastic actuator (SEA) disclosed herein include an elastic component coupled in series with a motor, wherein the elastic component comprises a pair of springs arranged concentrically around a central shaft of the housing for transmitting force to a mechanical ground of the SEA, and one or more spring support mechanisms arranged within an inner circumference of the springs. Some embodiments of the SEA may also include a spring deflection sensor, which is coupled within a recess formed within the mechanical ground of the SEA and configured to sense the force transmitted to the mechanical ground of the SEA.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a spring for inspecting the stress distribution of the spring under load. The method for manufacturing a spring (1) includes the steps of applying a load to the spring (1), measuring the stress of the spring (1) under the load, and releasing the load applied to the spring (1), the measuring the stress of the spring (1) being made by measuring the stress on the surface of the active part of the spring (1) using X-ray diffraction with the cosa method, and the method further including the step of determining whether the magnitude of the stress of the spring (1) meets a criterion.

A self-diagnosing sensor system for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a bumper with fascia material. The sensor system includes an elongated, deflectable cable disposed in the bumper generally adjacent to the fascia material. A tensioning and sensing unit is coupled to each end of the cable and fixed to the vehicle. Each unit includes a tension sensor electrically connected with an ECU of the vehicle such that the ECU receives signals from the tension sensors regarding tension in the cable, indicative of 1) whether the bumper has been impacted based on deflection of the cable from a sensing position, or 2) whether damage to the cable or a tensioning and sensing unit has occurred.

A load detector includes a housing having a height direction, and a load sensor provided within the housing. The load detector further includes a base platform, an elastic beam and an elastic member, the base being floatingly supported on the housing by the elastic beam, and the elastic member being provided on the base platform for receiving a load force. With the load force is applied to the elastic member, the elastic beam and the elastic member are simultaneously elastically deformed in the height direction, and the load force is transmitted to the load sensor via the base platform. The base platform is floatingly supported on the housing by the elastic beam, so that a high sensitivity of the load sensor may be enabled and the load sensor may be prevented from damage caused by excessive load.

A pressure sensing pointer includes a housing, an electromagnetic unit, a cartridge, a pressing member, a first elastic member, a second elastic member, and a pressure sensing element. The housing has an accommodating space and a port in communication with the accommodating space. The electromagnetic unit is located inside the accommodating space. The cartridge is movably disposed at the port along an axial direction. The pressing member is movably disposed in the accommodating space, and is in linkage connection to the cartridge. One end of the first elastic member is fixed on the pressing member. One end of the second elastic member abuts against the pressing member An amount of compression deformation of the second elastic member in the axial direction is greater than an amount of compression deformation of the first elastic member in the axial direction. The pressure sensing element faces toward the first elastic member.

A pressure sensing pointer includes a housing, an electromagnetic unit, a cartridge, a pressing member, a first elastic member, a second elastic member, and a pressure sensing element. The housing has an accommodating space and a port in communication with the accommodating space. The electromagnetic unit is located inside the accommodating space. The cartridge is movably disposed at the port along an axial direction. The pressing member is movably disposed in the accommodating space, and is in linkage connection to the cartridge. One end of the first elastic member is fixed on the pressing member. One end of the second elastic member abuts against the pressing member An amount of compression deformation of the second elastic member in the axial direction is greater than an amount of compression deformation of the first elastic member in the axial direction. The pressure sensing element faces toward the first elastic member.