ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FASTENING DEVICES

Abstract

Electronic device for measuring the characteristics of fastening devices, comprising a box-shaped body (2) traversed by at least one cylinder (21), rotating with respect to the box-shaped body that transmits the rotary motion received by such a fastening device and a sensor capable of measuring the rotary torque and the rotation angle on said cylinder.

Such a device comprises means for detecting the relative rotation between box-shaped body (2) and rotation driving cylinder (21).

Claims

1. Electronic device for measuring the characteristics of fastening devices, comprising at least one box-shaped body (2) traversed by at least one cylinder (21), rotating with respect to the box-shaped body which transmits the rotary motion received by such fastening device, at least one sensor capable of measuring the rotary torque and the rotation angle on said cylinder, characterised in that it comprises means for detecting the relative rotation between the box-shaped body (2) and the rotation driving cylinder (21).

2. Device according to claim 1 wherein such detection means comprise at least one gyroscope.

3. Device according to claim 1 wherein the measured value of the relative rotation between the box-shaped body and the cylinder is subtracted from the detected value of the rotation angle of the cylinder with the aim of detecting a more reliable measurement of the fastening instrument.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein an electrical connector (23) is associated with such a box-shaped body, into said electrical connector (23) a control unit (24) for controlling the sensor measurement is fitted, said control unit (24) comprising at least one command and control electronic board for commanding and controlling said sensor, with which command and control electronic board (24) transmission means for transmitting via radio the data detected by the sensors to a central unit (U) are associated.

5. Device according to claim 1 wherein on such box-shaped body an electric connector (23) is present, in which a connection cable (C) is fitted between the measuring device and a central processing unit (U).

Description

[0017] The characteristics and advantages of the measuring device according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given as a non-limiting example, of an embodiment made with reference to the attached figures that respectively illustrate:

[0018] FIG. 1a is a results graph of a first type of measuring test able to be carried out with the device of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 1b is a results graph of a second type of measuring test able to be carried out with the device of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is an electronic device in perspective according to the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 3a is a radio connection network between a device according to the present invention and a central apparatus;

[0022] FIG. 3b is a cable connection network between a device according to the present invention and a central apparatus.

[0023] With reference to the cited figures, the measuring device according to the present invention comprises a box-shaped body 2 traversed by a cylinder 21, rotating with respect to the box-shaped body, through suitable bearings. Such a cylinder transmits the rotary motion of the fastening device, for example from a screwer A, to a screw V.

[0024] At the opposite ends of such a cylinder, means 22 adapted for coupling the sensor itself both with the screwer and with the screw are of course provided.

[0025] Upon the movement of such a cylinder, which defines the rotation shaft, both the measurement of rotary torque and of rotation angle are carried out.

[0026] Such measurements are carried out for example through strain gauges for measuring torque, force, compression, etc . . . rather than encoders for measuring the rotation angle of the cylinder.

[0027] According to the present invention, such a measuring device also comprises means for detecting the relative rotation between box-shaped body 2 and cylinder 21 for transmitting the rotation.

[0028] Preferably, such detection means comprise at least one gyroscope.

[0029] In a first embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 3a) such a box-shaped body is associated with an electrical connector 23, in which a unit 24 for controlling the measurement of the sensor engages, which comprises at least one electronic command and control board for said sensor, with which radio transmission means (for example by wi-fi or bluetooth) of the data detected by the sensors, to such a central unit U are associated.

[0030] In a second embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 3b), on such a box-shaped body there is an electrical connector 23 in which a connection cable C between the measuring device and a central processing unit U engages.

[0031] Such detection is suitably considered, when at the moment of measurement of the rotation angle through the encoders, it is necessary to verify whether such a measurement is “compromised by a possible rotation of the box-shaped body with respect to the cylinder, due to the inevitable contribution of the friction existing between cylinder and bearings.

[0032] The contribution of the detection of the gyroscope is subtracted from the detection of the angle carried out by the encoder in order to detect a more reliable measurement of the actual rotation angle of the fastening instrument.

[0033] Such processing can be carried out both on board the sensor, for example in the embodiment of FIG. 3a, in which there is a local processing unit, and in the central unit U, like for example in the embodiment of FIG. 3b where the signals are directly sent to such a unit U.