Angle Measurement System

Abstract

The present invention relates to an angle measuring system comprising an angle measuring instrument (1) and a rotation transmitter (2). The angle measuring instrument (1) comprises a shaft (1.11) and a housing (1.21), wherein the shaft (1.11) is rotatably arranged relative to the housing (1.21) about an axis (A), and the housing (1.21) has a notch (1.211). The rotation transmitter (2) has a main stage component (2.1) with a main stage winding (2.11) for transmitting electrical power. The main stage component (2.1) has a fixing device (2.12) arranged in a manner that achieves an overlapping arrangement of the fixing device (2.12) with respect to the notch (1.211) of the housing (1.21). Correspondingly, the threaded part (1.23) can be inserted not only through the notch (1.211) but also through the fixing device (2.12) for fixing the angle measuring instrument (1) together with the rotation transmitter (2) at the first machine component. In addition, the main stage component (2.1) has a bag-shaped portion (2.13) in which a circuit board (2.14) is arranged, wherein the bag-shaped portion (2.13) is radially offset relative to the main stage winding (2.11) outside the housing (1.21) and partially surrounds the housing (1.21) in segments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an angle measuring system according to claim 1, comprising an angle measuring instrument and a rotation transmitter for non-contact transmission of electrical signals and / or electrical power. Background Technology

[0002] An angle measuring instrument is used, for example, as an angle measuring device to determine the angular position of two machine parts that can rotate relative to each other. Here, the angular position is detected incrementally or absolutely. For example, such an angle measuring device or assembly is often used in conjunction with a rundtisch in a machining center to accurately determine the angular position of the rundtisch. Furthermore, rundtisches are used in measuring machines, where workpieces fixed to the rundtisch are measured. Angle measuring instruments are particularly used in machine tools or measuring machines to measure rotary motion.

[0003] In addition, it is often necessary to transmit electrical energy or electrical signals from stationary machine parts to rotating machine parts in the corresponding machines.

[0004] For this reason, slip rings or contactless rotary transmitters or couplers are used in the structure of the relevant machines.

[0005] An angle measurement system is described in EP 3 179 217 A1, in which a rotation transmitter has an optical mark that is rotatably arranged relative to a photodiode unit that serves as a sensor. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an angle measurement system that can perform angle measurement and wirelessly transmit electrical signals and / or electrical power. The invention enables the angle measurement system to achieve a compact and economically manufacturable modular structure.

[0007] According to the present invention, this objective is achieved by the features of claim 1.

[0008] The angle measuring system according to the invention includes an angle measuring instrument and a rotary transmitter for contactless or wireless transmission of electrical signals and / or electrical power. The corresponding angle measuring instrument itself includes a shaft and a housing. Here, the shaft is rotatably arranged relative to the housing about an axis. The housing radially surrounds the shaft, such that the housing has walls extending about the shaft in the circumferential direction at radial intervals. Furthermore, the housing has a notch, particularly a hole. The rotary transmitter has a main stage component with main stage windings, particularly for transmitting electrical power. Furthermore, the rotary transmitter has fixing devices arranged in a geometric pattern. This pattern is designed such that the fixing devices (e.g., by rotating the angle measuring instrument relative to the rotary transmitter) overlap or are oriented with respect to the notch in the housing, such that a threaded element can be inserted not only through the notch but also through the fixing device for securing the angle measuring instrument together with the rotary transmitter to a first machine component. Thus, the angle measuring instrument can be simultaneously secured to the first machine component and the main stage component to the housing of the angle measuring instrument by means of the threaded element. Furthermore, the rotary transmitter has a pouch-shaped portion in which a circuit board is arranged. This pouch-shaped portion is radially offset from the main winding relative to its axial direction outside the housing and partially surrounds the housing in segments. Therefore, the pouch-shaped portion can be geometrically described as a hollow cylindrical segment.

[0009] In the following, the axial direction should be understood as the direction parallel to the following axis about which relative rotation between the shaft and the housing can be made.

[0010] Advantageously, the circuit board has a surface equipped with electronic components, wherein the circuit board is arranged such that the normal vector of the surface has a radial directional component. According to the usual definition in geometry, a normal vector is a vector orthogonal to the associated (and possibly curved) surface of the circuit board.

[0011] In another design of the present invention, the circuit board has an antenna for transmitting electrical signals from the primary component to the secondary component.

[0012] Advantageously, the circuit board comprises multiple rigid bases interconnected by at least one flexible conductor. The circuit board can be designed as a rigid-flexible circuit board, for example, utilizing one or more flexible polyimide films between rigid FR4 bases.

[0013] According to another embodiment of the invention, the rotary transmitter has a secondary component that can be fixed to a second machine component that is rotatable about an axis relative to the first machine component. Furthermore, the secondary component (with respect to the axis) is arranged with an axial offset relative to the primary component.

[0014] Advantageously, the primary component has a primary winding for transmitting electrical power. Furthermore, the secondary component has a secondary winding, wherein an air gap exists between the primary and secondary windings along the axial direction, such that the air gap extends in the axial direction.

[0015] Advantageously, the housing has a first outer diameter and the main stage component has a second outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is smaller than the second outer diameter.

[0016] In addition, the main winding can be arranged radially outside the fixed device or threaded component.

[0017] Advantageously, the housing has a recess, and a fixing device (e.g., a tab with a hole therein) is constructed to protrude, wherein the fixing device is received in the recess. In particular, the recess can extend in the axial direction, that is, a smaller area of ​​the housing wall in the region of the recess is arranged axially offset relative to the housing wall. The fixing device can then be constructed to protrude in the axial direction.

[0018] The shell advantageously has a circular outer profile and is designed to be very close to a columnar shape. The recess is thus located at the end of the columnar shell.

[0019] Advantageously, the angle measuring instrument has a first cable connector, and the rotation transmitter has a second cable connector. The housing and bag-like portion are designed such that the first and second cable connectors are tangentially oriented about the axis.

[0020] Advantageous designs of the present invention are known from the dependent claims. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Further details and advantages of the angle measurement system according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] in:

[0023] Figure 1 A perspective view of the angle measuring instrument is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 A cross-section through the angle measurement system is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 An exploded perspective view of the rotating transmitter is shown.

[0026] Figure 4 A perspective detail view of the fixing device of the rotating transmitter is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 A perspective exploded view of the angle measurement system is shown.

[0028] Figure 6A perspective view of the rotating transmitter is shown.

[0029] Figure 7 A perspective view of the angle measurement system is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0030] exist Figure 1 An angle measuring instrument 1 is shown, which can be mounted, for example, at the axis of the circular worktable of a machine tool (such as a milling machine). The angle measuring instrument 1 includes a first component group 1.1 and a second component group 1.2. According to... Figure 1 The first component group 1.1 is rotatable about the rotation axis A relative to the second component group 1.2, such that the first component group 1.1 can function as a rotor and the second component group 1.2 can also be referred to as a stator. The second component group 1.2 includes a housing 1.21 with a circular outer wall. The housing 1.21 further has recesses 1.212 or recesses extending in the axial direction and a plurality of notches 1.211, which are designed as four through holes in the illustrated embodiment. In order to supply electrical power to the angle measuring instrument 1 and to derive a signal containing the measured angle information, according to Figure 1 The housing 1.21 of the angle measuring instrument 1 has a cable connector 1.29 (a plug connector in the illustrated embodiment) which has a tangential direction about axis A, thus providing a tangential first cable outlet.

[0031] exist Figure 2 A cross-section through the angle measuring instrument 1 is shown in particular. Therefore, the angle measuring instrument 1 includes a bearing 1.3, which is a rolling bearing in the illustrated embodiment. The first component group 1.1 has a shaft 1.11, which is designed as a hollow shaft and at which a scale element 1.12 is fixed in a rotationally resistant manner. The shaft 1.11 is used to accommodate, for example, a machine shaft belonging to a circular worktable, such that the machine shaft is thus rigidly and rotationally connected to the shaft 1.11. The scale element 1.12 includes graduations, wherein, in the illustrated embodiment, the scale element 1.12 is designed as an annular disk, with the graduations arranged on the annular surface at the end sides of the annular disk.

[0032] The housing 1.21 protects the internal space of the angle measuring instrument 1 from environmental influences. In this regard, a seal 1.28 is provided between the shaft 1.11 and the housing 1.21. Figure 2 ).according to Figure 2Inside the housing 1.21, there is a position sensor 1.26, which is anti-rotatably connected to the housing. This position sensor is positioned opposite the scale element 1.12 via an axial air gap. Therefore, the housing 1.21 and the position sensor 1.26 belong to the second component group 1.2 of the angle measuring instrument 1. The position sensor 1.26 includes an LED, a capacitor, and a sensor element, which is designed here as a so-called optoelectronic ASIC on a circuit board. The LED, acting as a light source, transmits light through the capacitor to the scale element 1.12. The LED, capacitor, and sensor element belong to the second component group 1.2 of the angle measuring instrument 1, namely the stator. The sensor element receives the light modulated by the rotatable scale element 1.12 and converts it into an electrical signal containing angular information.

[0033] according to Figure 2 The housing 1.21 has a first outer diameter d. A threaded member 1.23 can be inserted through a notch 1.211 in the housing 1.21. In this way, the angle measuring instrument 1 can be rigidly fixed to a first machine component for measurement operation by means of the threaded member 1.23, which in particular has a corresponding hole with internal threads.

[0034] The second component group 1.2 further includes a compensating connector 1.27. This compensating connector is used to compensate for displacement caused by natural manufacturing and assembly errors.

[0035] In addition, according to Figures 2 to 7 The angle measurement system includes a rotation transmitter 2. The rotation transmitter 2 includes a primary component 2.1 and a secondary component 2.2. The primary component 2.1 and the secondary component 2.2 each have a circular, particularly annular, shape and a second outer diameter D. The rotation transmitter 2 is used herein for contactless or wireless transmission of electrical signals and power.

[0036] In order to transmit electrical power, the main stage component 2.1 includes a toroidal extended main stage winding 2.11 (see...). Figure 2 and Figure 3 The inner diameter of the main winding 2.11 is larger than the outer diameter d of the housing 1.21. The main component 2.1 has a fixing device 2.12 (see...). Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the fixing device is designed as a radially inwardly pointing tab, in which a hole 2.121 is introduced. The fixing device 2.12 is designed to protrude in the axial direction. In the illustrated embodiment, according to Figure 4 The fixing device 2.12 protrudes along the axial direction at a height y.

[0037] The main winding 2.11 is radially arranged outside the fixing device 2.11, which is radially arranged outside the inwardly protruding contact piece. These fixing devices 2.12 are arranged according to a pattern corresponding to the notch 1.211 of the housing 1.21, such that the fixing devices 2.12 can overlap with the notch 1.211 of the housing 1.21 by corresponding rotation of the main component 2.1 about axis A. The fixing devices 2.12 (contact pieces) precisely engage with the recess 1.212 or recess of the housing 1.21 during relative axial movement. In this position, the angle measuring instrument 1 can be fixed not only to the first machine component but also to the housing 1.21 by the threaded part 1.23. The main winding 2.11 is then radially arranged outside the threaded part 1.23. Figure 2 The first outer diameter d of the housing 1.21 is smaller than the second outer diameter D of the main stage component 2.1. In particular, the angle measurement system is configured such that the first outer diameter d of the housing 1.21 is smaller than the inner diameter of the main stage winding 2.11.

[0038] Furthermore, the main stage component 2.1 has a bag-shaped portion 2.13, which is arranged axially offset relative to the main stage winding 2.11. In the illustrated embodiment, the bag-shaped portion 2.13 is designed as a hollow cylindrical segment that extends radially outside the housing 1.21 in the circumferential direction by approximately 60°. Therefore, the bag-shaped portion 2.13 partially (i.e., partially circumferentially) surrounds the housing 1.21 in a segmented manner.

[0039] according to Figure 2 The bag-shaped portion 2.13 has an internal cavity in which a circuit board 2.14 is arranged. In the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board 2.14 is implemented as a rigid-flexible circuit board and consists of two rigid bases interconnected by a flexible conductor acting as a flexible conductor element. With this structural configuration, the circuit board 2.14 can be placed into the internal cavity following its curvature. Alternatively, a generally flexible circuit board base can also be used. The circuit board 2.14 naturally has a surface 2.141 equipped with electronic components 2.142. These electronic components 2.142 belong to a circuit that forms the current to be transmitted and provides it for transmission through the main winding 2.11. Furthermore, there is electronic circuitry on the circuit board 2.14 that processes signals that can be transmitted by an antenna located on the circuit board 2.14.

[0040] It can be said that the circuit board 2.14 is arranged upright in the bag-shaped portion 2.13, such that the circuit board is constructed to bend around axis A, or that the normal vector N of surface 2.141 has a radial component about axis A. After the circuit board 2.14 is assembled, the internal space of the bag-shaped portion 2.13 is closed by the cover 2.131 to protect the circuit board 2.14 from the influence of the surrounding environment.

[0041] The main component 2.1 has a second cable 2.15 through which an electrical connection to a power source and a signal source can be established. The pouch-shaped portion 2.13 of the main component 2.1 is designed such that it has a cable outlet in the tangential direction with respect to the second cable 2.15 about axis A.

[0042] A secondary component 2.2, which is axially offset from the primary component 2.1 and positioned opposite to it, houses the rotational transmitter 2. This secondary component can be fixed to a second machine component, which is rotatably supported relative to the first machine component about axis A. The secondary component 2.2 includes a first housing component 2.21 and a second housing component 2.22, wherein the first housing component 2.21 is axially offset from the second housing component 2.22. A secondary winding 2.23 is present in the first housing component 2.21. Figure 2 The secondary winding is connected to electronic circuitry housed in the second housing component 2.22. The secondary winding 2.23 is arranged relative to the primary winding 2.11 of the primary component 2.1 in such a way that, according to… Figure 2 An air gap z exists between the primary winding 2.11 and the secondary winding 2.23 along axis A. During the operation of the angle measurement system, such as... Figure 7 As shown, electrical power is transferred from the stationary primary winding 2.11 of the primary component 2.1 to the rotating secondary winding 2.23 of the secondary component 2.2.

[0043] From the secondary component 2.2, electrical power and signals can then be transmitted to other devices that rotate together with the secondary component 2.2.

Claims

1. An angle measuring system comprising an angle measuring instrument (1) and a rotation transmitter (2) for contactless transmission of electrical signals and / or electrical power, wherein, - The angle measuring instrument (1) includes a shaft (1.11) and a housing (1.21), and the shaft (1.11) is rotatably arranged relative to the housing (1.21) about an axis (A), wherein the housing (1.21) surrounds the shaft (1.11) and has a notch (1.211). - The rotational transmitter (2) has a main stage component (2.1), wherein the main stage component (2.1) has: a main stage winding (2.11); and a fixing device (2.12) arranged in such a way that the fixing device (2.12) overlaps with the notch (1.211) of the housing (1.21), such that the threaded part (1.23) can pass through notch (1.211) and the fixing device (2.12) for insertion. The device includes an inlet for fixing the angle measuring instrument (1) together with the rotation transmitter (2) at a first machine component; and a bag-shaped portion (2.13) in which a circuit board (2.14) is arranged, wherein the bag-shaped portion (2.13) is arranged axially offset relative to the main winding (2.11) and is designed as a hollow cylindrical section that extends radially outside the housing (1.21) in the circumferential direction and partially surrounds the housing (1.21) in segments.

2. The angle measurement system according to claim 1, wherein, The circuit board (2.14) has a surface (2.141) on which electronic components (2.142) are mounted, wherein the circuit board (2.14) is arranged such that the normal vector (N) of the surface (2.141) has a radial directional component.

3. The angle measuring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The circuit board (2.14) has an antenna for transmitting electrical signals from the primary component (2.1) to the secondary component (2.2).

4. The angle measuring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The circuit board (2.14) is composed of a plurality of rigid bases, which are interconnected by at least one flexible conductor.

5. The angle measuring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The rotational transmitter (2) has a secondary component (2.2) that can be fixed to a second machine component that is rotatable about the axis (A) relative to the first machine component, and the secondary component is arranged about the axis (A) with an axial offset relative to the primary component (2.1).

6. The angle measurement system according to claim 5, wherein, The secondary component (2.2) has a secondary winding (2.23), wherein an air gap (z) exists between the primary winding (2.11) and the secondary winding (2.23) along the direction of the axis (A).

7. The angle measuring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The main winding (2.11) is radially arranged outside the fixing device (2.12).

8. The angle measuring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The housing (1.21) has a recess (1.212), and the fixing device (2.12) is constructed to protrude, wherein the fixing device (2.12) is received in the recess (1.212).

9. The angle measurement system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The recess (1.212) extends in the axial direction, and the fixing device (2.12) is constructed to protrude in the axial direction.

10. The angle measuring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The angle measuring instrument (1) has a first cable connector (1.22), and the rotation transmitter (2) has a second cable connector (2.15), wherein the housing (1.21) and the bag-shaped part (2.13) are designed such that the first cable connector (1.22) and the second cable connector (2.15) are tangentially oriented about the axis (A).

Images