Flexible bracket for coupling a force actuator with a caliper jaw

Abstract

A flexible mount for coupling a force actuator to a caliper jaw that moves along a caliper scale element in a measuring axis direction, the flexible mount comprising: a first mounting portion for coupling to the caliper jaw; a second mounting portion for coupling to the force actuator; and a flexible element coupled between the first and second mounting sections, wherein the flexible holder is configured such that when coupled to the caliper jaw and the force actuator: the force actuator is suspended to move with the caliper jaw along the caliper scale element and is prevented from displacement with respect to the caliper jaw in directions transverse to the measuring axis direction; and When a force is exerted on the force actuator in the measuring axis direction, the flexible element yields in such a way that the force actuator is displaced in the measuring axis direction with respect to the caliper jaw and generates a measuring force which is dependent on this relative displacement and which caliper jaw in the measuring axis direction; and the flexible mount is included in a set of interchangeable flexible mounts, each flexible mount in the set of interchangeable flexible mounts providing a different spring constant.

Description

BACKGROUNDTechnical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to precision measuring instruments and, more particularly, to calipers having a movable jaw for measuring the dimensions of an object. Description of related technology

[0002] Calipers are known that use pairs of jaws to determine measurements. A first jaw is generally fixed to one end of a measuring scale, while a second jaw is attached to a slide assembly that moves along the measuring scale. An external dimension of an object can be measured by placing the object between and against the inner surfaces of the first and second jaws. An internal dimension of an object can be measured by placing the outer surfaces of the first and second jaws between and against the inner surfaces of the object (e.g., the walls of a hole). The slide assembly can be moved with a user's thumb, and a set screw can be provided to allow controlled movement of the slide. An exemplary caliper using a set screw is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,533,474, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0003] Electronic position encoders based on low-power inductive, capacitive, or magnetic positioning technology can be used to measure the distance between the jaws of the caliper. Generally, such an encoder may include a read head and a scale. The read head may generally include a read head sensor and read head electronics. The read head outputs signals that vary along a measuring axis depending on the position of the read head sensor with respect to the scale. The scale may be attached to an elongated scale member including a stationary first measuring jaw. The read head is attached to a slide assembly including the second measuring jaw that is movable along the scale member. Measurements of the distance between the two measuring jaws may be determined based on the signals from the read head.

[0004] Exemplary electronic calipers are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Nos. RE37490, 5,574,381, and 5,973,494, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. A prior art electronic caliper capable of measuring force is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2003 / 0047009. As described in the '009 patent, a disadvantage of using the prior calipers is the variation in force that can be exerted by the jaws and the measurement differences that can result. In particular, when measuring a soft object, the measurement of the object can be unreliable or irrepeatable because one can either apply more force to the jaws of the caliper, causing the soft object to "compress more," or apply less force, causing the soft object to "compress less."The '009 patent discloses a caliper capable of measuring both the magnitude and force applied to an object, which can be analyzed to provide more repeatable measurements. However, the force detection and reporting features of the caliper of the '009 document may be considered "overkill" for many applications and / or may be considered too costly and / or complicated by many caliper users. There is a need to improve measurement force control and / or repeatability in a caliper in a cost-effective, ergonomically practical, repeatable, and intuitively understandable manner. BRIEF PRESENTATION

[0005] This summary is provided to introduce, in simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] A flexible mount is provided for coupling a force actuator to a caliper jaw that moves along a caliper scale element in a measuring axis direction. The flexible mount includes a first mounting portion for coupling to the caliper jaw, a second mounting portion for coupling to the force actuator, and a flexible member coupled between the first and second mounting portions. The flexible mount is configured such that, when coupled to the caliper jaw and the force actuator, the force actuator is suspended to move with the caliper jaw along the caliper scale element and is prevented from displacement with respect to the caliper jaw in directions transverse to the measuring axis direction.Additionally, when a force is applied to the force actuator in the measuring axis direction, the flexible element flexes such that the force actuator shifts in the measuring axis direction with respect to the caliper jaw, generating a measuring force dependent on this relative displacement and applied to the caliper jaw in the measuring axis direction. In this way, the flexible mount serves a dual function of both providing a resistive force and serving as a guiding mechanism for the force actuator. In various implementations, the use of the flexible mount can result in greater control and a better "feel" for a user when attempting to exert control to deliver a desired amount of force during a measuring process.Additionally, in various implementations, the use of the flexible bracket can reduce the number of required parts and can feel more integrated with the caliper's slider than other known configurations for coupling a force actuator.

[0007] In various implementations, the flexible element is configured for bidirectional elastic coupling of the force actuator to the caliper jaw. In such an implementation, a force applied to the force actuator in a first direction in the measuring axis direction produces a first polarity deformation of the flexible element, which produces a first polarity measuring force applied to the caliper jaw. Additionally, a force applied to the force actuator in a second direction in the measuring axis direction produces a second polarity deformation of the flexible element, which produces a second polarity measuring force applied to the caliper jaw.

[0008] In various implementations, the flexible element comprises parallel spring elements that flex primarily in a plane parallel to the measurement axis direction. In one specific example implementation, steel washers may be used as the parallel spring elements. In other implementations, other types of materials (e.g., a resilient polymer material) may be used to provide the flexible element, which may be formed as a combination of individual parts or elements (e.g., a stamped metal bent part molded into a polymer part) or as a single element (e.g., a single molded part) to reduce the cost of the individual parts and assembly costs. In one implementation, a composite bent part may be used as the flexible element, thereby increasing the available bending range.In various implementations, the materials and configuration of the flexible holder can be selected such that a relative displacement of at least 0.5 mm and at most 5.0 mm corresponds to an associated change in the measuring force of at least 0.1 Newton and at most 10 Newton.

[0009] In various implementations, a displacement indicator may be included that responds to a deformation comprising at least one of the yielding of the flexible member and the relative displacement of the force actuator. The response of the displacement indicator is generally intended to indicate the measurement force. In various implementations, the displacement indicator may include at least one of a visual indicator that responds to the deformation, a tactile sensation generator that provides at least one respective tactile sensation corresponding to the deformation, and a tone generator that provides at least one respective tone corresponding to the deformation.

[0010] In various implementations, a stop assembly may be included that is configured to provide a maximum relative displacement limit between the force actuator and the caliper jaw in the measuring axis direction. Thus, the deformation of the flexible element may be substantially limited to preclude plastic deformation of the flexible element. The stop assembly may further be configured to transmit an additional force between the force actuator and the caliper jaw once the maximum relative displacement limit is reached.

[0011] In various implementations, the flexible bracket is configured to mount the force actuator to the caliper jaw of existing calipers using a mounting configuration compatible with existing mounting features on a caliper jaw. If the existing calipers do not include a force actuator, the flexible bracket can be used to retrofit a force actuator to existing calipers.

[0012] In various implementations, the flexible mount is included in a set of interchangeable flexible mounts, with each flexible mount in the set providing a different spring constant. Thus, a different spring constant can be achieved for a specific measurement application by detaching a first flexible mount from the measuring jaw and coupling a second flexible mount with a different desired spring constant to the caliper jaw. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] They show: Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an exploded isometric view of a handheld type caliper including a scale and a slide with a flexible mount for coupling a force actuator to a caliper jaw. Fig. 2 a diagram with an isometric view of the flexible bracket and the force actuator of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 a diagram with a top view of the flexible bracket and the force actuator of Fig. 1. Fig. 4A to 4C Diagrams showing plan views of a set of flexible elements with parallel spring elements of different thicknesses. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exploded isometric view of a handheld caliper 100 having a flexible mount 205 for coupling a force actuator assembly 190 with a caliper 130 to caliper jaws 116 and 118. In this example, caliper 100 includes a caliper travel sensor 158 (e.g., a magnetic or inductive sensor assembly) and a scale substrate 125 including a scale track 126 (a cutaway segment of each is shown) positioned in a groove 127 along an elongated scale member 102. It should be understood that other types of caliper travel sensors 158 may be used in other embodiments (e.g., capacitive, etc.). A caliper assembly 170 includes an electronic assembly 160 attached to a caliper 130. The slide travel sensor 158 is included in the electronic assembly 160.The general mechanical construction and physical operation of caliper 100 are similar to certain prior electronic calipers, such as that of commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,901,458, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The scale element 102 is a rigid or semi-rigid rod that may include various grooves and / or other features incorporated into a generally rectangular cross-section. The scale substrate 125 may be rigidly bonded into the groove 127, and the scale track 126 may include scale elements that cooperate with corresponding elements (not shown) of the caliper travel sensor 158 included in the electronic assembly 160, similar to prior electronic calipers and as described in previously assigned patents RE37490 and 5,901,458 and commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 6,400.138, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

[0015] A pair of jaws 108 and 110 are integrally formed near a first end of the scale member 102. A corresponding pair of jaws 116 and 118 are formed on the caliper 130. The outer dimensions of a workpiece are measured by placing the workpiece between a pair of engaging surfaces 114 of the jaws 108 and 116. Similarly, the inner dimensions of a workpiece are measured by placing a pair of engaging surfaces 122 of the jaws 110 and 118 against opposing inner surfaces of the workpiece. In a position sometimes referred to as the zero position, the engaging surfaces 114 are abutting each other, the engaging surfaces 122 are aligned, and both the inner and outer dimensions measured by the caliper 100 can be indicated as zero.

[0016] The measured dimension may be displayed on a digital display 144 incorporated into a cover 140 of the electronic assembly 160 of the caliper 100. The electronic assembly 160 may also include a push-button switch 141 (e.g., a "home position" switch), a force status indicator 142 (e.g., a two- or three-color light), and a signal processing and display circuit board 150. The procedures for setting the force threshold are described in more detail in co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 706,225 (hereinafter "'225 application"), entitled "System and Method for Setting Measurement Force Thresholds in a Force Sensing Caliper," filed December 5, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.As described in the '225 application, in one implementation, the pushbutton switch 141 may be used as part of a process for setting force thresholds, and the force status indicator 142 may be used to provide force threshold signals (e.g., "green" when the force is within a desired measurement range and "red" when the force exceeds the desired measurement range). The signal processing and display circuit board 150 may include circuitry 159 for processing and controlling read head signals. As shown in FIG. Fig. 1, the lower surface of the signal processing and display circuit board 150 may be installed to abut the upper surfaces of the slider 130 on both sides of the scale element 102.

[0017] A force element displacement sensor 200 includes an array of displacement signal elements 255 and a signal modulation element 250 coupled to the force actuator assembly 190. A similar force element displacement sensor is described in more detail in co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 194,320 (hereinafter "'320 Application"), entitled "Displacement Sensor For Force Indicating Caliper," filed February 28, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Generally, in one implementation, the array of displacement signal elements 255 is fabricated in one or more metal layers of the circuit board 150 and generates electrical signals indicative of the position of the signal modulation element 250.The read head signal processing and control circuit 159 includes a force sensing circuit that receives the force sensing signals from the array of displacement signal elements 255 to determine the force measurements. When a user manipulates the set screw 191 to move the slider 130 toward the first end of the scale element 102, the force actuator assembly 190 and the attached signal modulation element 250 are pushed forward to move in a guided manner in the direction of the caliper measuring axis with respect to the array of displacement signal elements 255. The signal modulation element 250 is arranged with a relatively small gap near the displacement signal elements 255 to accommodate its relative position in the measuring axis direction.As described in more detail below, the position of the signal modulation element 250 corresponds to the amount of yield of a flexible element 230 of the flexible mount 205 and thus indicates the corresponding measurement force. As also described in more detail below, additionally or alternatively, a mechanical force indicator 260 may be provided that provides feedback (e.g., visible, tactile, audible, etc.) regarding the amount of yield of the flexible element 230, indicating the corresponding measurement force.

[0018] In various implementations, the circuit board 150 may abut the slider 130 in one or more mounting areas of the circuit board 150. More specifically, as in Fig. 1, the circuit board 150 has mounting areas 157A and 157B that abut corresponding mounting areas 137A and 137B on the slider 130. In addition, a pilot signal receiving element (not shown) of the slider travel sensor 158 may overlap with the scale element 102 in a scale track 126 that is located away from the mounting area 157A in a first lateral direction D1.

[0019] Furthermore, at least one pilot signal receiving element of the array of displacement signal elements 255 may be arranged in an area located in the opposite lateral direction D2 from the mounting area 157A. It should be understood that in this configuration, the metal slider 130, in addition to its usual slider functions, may also serve to shield the signals for the slider displacement sensor 158 and the force element displacement sensor 255 from each other.

[0020] The flexible mount 205 includes a jaw mounting portion 210, an actuator mounting portion 220, and the flexible member 230. The jaw mounting portion 210 is coupled to the slider 130 and the corresponding jaws 116 and 118. The actuator mounting portion 220 is coupled to the actuator assembly 190. The flexible member 230 is coupled between the jaw mounting portion 210 and the actuator mounting portion 220.

[0021] In various implementations, the flexible element 230 may consist of parallel spring elements, as described below with reference to Fig. 2. The parallel spring elements may be relatively rigid and act to prevent the force actuator assembly 190 from displacing relative to the caliper jaw in directions transverse to the measurement axis direction. Thus, the flexible element 230 may serve both as a guide mechanism for the force actuator assembly 190 and to provide a resistive force, as described in more detail below.

[0022] In operation, when a user manipulates the set screw 191 of the force actuator assembly 190 to move the caliper 130 toward the first end of the scale member 102, the flexible member 230 yields such that a force actuator body 192 of the force actuator assembly 190 translates in the measuring axis direction with respect to the caliper 130 and the corresponding caliper jaws 116 and 118. This action generates a measuring force, dependent upon the relative displacement, exerted on the caliper 130 and the corresponding measuring jaws 116 and 118 in the measuring axis direction. As described in more detail below, the use of the flexible mount 205 with the flexible member 230 allows for a gradual increase or decrease in force over a range of positions.Importantly, this results in greater control and a better "feel" for a user when attempting to exert control to deliver a desired amount of force during a measurement process. Additionally, in various implementations, the use of the flexible element 230 can reduce the number of required parts and can feel more integrated with the slider 130.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a diagram with an isometric view, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a top view of the flexible support 205 and a force actuator assembly 190 of Fig. 1. As in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the flexible member 230 includes a first spring member 232, a second spring member 234, a first flexible member coupling portion 236, and a second flexible member coupling portion 238. As described in more detail below, the first flexible member coupling portion 236 is coupled to the jaw mounting portion 210, and the second flexible member coupling portion 238 is coupled to the actuator mounting portion 220. The first and second spring members 232 and 234 are oriented parallel and can serve as a parallelogram suspension.

[0024] As in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the jaw mounting portion 210 is coupled to the portion for coupling a first flexible member 236 using a fastener 217 (e.g., the fastener 217 may serve as a screw, and the coupling portion 236 may serve as a nut). The jaw mounting portion 210 includes an attachment portion 219 for attachment to the caliper 130. Generally, the calipers and associated jaws of certain existing calipers have predetermined dimensions, surfaces, and features to which external elements may be mounted, and in various implementations, the jaw mounting portion 210 is configured to be mounted using a fastening configuration compatible with the existing mounting features on the calipers and associated caliper jaws.Additionally, certain existing calipers may not include a force actuator assembly 190, in which case the force actuator assembly 190 may be retrofitted to the existing calipers using the flexible bracket 205.

[0025] The second flexible member coupling portion 238 is coupled to an actuator body coupling element 224, which is coupled to the actuator body 192. The signal modulation element 250 is mounted to move with the second flexible member coupling portion 238 and the actuator body coupling element 224. Although the signal modulation element 250 is shown relatively close to the flexible member 230 for illustrative purposes, in other implementations, the signal modulation element 250 may be mounted at a greater distance if the flexible member 230 is made of a material that would interfere with the signals from the displacement signal elements 255.Alternatively or additionally, the signal processing for the displacement signal elements 255 may be calibrated or otherwise modified to address problems such as interference from the flexible element 230 and / or any deviations that might otherwise result from the slightly bent movement of the end of the flexible element 230.

[0026] As previously described, in addition to the electronic force sensing arrangement utilizing the signal modulation element 250, a mechanical force indicator 260 may also be provided. In one specific exemplary implementation, the force indicator 260 may include an indicator element 262 mounted on the portion for coupling a second flexible element 238 to move with the force actuator assembly 190, and a range of detent elements 264 on the jaw mounting portion. In operation, when the flexible element 230 yields to allow the actuator assembly 190 to move with respect to the jaw mounting portion 210, the indicator element 262 moves with respect to the range of detent elements 264 to provide an indication of the measurement force. In one implementation, the detent elements 264 may include visual indicators (e.g.,markings) that provide an indication of the measuring force according to the position of the indicator element 262. In another implementation, the indicator element 262 may provide a tactile or audible indication (e.g., a clicking sound) when it is moved over the range of detents 264. For example, the indicator element 262 may comprise a metal rib, and the detents 264 may include a series of raised portions along the range such that the indicator element 262 "clicks" into place as it moves over each of the indicator elements 264. In various implementations, different ranges of detents 264 may be provided. For example, in one implementation, two detents 264 may be provided on either side of a zero position to correspond to an acceptable measuring force when clicked once and an excessive measuring force when clicked twice.

[0027] Alternatively, or in addition to the force indicator 260, a visible force indicator may also be provided on the force actuator body 192. In one implementation, the visible force indicator may comprise an array of markings 192 on the force actuator body 192. Similar to what was previously described for the force indicator 260, when the set screw 191 is moved by a user during operation, the force actuator body 192 may move, and the corresponding markings 193 may move with respect to a reference indicator (e.g., on the edge of the cover 140 of the electronic assembly 160) to provide an indication of the measurement force.

[0028] In an exemplary configuration, the general operation of the caliper 100 and the flexible support 205 can be described as follows. The caliper can start in a zero position, as shown in Fig. 2. In the zero position, the caliper is generally located in the center of a bidirectional measuring range where the flexible element 230 (e.g., a parallelogram suspension) does not yield. In the zero position, the signal modulation element 250 may be located approximately in the center of the range of the arrangement of the displacement signal elements 255, and the indicator element 262 may be located approximately in the center of the range of the detent elements 264.

[0029] When a user manipulates the set screw 191 to move the slider 130 toward the first end of the caliper's scale element, the flexible element 230 yields forward, and a limit position L-extmeas may be reached. The limit position L-extmeas may correspond to an external measuring force limit (e.g., for measuring the external dimensions of a workpiece). In various implementations, a stop arrangement may also correspond to the limit position L-extmeas. For example, a surface 226A of the actuator mounting portion 220 may contact a surface 216A of the jaw mounting portion 210 and prevent further forward yield of the flexible element 230. This may additionally or alternatively correspond to the signal modulation element 250 reaching a first end of the measuring range of the displacement signal elements 255 and / or the indicator element reaching a first end of the range of detent elements 264.

[0030] Similarly, when the set screw 191 is moved by a user in the opposite direction (i.e., to reverse the direction of the slider 130 to the opposite end of the scale element of the caliper 100), the flexible element 230 yields rearward. In this direction, a limit position I-intmeas may be reached, which may correspond to an internal measuring force limit (e.g., for measuring the internal dimensions of a workpiece). A corresponding stop arrangement may include a surface 226B of the actuator mounting portion 220 that may contact a surface 216B of the jaw mounting portion 210 and prevent further yielding of the flexible element 230 in the reverse direction. This may additionally or alternatively correspond to the signal modulation element 250 reaching a second end of the measuring range of the displacement signal elements 255 and / or the indicator element reaching a second end of the range of detent elements 264.

[0031] It is understood that surfaces 216A and 226A and surfaces 216B and 226B form stop assemblies configured to provide a maximum relative travel limit between force actuator assembly 190 and caliper 130 with associated caliper jaws 116 and 118 in the measurement axis direction. When caliper 100 is in the zero position, surfaces 216A and 226A are separated by a distance D1, whereas surfaces 216B and 226B are separated by a distance D2. These distances D1 and D2 thus correspond to the differences from the zero position to the limit positions L-extmeas and I-intmeas, respectively.Once these limit positions L-extmeas and I-intmeas are reached, the contact through the corresponding surfaces 216A, 226A and 216B, 226B is configured to transfer any additional force exerted by the user on the force actuator assembly 190 directly to the slider 130 rather than further deforming the flexible member 230. In various implementations, one function of these stop arrangements and the corresponding limit positions L-extmeas and I-intmeas is to limit the deformation of the flexible member 230 to substantially eliminate plastic deformation of the flexible member 230.

[0032] In a specific exemplary implementation, when the position of the signal modulation element 250 is detected by the array of displacement signal elements 255 as having reached a location corresponding to the limit positions L-extmeas or I-intmeas, the read head signal processing and control circuitry 159 may activate the "red" or "out of range" force status indicator (light) 142. During normal operation, the read head signal processing and control circuitry 159 may be configured to generally detect the position of the signal modulation element 250 and convert the position into force measurements. The resulting force measurements may, in various implementations, be presented to a user in various formats (e.g., as force readings on the display, as various other types of indicators when force limits are reached, etc.).

[0033] In various implementations, other features and materials may be used for the flexible element 230 according to the desired characteristics of the particular implementation. In general, it is desirable that the flexible element 230 be rigid enough to provide a reasonable resistance force (e.g., 0.1 to 10 N) while being flexible enough to provide a reasonable deflection (e.g., 0.5 to 5 mm). With reference to such embodiments and / or the embodiment of Fig. 2, in certain specific embodiments, it has been experimentally determined that it may be desirable to use a flexible member 230 having a nominal spring constant of 0.25 N / mm to 6 N / mm to provide certain ergonomic properties. It should be understood that although a controlled force is applied when using a caliper, generally some fingers of a hand will grasp the caliper scale (thereby fixing most of the hand with respect to the caliper), a finger may also wrap around the caliper, and a thumb may move with respect to the hand to adjust the force actuator with respect to the caliper. Thus, the practical extent of thumb travel with respect to the rest of the hand is limited.In general, the limit of 0.25 N / mm ensures that a useful degree of force variation can be provided within a practical and comfortable thumb travel relative to the rest of the hand, while the upper limit of 6 N / mm ensures that the force variation is not so large that the user perceives it as too sensitive for simple and consistent control, even for workpieces that may flex and / or deviate under a measuring force. In other words, it has been experimentally determined that this spring constant range provides the user with a desirable measuring feel. In various embodiments, the signal modulation element 250 and the arrangement of displacement signal elements 255, as well as the force indicator 260, can be dimensioned accordingly.It will be appreciated that by using levers or gears or other machine elements, the relationship between finger movement and force can be changed such that other spring constants (e.g., in the range of 0.05 to 20 N / mm) can be used in other embodiments.

[0034] In one specific exemplary implementation, steel washers may be used as the first and second spring elements 232 and 234 of the flexible member 230 to achieve a desired spring constant. In other implementations, other types of materials (e.g., a resilient polymer material) may be used to provide the flexible member 230, which may be formed as a combination of individual parts or elements (e.g., a stamped metal bent part molded into a polymer part) or as a single element (e.g., a single molded part) to reduce the cost of the individual parts and assembly costs. In one implementation, a composite bent part may be used as the flexible member 2340, thereby increasing the available bending range.

[0035] Fig. 4A to 4C are diagrams of a set of flexible elements 230A to 230C with parallel spring elements of different thicknesses. As in Fig. 4A, the flexible element 230A includes first and second spring elements 232A and 234A that are thinner than the first and second spring elements 232B and 234B of the flexible element 230B of Fig. 4B. Similarly, the first and second spring elements 232B and 234B are thinner than the first and second spring elements 232C and 234C of the flexible element 230C. The different thicknesses of the first and second spring elements of each of the flexible elements 230A, 230B, and 230C correspond to different spring constants.

[0036] As previously described, in various implementations, flexible mounts with corresponding flexible elements 230A through 230C can be configured for attachment to existing calipers using a mounting configuration compatible with the existing mounting features on the caliper jaw and caliper. By providing a set of flexible mounts with the flexible elements 230A through 230C, a user can select a flexible mount with a spring rate suitable for a specific application. In an alternative implementation, instead of changing the thickness of the first and second spring elements 232 and 234, one can change other dimensions (e.g., the height) of the flexible element 230.However, in certain implementations, it may be less desirable to change the height of the flexible element 230, as shorter spring elements 232 and 234 may be more susceptible to plastic deformation for a given compliant displacement. Thus, for a particular theoretical configuration, it may be desirable to use the maximum available height for the first and second spring elements 232 and 234 and keep that height relatively constant, while other parameters may be adjusted (e.g., the thickness of the first and second spring elements 232 and 234), as in the examples of flexible elements 230A through 230C.

[0037] The various embodiments described above may be combined to provide additional embodiments. All U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications referenced in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Certain aspects of the embodiments may be modified to utilize concepts of the various patents and applications to provide yet other embodiments.

[0038] These and other changes may be made to the embodiments in light of the above detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used are not intended to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but are intended to encompass all possible embodiments, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

[1] A flexible mount for coupling a force actuator to a caliper jaw that moves along a caliper scale element in a measuring axis direction, the flexible mount comprising: a first mounting portion for coupling to the caliper jaw; a second mounting portion for coupling to the force actuator; and a flexible element coupled between the first and second mounting sections, wherein the flexible holder is configured such that when coupled to the caliper jaw and the force actuator: the force actuator is suspended to move with the caliper jaw along the caliper scale element and is prevented from displacement with respect to the caliper jaw in directions transverse to the measuring axis direction; and When a force is exerted on the force actuator in the measuring axis direction, the flexible element yields in such a way that the force actuator is displaced in the measuring axis direction with respect to the caliper jaw and generates a measuring force which is dependent on this relative displacement and which caliper jaw in the measuring axis direction; and the flexible mount is included in a set of interchangeable flexible mounts, each flexible mount in the set of interchangeable flexible mounts providing a different spring constant. [2] A flexible mount according to claim 1, wherein the flexible member comprises parallel spring elements that bend mainly in a plane parallel to the measuring axis direction. [3] Flexible holder according to claim 1, wherein: the flexible element is configured for a bidirectional elastic coupling of the force actuator to the caliper jaw such that a force exerted on the force actuator in a first direction in the measuring axis direction produces a deformation of a first polarity of the flexible element that produces a measuring force of a first polarity that is exerted on the caliper jaw, and a force exerted on the force actuator in a second direction in the measuring axis direction produces a deformation of a second polarity of the flexible element that produces a measuring force of a second polarity that is exerted on the caliper jaw. [4] The flexible mount of claim 1, further comprising a displacement indicator responsive to a deformation comprising at least one of the yielding of the flexible member and the relative displacement of the force actuator, the response of the displacement indicator being indicative of the measurement force. [5] The flexible mount of claim 4, wherein the displacement indicator comprises at least one of a visual indicator responsive to the deformation, a tactile perception generator providing at least one respective tactile perception corresponding to the deformation, and a sound generator providing at least one respective sound corresponding to the deformation. [6] Flexible mount according to claim 1, wherein the flexible mount is configured such that a relative displacement of at least 0.5 mm and at most 5.0 mm corresponds to an associated change in the measuring force of at least 0.1 Newton and at most 10 Newton. [7] The flexible mount of claim 1, wherein the flexible mount is configured to mount the force actuator to the caliper jaw using a mounting configuration compatible with existing mounting features on the caliper jaw. [8] A flexible mount for coupling a force actuator to a caliper jaw that moves along a caliper scale element in a measuring axis direction, the flexible mount comprising: a first mounting portion for coupling to the caliper jaw; a second mounting portion for coupling to the force actuator; and a flexible element coupled between the first and second mounting sections, wherein the flexible holder is configured such that when coupled to the caliper jaw and the force actuator: the force actuator is suspended to move with the caliper jaw along the caliper scale element and is prevented from displacement with respect to the caliper jaw in directions transverse to the measuring axis direction; and when a force is exerted on the force actuator in the measuring axis direction, the flexible element yields such that the force actuator displaces in the measuring axis direction with respect to the caliper jaw and generates a measuring force that is dependent on this relative displacement and is exerted on the caliper jaw in the measuring axis direction, and wherein the flexible mount is configured to mount the force actuator to the caliper jaw using a mounting configuration that is compatible with existing mounting features on the caliper jaw, and Where the existing calipers do not include a force actuator and the force actuator is retrofitted to the existing calipers using the flexible bracket. [9] The flexible mount of claim 8, further comprising a displacement indicator responsive to a deformation comprising at least one of the yielding of the flexible member and the relative displacement of the force actuator, the displacement indicator comprising at least one of a visual indicator responsive to the deformation, a tactile sensation generator providing at least one respective tactile sensation corresponding to the deformation, and a sound generator providing at least one respective sound corresponding to the deformation. [10] The flexible mount of claim 8, wherein the flexible mount is included in a set of interchangeable flexible mounts, each flexible mount in the set of interchangeable flexible mounts providing a different spring constant. [11] A method of retrofitting an existing caliper with a flexible mount, the existing caliper including a caliper jaw that moves along a caliper scale element in a measuring axis direction, the method comprising: Providing a flexible mount that a first mounting section for coupling with the caliper jaw, a second mounting section for coupling to a force actuator, and a flexible element coupled between the first and second mounting sections, and coupling the first mounting portion to the caliper jaw using a mounting configuration compatible with existing mounting features on the caliper jaw, wherein the flexible holder is configured such that when coupled to the caliper jaw and the force actuator: the force actuator is suspended to move with the caliper jaw along the caliper scale element and is prevented from displacement with respect to the caliper jaw in directions transverse to the measuring axis direction; and when a force is exerted on the force actuator in the measuring axis direction, the flexible element yields such that the force actuator is displaced in the measuring axis direction with respect to the caliper jaw and generates a measuring force which is dependent on this relative displacement and is exerted on the caliper jaw in the measuring axis direction; and wherein the existing caliper does not include a force actuator and the force actuator is retrofitted to the existing calipers using the flexible bracket.

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