Measuring instrument

Abstract

To provide a measuring instrument that reduces man-hours in measurement work to contribute to improvement in measurement accuracy in measurement work for a separation distance of a gap of a body such as between seal surfaces.SOLUTION: A measuring instrument 10 includes: a base part 20 including an opposing part 22b; a stroke pin 40 that can stroke so as to advance and retreat from the opposing part 22b of the base part 20 and abuts on a back door 6 to change a stroke amount according to a distance between a body 4 and a gap; and a screw part 52 that regulates a stroke of the stroke pin 40 in a closed state in which the back door 6 is closed with respect to the body 4. The base part 20 includes an insertion part 35 that opens as an opening 4a in the opposing part 22b of the base part 20 and into which a measuring depth bar 102 can be inserted so as to reach a predetermined reference position along a stroke direction X.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a measuring tool used to measure gap distances in vehicle bodies. [Background technology]

[0002] At opening and closing parts of a vehicle, such as back doors and side doors, a strip-shaped sealing member (weatherstrip rubber) is attached to the periphery of the opening in the main body of the vehicle to prevent wind and rain from entering the interior of the vehicle, reduce noise, etc. In addition, an appropriate distance must be provided between the sealing surface on the main body side and the sealing surface of the mating member, such as a door, to ensure the sealing performance of the weatherstrip rubber.

[0003] To properly set the distance between the seal surfaces (seal surface distance), the seal surface distance is measured at multiple locations around the periphery of the opening and closing part. The seal surface distance must be measured when the mating part, such as a door, is closed against the body. In addition, because the weatherstrip rubber is attached so as to surround the periphery of the opening in the body, the seal surface distance must be measured at multiple locations around the periphery of the opening.

[0004] The distance between the seal surfaces is the distance between two components and is also an internal gap between the body and the door, making it impossible to see directly from the outside when the door is closed. For example, the distance between the seal surfaces between the body and the tailgate is approximately 20 to 30 mm, making it extremely difficult to measure directly using a laser measuring device or calipers. Furthermore, the actual distance between the seal surfaces may differ from the designed distance due to various factors, such as the reaction force of the tailgate support member and the door load. However, the actual distance between the seal surfaces must be measured with high precision to ensure the sealing performance of the weatherstrip rubber.

[0005] Conventionally, the actual distance between seal surfaces has been measured using plastically deformable materials such as clay or silicone (hereinafter referred to as "clay, etc."). Specifically, clay or the like is first kneaded to prepare an appropriate size. Next, the clay or the like is molded into a long, thin shape and attached to the periphery of the opening in the body, and then the door or the like is opened and closed. The clay or the like (plastically deformed object) that has been sandwiched between the body and the mating member is then removed and measured using a measuring tool such as a caliper as a substitute for the distance between the seal surfaces. In one measurement, clay or the like is attached to approximately four locations around the opening and deformed, and the predetermined positions of the plastically deformed object are measured. In one measurement, measurements are made at approximately 50 locations around the opening. This process is repeated to measure the distance between the seal surfaces.

[0006] Furthermore, as a technique for measuring the distance between seal surfaces, Patent Document 1 below discloses a seal surface dimension measuring device that has a body-side target board, a door-side target board, a laser light irradiation unit, a stereo camera, and an image processing unit. The seal surface dimension measuring device of Patent Document 1 is said to be able to accurately measure the distance between seal surfaces in a short time because it can accurately position the cross-sectional shapes of the body-side and door-side seal surfaces using target marks on the body-side and door-side target boards so that the same state as when the door is closed is reproduced. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-50363 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the seal surface dimension measuring device in Patent Document 1 merely uses image processing to reproduce the cross-sectional shapes of the body side and the door side in the same state as when the door is closed. Therefore, it is not possible to eliminate errors from the actual distance between the body and the door (seal surface dimension). Furthermore, the seal surface dimension measuring device in Patent Document 1 requires multiple devices, which is very costly.

[0009] Furthermore, conventional methods for measuring the distance between seal surfaces using clay or the like have problems such as the amount of measurement work required and inconsistent measurement accuracy. Specifically, conventional methods for measuring the distance between seal surfaces have problems such as increased labor hours due to the work required to prepare the clay, such as kneading and molding the clay, each time a measurement is performed. In addition, the reactive force of the clay or the like can press the tailgate away from the body, causing errors in the measurement value. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat the measurement work multiple times because it is not possible to measure many points at once, taking into account the influence of the reactive force of the clay. This further increases the amount of measurement work required.

[0010] Furthermore, in conventional methods for measuring the distance between seal surfaces, a vernier caliper is used to measure plastically deformed clay or the like as a substitute for the distance between the seal surfaces. This results in variations depending on the person taking the measure, such as which part of the plastically deformed clay is measured, making it difficult to measure the part to be measured accurately and stably.

[0011] Furthermore, after attaching clay or the like to the periphery of the opening of the body, the door is pressed against the body when it is closed and locked (overstroke), causing the door to temporarily move toward the body rather than the locked position. As a result, the clay or the like is crushed, causing a mismatch with the distance between the seal surfaces, resulting in errors and other problems with the influence of overstroke.

[0012] Furthermore, variations in measurement values ​​occur due to various factors that depend on the person taking the measurement, such as familiarity, intuition, technique, how the door is closed, the measurement angle, and the amount of force used when measuring, resulting in unstable measurements. This requires repeated measurement work to take into account variations in measurement values, which further increases the number of measurement steps, creating a problem.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a measuring tool that reduces the number of steps required for measuring the distance between body gaps such as between seal surfaces and contributes to improving measurement accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To address the above-mentioned issues, the inventors developed and studied a measuring tool according to Japanese Patent No. 7121493. They found that this measuring tool can reduce the labor required for measuring the distance between body gaps, such as seal surfaces, and improve measurement accuracy compared to the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 and other publications. However, the measuring tool according to Japanese Patent No. 7121493 requires the user to remove the measuring tool from the body or door being measured and move it to a measuring table before measuring the stroke pin protrusion. Therefore, they found that the measuring tool according to Japanese Patent No. 7121493 has issues, such as the need to reduce the labor required to remove and move the measuring tool, and the need to remeasure if the stroke pin becomes disengaged during the process of moving the measuring tool. The inventors have discovered that by solving this problem, it is possible to provide a measuring tool that further reduces the labor required to measure the distance between body gaps, such as between seal surfaces, and that contributes to further improving measurement accuracy.

[0015] (1) The measuring tool of the present invention, provided based on this knowledge, measures the distance of the gap between the main body and a lid-like member that form an opening / closing portion of a vehicle. When one of the main body and the lid-like member is component A and the other is component B, the measuring tool has: a base portion attached to component A and having an opposing portion that faces component B when the lid-like member is closed to the main body; a displacement pin that can be stroked back and forth from the opposing portion of the base portion and that abuts against component B when the lid-like member is opened or closed, thereby changing the stroke amount depending on the distance between the main body and the gap; and a regulating member that regulates the stroke of the displacement pin when the lid-like member is closed to the main body, and the base portion has an insertion portion that opens at the opposing portion of the base portion and into which another measurement member can be inserted so that it reaches a predetermined reference position along the stroke direction.

[0016] The measuring tool of the present invention has an insertion portion provided in a base portion attached to component A, the insertion portion being open at the opposing portion along which the displacement pin advances and retreats. The insertion portion is also configured so that another member can be inserted through the opening provided in the opposing portion so as to reach a predetermined reference position along the stroke direction of the displacement pin. Therefore, the measuring tool of the present invention can insert a measuring member as another member while the base portion is still attached to component A, and measure the protrusion amount of the displacement pin based on the reference position. Therefore, the measuring tool of the present invention can measure the separation distance of a body gap, such as between seal surfaces, without having to remove the measuring tool from component A and move it to a measurement table. Therefore, the measuring tool of the present invention can further reduce the number of steps in the measurement process and contribute to further improving measurement accuracy.

[0017] (2) In the measuring tool of the present invention, the base portion can be attached to the component A at a base end portion opposite the opposing portion in the stroke direction, and the insertion portion is preferably formed by a through hole that passes through from the opposing portion to the base end portion.

[0018] The measuring tool of the present invention has the configuration described in (2) above, and by inserting an additional member into the insertion portion, the additional member can be made to reach the surface of the component A. Therefore, the measuring tool of the present invention can measure the length from the reference position to the protruding end of the displacement pin using the additional measuring member, with the surface of the component A as the reference position. This allows the measuring tool of the present invention to further reduce the number of steps in the measurement work and contribute to further improving measurement accuracy.

[0019] (3) In the measuring tool of the present invention, the insertion portion may be provided on the side of the displacement pin.

[0020] By configuring the measuring tool of the present invention as described above in (3), it is possible to easily and accurately measure the amount of protrusion of the displacement pin from the reference position while inserting another measuring member into the insertion portion.

[0021] (4) In the measuring tool of the present invention, the base portion can be attached to the component A at a base end portion opposite the opposing portion in the stroke direction, the base end portion is provided with a magnetic member, and the insertion portion is preferably configured by a through hole formed to pass through the base end portion.

[0022] By configuring the measuring tool of the present invention as described above in (4), the base end of the base body can be easily attached to the component A using a magnetic member, and accurate measurements can be made using other measuring members with the surface of the component A as the reference position.

[0023] (5) In the measuring tool of the present invention, it is preferable that the insertion portion is capable of inserting a depth bar of a caliper as the other member.

[0024] By configuring the measuring tool of the present invention as described above in (5), the depth bar of the caliper can be inserted into the insertion portion, and the length from the reference position to the tip of the displacement pin can be measured easily and accurately. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a measuring tool that reduces the number of steps required for measuring the distance between body gaps such as between seal surfaces and contributes to improving measurement accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle to be measured in which a measuring tool according to an embodiment of the present invention is used; [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram showing an opening formed in the main body of the vehicle of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along line II' in FIG. 1) showing the opening / closing portion of the vehicle in FIG. 1; [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a measuring tool according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the measuring tool of FIG. 4 as seen from the front. [Figure 6] 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the measuring tool of FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which the measuring tool of FIG. 4 is attached to the main body. [Figure 8] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the measuring tool of FIG. 4 in use. [Figure 9] FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the state in which the measuring tool of FIG. 4 is placed between weatherstrip rubbers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] A measuring tool 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, terms indicating positional relationships, such as up, down, left, right, front, and back, will be described based on the positional relationships in normal use unless otherwise specified. Please note that the drawings attached to this specification are schematic representations for ease of understanding and may differ from the actual shape, size, and arrangement of components. Please also note that hatching may be omitted in cross sections in each drawing.

[0028] The measuring tool 10 is used to measure the distance of gaps in a body 2 that forms the external shape of a vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the external shape of the vehicle 1 is formed by a plurality of body parts 2, such as a main body 4, a back door 6 (a cover-like member), and a side door 7 (a cover-like member). Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 1 has an opening / closing section 3 to which the back door 6 is attached so as to be able to open and close relative to an opening 4a of the main body 4. A flange 4c is formed on an edge 4b ​​of the opening 4a of the main body 4.

[0029] 3, a weatherstrip rubber 8 is attached to the flange 4c as a sealing member that closes the gap between the main body 4 and the back door 6 when the back door 6 is closed to prevent wind and rain from entering or to suppress noise. In the following description of this embodiment, the measuring tool 10 is used to measure the distance of the gap between the main body 4 and the back door 6.

[0030] The measuring tool 10 is used to measure the distance between the main body 4 and the back door 6 that form the opening / closing section 3 of the vehicle 1. As described above, the weatherstrip rubber 8 is attached to the main body 4 side of the opening / closing section 3. The weatherstrip rubber 8 is also attached so as to close the gap that is formed between the main body 4 and the back door 6 when the back door 6 is closed. The measuring tool 10 is used to measure the distance between the sealing surface F1 on the main body 4 side and the sealing surface F2 on the back door 6 side.

[0031] In the following description, the distance between the seal surface F1 on the main body 4 side and the seal surface F2 on the back door 6 side may be referred to as the "seal surface distance S." Also, the distance between the seal surface F1 on the main body 4 and the seal surface F2 on the back door 6 may be referred to as the "seal surface distance D1."

[0032] The distance D1 between the seal surfaces varies depending on the type of vehicle 1, but is a gap of approximately 20 to 30 mm. Furthermore, since the distance S between the seal surfaces is an internal gap within the body 2, it cannot be directly seen from the outside. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to directly measure the distance D1 between the seal surfaces using a measuring tool such as a caliper. On the other hand, in order to properly install the weatherstrip rubber 8, it is necessary to properly set the distance D1 between the seal surfaces over the entire periphery of the opening 4a. The measuring tool 10 forms a distance D2 that is equal to the distance D1 between the seal surfaces, and is used as a measurement substitute for measuring the distance D1 between the seal surfaces. The components of the measuring tool 10 will be described below.

[0033] 4 and 5, the measuring tool 10 has a base portion 20, a stroke pin 40 (displacement pin), a spring 48 (biasing member), and a wire screw 50. The measuring tool 10 is configured such that the spring 48 is housed in the base portion 20, and the stroke pin 40 is attached to the base portion 20 while being biased by the spring 48.

[0034] As shown in Figure 7, the measuring tool 10 is capable of forming a distance D2 that matches the distance D1 between the seal surfaces by attaching the base portion 20 to the main body 4 (component A) and contacting the stroke pin 40 with the back door 6 (component B).

[0035] 4, the base portion 20 has a main body portion 22 and a magnet member 38, and is detachable from the body 2, such as the main body 4, by the magnetic force of the magnet member 38. The magnet member 38 also has a base end portion 20a that forms the bottom portion 22a of the base portion 20 and comes into contact with the main body 4 (component A). The magnet member 38 is shaped like a U, and is provided so as to close the bottom portion 22a of the main body portion 22.

[0036] In the following description of the measuring tool 10, the direction that intersects the base end 20a approximately perpendicularly may be referred to as the "stroke direction X." In addition, the side of the base end 20a in the stroke direction X may be simply referred to as the "base end side," and the side opposite the base end side may be simply referred to as the "tip side."

[0037] 5, the main body 22 is formed with a fitting portion 28 that is recessed from the base end toward the tip end. The main body 22 also has a screw mounting portion 24 that has a female screw groove formed therein. A thumb screw 26 (locking device) is attached to the screw mounting portion 24. The flange 4c is fitted into the fitting portion 28, and the base 20 is positioned relative to the main body 4 by attaching the thumb screw 26 to the screw mounting portion 24 and bringing it into contact with the flange 4c.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, the main body 22 is provided with a stroke hole 30 extending from the bottom 22a (base end 20a) toward the opposing portion 22b (upper surface), and an insertion portion 35. The bottom 22a is a portion located on the opposite side of the opposing portion 22b in the direction in which the stroke hole 30 extends (stroke direction X). The bottom 22a is attachable to the main body 4 (component A). In this embodiment, the magnet member 38 is provided on the bottom 22a as described above, and therefore the bottom 22a is attachable to the main body 4 by utilizing magnetic force. The opposing portion 22b is a portion of the main body 22 that faces the back door 6 (lid-like member / component B) when the back door 6 is closed relative to the main body 4.

[0039] The stroke hole 30 is a hole that penetrates along the stroke direction X. A step portion 32 is formed in the stroke hole 30 at the middle in the stroke direction X. The area inside the stroke hole 30 is divided into a first area 34a on the base end side and a second area 34b on the tip side, with the step portion 32 as the boundary. The wall surface of the second area 34b is formed to be in surface contact with the circumferential surface of the stroke pin 40. In other words, the wall surface of the second area 34b is formed to allow the stroke pin 40 to be displaced while maintaining the stroke pin 40 in an orientation along the stroke direction X. A spring 48 is housed in the first area 34a. Furthermore, the stroke pin 40 is disposed in the second area 34b with its protruding end 44 (tip end) protruding outward from the main body 22. The first area 34a is closed when the magnet member 38 is attached to the main body 22.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, a screw hole 36 is formed in the side surface 22d of the main body 22. A female screw groove is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the screw hole 36. The screw hole 36 is formed to reach the stroke hole 30 from the side surface 22d. The screw hole 36 is also formed to extend in a direction intersecting with the stroke direction X. A similar screw hole 36 is also formed in the side surface 22e of the main body 22 opposite the side surface 22d. A threaded portion 52 of a wire screw 50, which will be described later, is attached to the screw hole 36.

[0041] The insertion portion 35 is formed to open in the opposing portion 22b of the base portion 20 and to reach a predetermined reference position along the stroke direction X. The insertion portion 35 is configured as a recess (hole) or a through-hole formed in a concave shape from the opposing portion 22b toward the bottom portion 22a. In this embodiment, the insertion portion 35 is formed as a through-hole formed to penetrate from the opening formed in the opposing portion 22b to the bottom portion 22a (magnet member 38) along the stroke direction X. Therefore, when the base portion 20 is attached to the main body 4, the insertion portion 35 is formed to reach from the opening provided in the opposing portion 22b of the base portion 20 to the surface of the main body 4.

[0042] The insertion portion 35 is formed so that another measurement member can be inserted through an opening formed in the opposing portion 22b of the base portion 20. In this embodiment, the insertion portion 35 is configured so that the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 can be inserted as the other measurement member. The insertion portion 35 is provided on a side of the stroke pin 40. For example, the insertion portion 35 may be provided on one side of the stroke pin 40, on either side of the side surface 22d or 22e. In this embodiment, however, the insertion portion 35 is provided on both the side of the side surface 22d and the side of the side surface 22e with respect to the stroke pin 40. As a result, the base portion 20 is configured so that, regardless of whether the wire screw 50 is connected to one of the screw holes 36, 36 provided in the side surfaces 22d and 22e, the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 can be inserted into the insertion portion 35 on the side to which the wire screw 50 is not connected.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, the stroke pin 40 (displacement pin) is a pin member attached to the base portion 20. The stroke pin 40 has a base end portion 42 arranged on the base end side in the longitudinal direction, and a protruding end portion 44 arranged on the tip end side. The stroke pin 40 also has a flange portion 46 formed in a brim shape. The base end portion 42 and the flange portion 46 are housed in the first region 34a. The tip side of the stroke pin 40 is arranged in the second region 34b. Movement of the stroke pin 40 toward the tip side is restricted at the position where the flange portion 46 and the step portion 32 contact each other. This prevents the stroke pin 40 from falling off the base portion 20 of the measuring tool 10.

[0044] A spring 48 is attached to the base end 42 of the stroke pin 40, and the stroke pin 40 is biased toward the tip end. The stroke pin 40 is capable of moving forward and backward toward the base end 20a against the biasing force of the spring 48. In other words, the stroke pin 40 is capable of moving in and out of the stroke direction X. As described above, the outer peripheral surface of the stroke pin 40 is in surface contact with the wall surface of the second region 34b. Therefore, the stroke pin 40 is capable of moving in the stroke direction X while maintaining an orientation along the stroke direction X. In other words, the stroke pin 40 strokes against the biasing force of the spring 48 by abutting against the back door 6, and the stroke amount, which is the amount of displacement in the stroke direction X relative to the base portion 20, is variable.

[0045] The spring 48 (biasing member) is a spring member provided to bias the stroke pin 40 in a direction away from the base end 20a. The spring 48 is attached to the base end 42 of the stroke pin 40 and is housed in the first region 34a.

[0046] In measuring the distance D1 between the seal surfaces, an error may occur in the distance D1 between the seal surfaces depending on the spring constant of the spring 48 and the number of measuring tools 10 attached. Specifically, if the spring constant of the spring 48 is large or if a large number of measuring tools 10 are used, the reaction force of the spring 48 may press the tailgate 6 in a direction away from the main body 4, which may increase the distance D1 between the seal surfaces. For this reason, it is desirable to select a spring 48 that is hardly affected by the reaction force, taking into consideration the load that displaces the tailgate 6, the allowable error, the number of measuring tools 10, etc.

[0047] For example, assuming that the allowable range of error in the measurement value due to the reaction force of the biasing member is 0.1 mm, it is desirable to select a spring 48 with a spring constant within a predetermined range, taking into consideration the load required to displace the tailgate 6 of the vehicle being measured by 0.1 mm and the number of measuring tools 10 used simultaneously.

[0048] The wire screw 50 is provided to restrict and allow displacement of the stroke pin 40. The wire screw 50 is provided as a single linear member. At both ends of the wire screw 50, a threaded portion 52 (restricting member) having a thread groove formed at one end is formed, and a rotating portion 54 (restrictive operating portion) that can be rotated is provided at the other end. The wire screw 50 has the threaded portion 52 and the rotating portion 54 connected via a wire portion 56 (connecting portion). In other words, the wire screw 50 is provided so as to separate the threaded portion 52 and the rotating portion 54. A tube 58 that covers the wire portion 56 is attached to the wire screw 50.

[0049] The screw portion 52 (restricting member) is attached to the screw hole 36 of the base portion 20. The screw portion 52 restricts the displacement of the stroke pin 40 by bringing the screw tip portion 52a into contact with and pressing the stroke pin 40, thereby making it possible to position the stroke pin 40 in the stroke direction X. The screw portion 52 also allows the stroke pin 40 to be displaced by moving the screw tip portion 52a away from the stroke pin 40.

[0050] The rotating portion 54 (restriction operation portion) is provided to perform a displacement restriction operation that causes the threaded portion 52 to restrict displacement of the stroke pin 40. More specifically, when the rotating portion 54 is rotated in the forward direction, torque is applied to the threaded portion 52 via the wire portion 56, causing the threaded portion 52 to enter the inside of the main body portion 22 through the screw hole 36 and bring the screw tip portion 52a into contact with the stroke pin 40. As a result, the stroke pin 40 is pressed by the threaded portion 52, and displacement in the stroke direction X is restricted. When the rotating portion 54 is rotated in the reverse direction, the threaded portion 52 is retracted to the outside of the main body portion 22 and the screw tip portion 52a is separated from the stroke pin 40. As a result, the stroke pin 40 is released from the pressure of the threaded portion 52 and is allowed to displace in the stroke direction X. The rotating portion 54 is rotated in a predetermined direction to switch between a state in which the displacement of the stroke pin 40 is restricted (displacement restricted state) and a state in which the displacement of the stroke pin 40 is permitted (displacement permitted state). In other words, the measuring tool 10 can perform a displacement restriction operation to restrict the displacement of the stroke pin 40 by rotating the rotating portion 54 (restriction operation portion).

[0051] The wire portion 56 (connecting portion) is provided to separate the rotating portion 54 from the screw portion 52 and to transmit torque generated by a rotating operation of the rotating portion 54 to the screw portion 52.

[0052] Next, with reference to FIG. 7, a series of steps for measuring the distance D1 between seal surfaces will be described. When measuring the distance D1 between seal surfaces, first, with the back door 6 open, the measuring tool 10 is attached to the main body 4. More specifically, multiple measuring tools 10 (for example, about 4 to 10) are attached to the flange 4c of the main body 4. Note that it is desirable to arrange the measuring tools 10 so as not to cause bias in the measured values, taking into consideration the reaction force of the spring 48. For example, it is desirable to arrange the measuring tools 10 in symmetrical numbers on the left and right sides of the vehicle 1 with respect to the edge 4b ​​of the opening 4a (for example, four on the right side and four on the left side). This makes it possible to prevent the effect of the reaction force of the spring 48 from being biased to either the left or right, thereby preventing a decrease in measurement accuracy.

[0053] When the measuring tool 10 is attached to the main body 4, the screw tip 52a of the measuring tool 10 is separated from the stroke pin 40. In other words, the measuring tool 10 is attached to the main body 4 in a state in which the stroke pin 40 is allowed to displace in the stroke direction X (displacement-allowed state).

[0054] 7, the measuring tool 10 is attached to the main body 4 by the magnetic force of the magnet member 38. The measuring tool 10 is fixed to the main body 4 by fitting the flange 4c into the fitting portion 28 and bringing the tip of the thumbscrew 26 into contact with the flange 4c. In this way, the measuring tool 10 is attached such that the base end 20a formed on the magnet member 38 is in approximate surface contact with the main body 4, and is positioned at a predetermined position by the engagement structure between the flange 4c, the fitting portion 28, and the thumbscrew 26.

[0055] After attaching the measuring tool 10 to the main body 4, the tailgate 6 is closed. As shown in FIG. 7, when the tailgate 6 is locked, the tailgate 6 temporarily moves toward the main body 4 within a range from the locked position P1 to a displaceable position P2 (see the imaginary line in FIG. 7) (overstroke), and when the tailgate 6 is locked, it returns to the locked position P1. At this time, the protruding end 44 of the stroke pin 40 is temporarily displaced toward the base end 20a as the tailgate 6 moves. Furthermore, when the tailgate 6 returns to the locked position P1, the urging force of the spring 48 displaces the stroke pin 40 toward the tip side to a position where the protruding end 44 and the tailgate 6 come into contact.

[0056] In this way, regardless of the magnitude of the effect of overstroke, the measuring tool 10 can make the distance D2 between the base end 20a and the protruding end 44 equal to the seal surface distance D1 when the back door 6 is maintained in the locked position P1. As a result, the measuring tool 10 can reduce errors caused by the effect of overstroke when measuring the seal surface distance D1.

[0057] When the back door 6 is closed, the turning portion 54 (restriction operation portion) of the wire screw 50 is pulled out from between the main body 4 and the back door 6. When the turning portion 54 of the wire screw 50 is turned, the screw portion 52 (restriction member) enters the screw hole 36, and eventually the screw tip portion 52a comes into contact with and presses the outer peripheral surface of the stroke pin 40. When the screw tip portion 52a presses the outer peripheral surface of the stroke pin 40, the displacement of the stroke pin 40 in the stroke direction X is restricted, and the stroke pin 40 is positioned in the stroke direction X (displacement restricted state).

[0058] After positioning the stroke pin 40 in the stroke direction X, the back door 6 is opened. Even when the back door 6 is open, the measuring tool 10 remains attached to the main body 4, and the distance D2 from the base end 20a to the protruding end 44 is maintained in a state that matches the distance D1 between the seal surfaces.

[0059] Next, the distance D2 from the base end 20a of the measuring tool 10 to the protruding end 44 is measured. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100, which is another measurement component, is inserted into the insertion section 35 provided on the base section 20 through the opening in the opposing section 22b. When the depth bar 102 reaches the reference position on the bottom section 22a side (the end on the bottom section 22a side in this embodiment) and the end of the main scale portion 104 of the caliper 100 abuts against the protruding end 44 of the stroke pin 40, the distance D2 from the base end 20a of the measuring tool 10 to the protruding end 44 can be calculated.

[0060] The measured value of the distance D2 obtained by the above procedure coincides with the measured value of the distance D1 between the seal surfaces when the measuring tool 10 is placed. In this way, the measurement of the distance D1 between the seal surfaces using the measuring tool 10 allows the measured value of the distance D1 between the seal surfaces to be obtained accurately and efficiently.

[0061] <Action and effect> The measuring tool 10 according to the above-described embodiment has the following characteristic configurations (a) to (e), which provide effects specific to the present invention.

[0062] (a) The measuring tool 10 of this embodiment measures the distance of the gap between the main body 4 and the back door 6 (lid-like member) that form the opening / closing section 3 of the vehicle 1. When one of the main body 4 and the back door 6 (lid-like member) is a component A (the main body 4 in this embodiment) and the other is a component B (the back door 6 in this embodiment), the measuring tool 10 is attached to the component A and has a facing portion 22b that faces the component B when the back door 6 (lid-like member) is closed to the main body 4, and is capable of stroking to move forward and backward from the facing portion 22b of the base portion 20, The device is characterized by having a stroke pin 40 (displacement pin) whose stroke amount changes depending on the distance between the main body 4 and the gap by abutting against the component B when the back door 6 (lid-like member) is opened or closed, and a screw portion 52 (regulating member) that regulates the stroke of the stroke pin 40 when the back door 6 (lid-like member) is closed against the main body 4, and the base portion 20 has an insertion portion 35 that opens at the opposing portion 22b of the base portion 20 and into which a measurement depth bar 102 (other member) can be inserted so that it reaches a predetermined reference position along the stroke direction X.

[0063] The measuring tool 10 of this embodiment has an insertion section 35 provided in the base section 20 attached to the component A, the insertion section 35 opening at the opposing section 22b through which the stroke pin 40 advances and retreats. The insertion section 35 is also configured to allow a depth bar 102 to be inserted through the opening provided in the opposing section 22b so as to reach a predetermined reference position along the stroke direction X of the stroke pin 40. Therefore, the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment can insert a measurement member as the depth bar 102 while the base section 20 is attached to the component A, and measure the protrusion amount of the stroke pin 40 based on the reference position. Therefore, the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment can measure the separation distance of a body gap, such as between seal surfaces, without removing the measuring tool 10 from the component A and moving it to a measurement table or the like. Therefore, the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment can further reduce the number of steps in the measurement operation and contribute to further improving measurement accuracy.

[0064] (b) In the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment, the base portion 20 can be attached to the component A at the base end portion 20a on the opposite side of the stroke direction from the opposing portion 22b, and the insertion portion 35 is formed by a through hole that penetrates from the opposing portion 22b to the base end portion 20a.

[0065] The measuring tool 10 of this embodiment has the configuration as shown in (b) above, and by inserting the depth bar 102 into the insertion portion 35, the depth bar 102 can reach the surface of the component A. Therefore, the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment can measure the length from the reference position to the protruding end 44 of the stroke pin 40 using the measurement depth bar 102, with the surface of the component A as the reference position. As a result, the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment can further reduce the number of steps in the measurement work and contribute to further improving the measurement accuracy.

[0066] (c) In the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment, the insertion portion 35 is provided on the side of the stroke pin 40 .

[0067] By configuring the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment as described above (c), the measurement depth bar 102 can be inserted into the insertion portion 35, and the amount of protrusion of the stroke pin 40 from the reference position can be measured easily and accurately.

[0068] (d) In the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment, the base portion 20 can be attached to the component A at the base end portion 20a on the opposite side of the stroke direction from the opposing portion 22b, the base end portion 20a is equipped with a magnet member 38, and the insertion portion 35 is formed by a through hole formed to penetrate the base end portion 20a.

[0069] By configuring the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment as described above (d), the base end 20a of the base portion 20 can be easily attached to the component A using the magnet member 38, and accurate measurements can be made using the measurement depth bar 102 with the surface of the component A as the reference position.

[0070] (e) In the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment, the insertion portion 35 can insert the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 as the depth bar 102 .

[0071] The measuring tool 10 of this embodiment is configured as described above in (e), so that the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 can be inserted into the insertion portion 35, and the length from the reference position to the protruding end 44 of the stroke pin 40 can be measured easily and accurately.

[0072] <<Variations>> The measuring tool 10 described above merely illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, and configuration changes, omissions, additions, and the like can be made as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. Specifically, in the above embodiment, as described in (a) above, an example was shown in which, of the main body 4 and the tailgate 6, the main body 4 is the component A to which the base portion 20 is attached, and the tailgate 6 is the component B. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to use the tailgate 6 as the component A and the main body 4 as the component B. Furthermore, while the measuring tool 10 of this embodiment is exemplified as being capable of inserting the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 into the insertion portion 35 as another measurement member, the present invention is not limited to this, and the measuring tool 10 can also be configured so that a measurement tool other than the depth bar 102 can be inserted into the insertion portion 35.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in (b) above, the measuring tool 10 is exemplified as being configured with a through-hole penetrating the insertion portion 35 from the opposing portion 22b to the base end 20a. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The measuring tool 10 may be configured with a hole or recess formed in a concave shape from the opposing portion 22b side, with the reference position being a position where the insertion portion 35 is spaced a predetermined distance from the base end 20a toward the opposing portion 22b in the stroke direction X. In this case, the length from the bottom 22a to the reference position, which is the bottom of the insertion portion 35 (hereinafter also referred to as the "reference height"), is constant. Therefore, the length from the reference position, which is the bottom of the insertion portion 35, to the protruding end 44 of the stroke pin 40 can be measured with a measuring tool inserted into the insertion portion 35, and the length corresponding to the reference height can be added to this measurement to accurately measure the size of the gap formed between components A and B.

[0074] The measuring tool 10 described above has the insertion portion 35 provided on the side of the stroke pin 40 as shown in (c) above, but the present invention is not limited to this. The measuring tool 10 can have the insertion portion 35 provided in an appropriate location other than on the side of the stroke pin 40, as long as the protrusion amount of the stroke pin 40 can be measured based on a reference position by inserting another measurement member into the insertion portion 35.

[0075] As described above, the measuring tool 10 has a base end 20a equipped with a magnet member 38 and an insertion portion 35 formed to penetrate the magnet member 38 provided at the base end 20a, as shown in (d) above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the measuring tool 10 may have an insertion portion 35 formed by a hole that does not penetrate the magnet member 38 but reaches the surface of the magnet member 38. In this case, the position of the surface of the magnet member 38 serves as the reference position. Therefore, by inserting another member into the insertion portion 35 and measuring the length from the surface of the magnet member 38 to the protruding end 44, and adding the length corresponding to the thickness of the magnet member 38, the size of the gap formed between constituents A and B can be measured with high accuracy.

[0076] The measuring tool 10 described above has been exemplified as one in which the insertion portion 35 can insert the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 as the depth bar 102, as described above in (e), but the present invention is not limited to this. The measuring tool 10 can also be configured so that something other than the depth bar 102 of the caliper 100 can be inserted into the insertion portion 35 as another member, and the length from the reference position to the protruding end 44 of the stroke pin 40 can be measured using that other member.

[0077] Furthermore, the configuration and method of use of the measuring tool 10 may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in a series of measurements of the seal surface distance D1, the first measurement may be performed by attaching the measuring tool 10 to the body 4 without the weatherstrip rubber 8 attached, and the second measurement may be performed by attaching the measuring tool 10 to the body 4 with the weatherstrip rubber 8 attached. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9 , when measuring the seal surface distance D1, portions of the weatherstrip rubber 8 may be cut and positioned intermittently, and the measuring tool 10 may be attached between the weatherstrip rubbers 8. This allows the seal surface distance D1 to be measured in a state closer to that of an actual vehicle.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the measuring tool 10 has been described as being used to measure the distance S between the sealing surfaces of the main body 4 and the tailgate 6, but the measuring tool 10 of the present invention may also be used to measure other gaps in the body 2, such as the distance S between the sealing surfaces of the main body 4 and the side door 7.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above-described measuring tool 10, an example has been shown in which a screw member (thread portion 52) is used as a configuration for regulating the displacement of the stroke pin 40, but the regulating member of the measuring tool of the present invention may also be one that regulates the displacement of the stroke pin using other structures.

[0080] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments, etc., and appropriate design modifications, etc. are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. The components of the above-described embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment or variation may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the problems, the detailed description, etc., or any component embodying any component described in the means for solving the problems, the detailed description, etc. The present invention also intends to obtain rights to these in the present application or in divisional applications, modified applications, etc. based on the present application. [Industrial Applicability]

[0081] The measuring tool of the present invention can be suitably used to measure the distance of a gap in a vehicle body, such as the gap between the main body and a door. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1 vehicle 2 Body 3 Opening and closing section 4 Body (Component A, Body) 6 Back door (component B, body) 10 Measuring Tools 20 Base 20a Proximal end 22b Opposite part 35 Insertion section 38 Magnet parts 40 Stroke Pin 44 Projecting end 48 Spring (biasing member) 52 Threaded portion (regulating member) 54 Rotating part (regulating operation part) 100 Vernier Calipers 102 Depth bar (other parts)

Claims

[Claim 1] This device measures the gap between the body main body and the cover-like member that form the opening and closing part of the vehicle, When one of the main body and the lid-like member is a component A and the other is a component B, a base portion attached to the component A and including an opposing portion that faces the component B in a closed state in which the lid-like member is closed relative to the body; A displacement pin that can be stroked to move forward and backward from the opposing portion of the base portion, and that abuts against the component B by opening and closing the lid-like member, thereby changing the stroke amount depending on the distance between the body main body and the gap; a restricting member that restricts the stroke of the displacement pin when the lid-like member is closed relative to the main body; and a measuring tool characterized in that the base portion has an insertion portion that opens at the opposing portion of the base portion and into which another measurement member can be inserted so that it reaches a predetermined reference position along the stroke direction.

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