Measuring device

Abstract

To provide a measurement device which enables easy and accurate shape measurement of a measurement target surface.SOLUTION: A measurement device 100 disclosed herein comprises a rod-like holder 110 extending in a straight line, and multiple length meters 160 arranged next to each other along a longitudinal direction of the holder 110 and held by the holder 110. Each length meter 160 is configured to measure the distance to a measurement target surface along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the holder 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a measuring apparatus for measuring the shape of a surface to be measured of a member. [Background Art]

[0002] An electrolytic cell capable of producing chlorine, caustic soda and the like by electrolysis using an ion exchange membrane method has been developed and already put into practical use. As described in Patent Document 1 below, the electrolytic cell has a configuration in which a plurality of electrolytic cells each having substantially flat plate-shaped electrodes on both sides are stacked such that they are alternately arranged with ion exchange membranes interposed therebetween. The electrolytic cell has dimensions of, for example, approximately 1.4 m × 2.4 m, and is a relatively large plate-shaped member. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 168863 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] If the dimensional accuracy of an electrode that sandwiches an ion exchange membrane therebetween is low, and the flatness of a surface facing the ion exchange membrane (hereinafter also referred to as "opposing surface") is insufficient, a local compressive force is applied to the ion exchange membrane. Since the ion exchange membrane is a relatively fragile membrane, a part of the ion exchange membrane may be damaged depending on the magnitude of the compressive force. Therefore, sufficient dimensional accuracy is required for the opposing surface of the electrode.

[0005] Furthermore, in some electrolytic cell configurations, the opposing surfaces of the electrodes and the ion exchange membrane do not come into contact with each other, and a certain gap is formed between them. In this case, if the dimensional accuracy of the opposing surfaces is insufficient, the size of the gap may vary from place to place, potentially leading to inefficient electrolysis. Therefore, even in this configuration, sufficient dimensional accuracy is required for the opposing surfaces.

[0006] One method for measuring the shape of components that require sufficient dimensional accuracy on certain surfaces, such as the electrolytic cell described above, is to individually measure the amount of protrusion at each position on the surface, i.e., the height dimension along the normal direction of the surface, at multiple locations. However, performing such measurements manually is extremely time-consuming and can lead to problems such as variations in measurement locations depending on the worker. These problems are not limited to the electrodes of an electrolytic cell but can generally occur when measuring large surface shapes.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a measuring device that can easily and accurately measure the shape of a surface to be measured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The measuring device according to the present invention is a measuring device for measuring the shape of a surface to be measured on a member, and comprises a rod-shaped holding part that extends in a straight line, and a plurality of length measuring instruments arranged along the longitudinal direction of the holding part and held by the holding part. Each length measuring instrument measures the distance to the surface to be measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0009] With this type of measuring device, by simply positioning the holding part parallel to the surface to be measured, it becomes possible to simultaneously measure the shape of the surface at multiple points using each measuring instrument. Compared to manually positioning measuring instruments at multiple locations, the measurement work becomes easier, and variations due to the operator are reduced, making it possible to measure the shape more easily and accurately than before. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, a measuring device is provided that can easily and accurately measure the shape of a surface to be measured. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the electrolytic cell. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of electrolytic cells and other components included in an electrolytic cell. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of electrolytic cells and other components included in an electrolytic cell. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the configuration of the measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the configuration of the measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the configuration of the measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the fixing device, which is part of the measuring device, attached to the electrolytic cell. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows the configuration of the fastening device. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring shape using a measuring device. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring shape using a measuring device. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows the shape of the measuring probe of the length measuring instrument. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a measuring device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by a control device. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible in each drawing, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0013] A first embodiment will be described. The measuring device 100 according to the present embodiment is a device for measuring the surface shape of a large member, such as the electrolytic cell 20 provided in an electrolyzer 10, for example. Prior to the description of the measuring device 100, the configurations of the electrolyzer 10 and the electrolytic cell 20 will be described first.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the electrolyzer 10. The electrolyzer 10 is a device that produces chlorine and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) by electrolyzing salt water as a raw material. The electrolyzer 10 includes a plurality of plate-like electrolytic cells 20, and has a configuration in which these electrolytic cells are arranged in a line and stacked. An ion exchange membrane 70 (see FIG. 2), which is not shown in FIG. 1, is sandwiched between a pair of adjacent electrolytic cells 20. That is, in the electrolyzer 10, the plurality of electrolytic cells 20 and the ion exchange membranes 70 are alternately stacked and arranged.

[0015] The electrolytic cell 20 disposed at one end in the lamination direction is hereinafter also referred to as "electrolytic cell 20A". Further, the electrolytic cell 20 disposed at the other end in the lamination direction is hereinafter also referred to as "electrolytic cell 20B". A terminal 31 is provided on the electrolytic cell 20A, and a terminal 32 is provided on the electrolytic cell 20B. Both the terminals 31 and 32 protrude upward or downward from the respective electrolytic cells 20A and 20B. During operation of the electrolytic cell 10, a high-voltage DC voltage is applied between the terminal 31 and the terminal 32.

[0016] In addition, in FIG. 1, besides the above-mentioned electrolytic cells 20A and 20B, only a part of the plurality of electrolytic cells 20 disposed between the two is illustrated, and a state where one of the electrolytic cells 20 is lifted upward is shown. During operation of the electrolytic cell 10, each of the electrolytic cells 20 and the ion exchange membrane 70 is compressed along the lamination direction by a force from a hydraulic press 50, and is brought into close contact with each other.

[0017] In FIG. 2, the configuration of a pair of laminated electrolytic cells 20 and an ion exchange membrane 70 sandwiched therebetween is drawn as a cross-sectional view. Note that since FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view, the shape and thickness of each part are different from actual ones.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the electrolytic cell 20 includes an anode 210 and a current collector 220. The anode 210 is an electrode that functions as an "anode" in electrolysis, and is made of a conductive material such as metal, for example. The anode 210 is substantially flat as a whole, and a plurality of through holes 211 (see FIG. 11) not shown in FIG. 2 are formed therein. The anode 210 is disposed at an end portion on one side (left side in FIG. 2) along the lamination direction of the electrolytic cell 20, and is exposed to the outside at the end portion. The entire exposed surface of the anode 210 is a surface facing the ion exchange membrane 70.

[0019] The current collector 220 is a component made of a conductive material, similar in composition to the anode 210. Like the anode 210, the current collector 220 is also substantially flat in shape and has multiple through holes (not shown) formed therein.

[0020] The current collector 220 is located near the other end (right side in Figure 2) of the electrolytic cell 20 along the stacking direction. In this embodiment, the surface of the current collector 220 is covered by an elastic member 221 and a conductive sheet 222, and is exposed to the outside through gaps in the elastic member 221 and the conductive sheet 222. The elastic member 221 covers the surface of the current collector 220 from the outside, and the conductive sheet 222 further covers the surface of the elastic member 221 from the outside. The conductive sheet 222 is exposed to the outside, and its entire exposed surface faces the ion exchange membrane 70. Both the elastic member 221 and the conductive sheet 222 are electrically connected to the current collector 220. The conductive sheet 222 functions as the "cathode" in electrolysis.

[0021] Furthermore, the elastic member 221 and the conductive sheet 222 may not be provided, and the surface of the current collector 220 may be exposed to the outside. In this case, a predetermined gap will be formed between the surface of the current collector 220 and the ion exchange film 70. Also, in this case, the current collector 220 will function as the "cathode" in electrolysis.

[0022] A partition wall 203 is provided between the anode 210 and the current collector 220. An anode chamber 201 is formed between the anode 210 and the partition wall 203, and a cathode chamber 202 is formed between the current collector 220 and the partition wall 203. The anode chamber 201 and the cathode chamber 202 are spaces separated from each other by the partition wall 203. While members or ribs to support the anode 210 from the inside may be placed inside the anode chamber 201, their illustration is omitted in Figure 2. The same applies to the inside of the cathode chamber 202.

[0023] The anode 210 and current collector 220 of one electrolytic cell 20 are electrically connected by a component of the electrolytic cell 20. During the operation of the electrolytic cell 10, electrolysis takes place between the anode 210 of one adjacent electrolytic cell 20 separated by the ion exchange membrane 70 and the conductive sheet 222 (i.e., cathode) of the other electrolytic cell 20.

[0024] In the anode chamber 201, chlorine is generated when saltwater supplied from the outside comes into contact with the anode 210. Sodium ions move through the ion exchange membrane 70 to the cathode chamber 202. In the cathode chamber 202, hydrogen and hydroxide ions are generated when water supplied from the outside comes into contact with the conductive sheet 222. The hydroxide ions combine with the sodium ions mentioned above to form caustic soda (sodium hydroxide).

[0025] Other components of the electrolytic cell 20 will now be described. A rectangular frame is provided around the anode 210, and a sealing surface 230 is formed on this frame. The sealing surface 230 is a surface parallel to the surface of the anode 210 and is exposed to the outside, just like the surface of the anode 210. The surface of the anode 210 protrudes outward or recedes inward by a predetermined dimension from the sealing surface 230 along the stacking direction.

[0026] A sealing member 231 is positioned between the sealing surface 230 and the ion exchange membrane 70. The sealing member 231 is a component that prevents saltwater or the like from the anode chamber 201 from leaking to the outside, and is positioned to cover the entire surface of the sealing surface 230.

[0027] A rectangular frame is provided around the current collector 220, and a sealing surface 240 is formed on this frame. The sealing surface 240 is a surface parallel to the surface of the current collector 220 and the conductor sheet 222, and is exposed to the outside, just like the surface of the conductor sheet 222. The surface of the conductor sheet 222 protrudes outward or recedes inward by a predetermined dimension from the sealing surface 240 along the lamination direction.

[0028] A sealing member 241 is positioned between the sealing surface 240 and the ion exchange membrane 70. The sealing member 241 is a component that prevents water or the like from the cathode chamber 202 from leaking to the outside, and is positioned to cover the entire surface of the sealing surface 240.

[0029] Figure 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the ion exchange membrane 70 sandwiched between sealing members 231 and 241, and the configuration of its vicinity. In Figure 3, the reference numeral "250" indicates a rib located in the cathode chamber 202. The rib 250 is a member that supports the thin plate-shaped current collector 220 from the inside, and multiple ribs are provided so as to be aligned in the depth direction of the paper in Figure 3.

[0030] When compression is applied by the hydraulic press 50 shown in Figure 1, the entire surface of the conductive sheet 222 adheres tightly to the ion exchange membrane 70 due to the force from the elastic member 221. The ion exchange membrane 70 is then pressed against the anode 210 by the compressive force from the elastic member 221 and the conductive sheet 222.

[0031] The ion exchange membrane 70 is a membrane formed from a relatively weak material. Therefore, if the compressive force applied to the anode 210 becomes locally large due to surface accuracy of the anode 210 or current collector 220, a portion of the ion exchange membrane 70 may be damaged. Accordingly, sufficient dimensional accuracy is required for the anode 210 and current collector 220 to reduce variations in the compressive force applied to the ion exchange membrane 70.

[0032] For example, with respect to the anode 210, it is required that the amount of protrusion or recession from the sealing surface 230 be made as uniform as possible at each position on the entire outer surface. "Amount of protrusion or recession from the sealing surface 230" refers to the height position of each part along the stacking direction (left-right direction in Figure 3) with respect to the position of the sealing surface 230. Similarly, with respect to the current collector 220, it is required that the amount of protrusion or recession from the sealing surface 240 be made as uniform as possible at each position on the entire outer surface. "Amount of protrusion or recession from the sealing surface 240" refers to the height position of each part along the stacking direction (left-right direction in Figure 3) with respect to the position of the sealing surface 240.

[0033] The measuring device 100 according to this embodiment is a device for measuring the surface shape of the anode 210 as described above. For example, when measuring the surface shape of the anode 210, the entire surface of the anode 210 that is exposed outward along the stacking direction is considered the "surface to be measured" whose shape is measured by the measuring device 100.

[0034] The configuration of the measuring device 100 will be described, mainly with reference to Figure 4. The measuring device 100 comprises a holding part 110, a gripping part 120, and a length measuring instrument 160.

[0035] The holding portion 110 is the part for holding the measuring instrument 160, which will be described later. The holding portion 110 is a rod-shaped member that extends in a straight line. The cross-sectional shape of the holding portion 110 when cut perpendicular to its longitudinal direction is circular.

[0036] In Figure 4, the longitudinal direction of the holding part 110, specifically the direction from bottom to top, is the z-direction, and the z-axis is shown along this direction. The direction perpendicular to the z-direction, and moving from the back to the front of the page in Figure 4, is the x-direction, and the x-axis is shown along this direction. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the z-direction and the x-direction, and moving from the right to the left of Figure 4, is the y-direction, and the y-axis is shown along this direction. In Figures 5 and 6, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are shown in a manner corresponding to Figure 4.

[0037] The gripping portion 120 is the part that is gripped by the user when performing shape measurement using the measuring device 100. The majority of the gripping portion 120 is a rod-shaped member that extends in a straight line, similar to the holding portion 110, and extends parallel to the holding portion 110. The portions of the gripping portion 120 near both ends along its longitudinal direction are curved toward the holding portion 110. Both ends of the gripping portion 120 are welded and fixed to the holding portion 110.

[0038] The measuring instrument 160 is a device for measuring the distance to the surface to be measured. The "distance to the surface to be measured" is the distance along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (z direction) of the holding part 110 (y direction). Multiple measuring instruments 160 are provided in the measuring device 100 and are arranged at approximately equal intervals along the longitudinal direction of the holding part 110.

[0039] The length measuring instrument 160 of this embodiment is configured as a contact-type sensor having a measuring probe 161. The measuring probe 161 is a rod-shaped member extending from the main body of the length measuring instrument 160 toward the -y direction, and is movable along that direction relative to the main body. When the tip 162 of the measuring probe 161 strikes the surface to be measured, the measuring probe 161 moves toward the y direction. The length measuring instrument 160 measures the amount of movement of the measuring probe 161 and outputs this amount of movement as measurement data. The obtained measurement data can be used as data indicating the distance to the surface to be measured at the position where the measuring probe 161 struck, that is, the shape of the surface to be measured.

[0040] A display unit 163 is provided on the x-direction side of the measuring instrument 160. The display unit 163 is a part that displays numerical values ​​indicating measurement data, and is, for example, a liquid crystal screen. The user of the measuring device 100 can obtain the shape of the surface to be measured at each position (specifically, the protrusion height along the y-direction) by visually checking the numerical values ​​displayed on each display unit 163.

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, each measuring instrument 160 is connected to the holding part 110 via members 150 and 151. Member 150 is a rod-shaped member extending in the y-direction from the holding part 110. Member 151 is a rod-shaped member extending in the x-direction from near the y-direction end of member 150. The main body of the measuring instrument 160 is connected to the x-direction end of member 151. The measuring instrument 160 is positioned offset to the x-direction side of the holding part 110. With this configuration, the measuring probe 161 extends to a position to the -y-direction side of the holding part 110 without interfering with the holding part 110. A method other than that of this embodiment may be used for connecting the holding part 110 and the measuring instrument 160.

[0042] Instead of the contact-type sensor described above, a non-contact type sensor, such as a laser measuring instrument, may be used as the measuring instrument 160.

[0043] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a member 130 is provided near the z-direction end of the holding portion 110 where the gripping portion 120 is connected. Member 130 is a rod-shaped member extending along the x-direction. The holding portion 110 penetrates the central portion of member 130 along the x-direction along the z-direction. The end of the gripping portion 120 is fixed by welding near the portion of member 130 that is penetrated by the holding portion 110. Member 130 is provided with two protrusions 131. The protrusions 131 are provided at each of the x-direction ends of member 130 and protrude toward the -y-direction.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4, a member 140 similar to member 130 is also provided near the end of the holding portion 110 on the -z direction side, where the gripping portion 120 is connected. Member 140 is a rod-shaped member extending along the x direction. Member 140 is provided with a projection 141 similar to projection 131. The projection 141 is provided at a position near the center of member 140 along the x direction and protrudes toward the -y direction. In this embodiment, only one projection 141 is provided. Alternatively, two projections 141 may be provided, similar to projection 131.

[0045] The virtual plane passing through the tips of the two protrusions 131 and the tip of the one protrusion 141 is a plane parallel to the xz plane. In other words, the protrusion amounts of the three protrusions 131 and 141 are adjusted so that the plane defined by the tips of the three protrusions is a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the holding portion 110.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, the z-direction end of the holding portion 110 protrudes further in the z-direction than the portion to which the gripping portion 120 is connected. This protruding portion will be referred to as the "projection portion 111" below. As shown in Figure 6, a circular through-hole 112 is formed at the tip of the projection portion 111, passing through it along the x-direction. The purpose of the through-hole 112 will be explained later.

[0047] In addition to the configuration shown in Figure 4, the measuring device 100 of this embodiment further includes a slide rail 180 and a locking member 190 as separate components. The configurations of the slide rail 180 and the locking member 190 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Note that the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis shown in Figures 7 and 8 are the same as the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis shown in Figure 4, etc., and correspond to the directions in which the measuring device 100 is used.

[0048] In the following, we will describe an example where the outer surface of the anode 210 of the electrolytic cell 20 is used as the "surface to be measured". When measuring the shape of the anode 210, the electrolytic cell 20, which is the component to be measured, is initially positioned upright so that the direction normal to the surface to be measured is horizontal, as shown in Figure 7. In Figure 7, the part labeled "260" is a gas-liquid separator provided in the electrolytic cell 20. The gas-liquid separator 260 is a container provided in the electrolytic cell 20 at a position above the sealing surface 230.

[0049] The slide rail 180 is a rod-shaped member that extends in a straight line. The slide rail 180 is attached to the upper end surface of the electrolytic cell 20 with the block 185 sandwiched in between. In the state where it is attached as shown in Figure 7, the longitudinal direction of the slide rail 180 is aligned with the upper edge of the electrolytic cell 20. Multiple blocks 185 are arranged in a line along this direction.

[0050] A plate-shaped member 181 is attached to a portion of the lower end surface of the slide rail 180. The plate-shaped member 181 is a flat plate-shaped member parallel to the lower end surface. As shown in Figure 8, a plate-shaped member 182 extending downwards is provided at the y-direction end of the plate-shaped member 181. In addition, a plate-shaped member 183 extending downwards is provided at the -y-direction end of the plate-shaped member 181. These plate-shaped members 181, 182, and 183 can be formed by bending a single plate-shaped member. The distance from the plate-shaped member 182 to the plate-shaped member 183 is approximately equal to the thickness of the electrolytic cell 20 (specifically, the thickness of the gas-liquid separator 260) along the y-direction. The slide rail 180 is attached to the electrolytic cell 20 from above by sandwiching the electrolytic cell 20 between the plate-shaped members 182 and 183. Multiple plate-shaped members 181, etc., are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the slide rail 180.

[0051] The locking member 190 is a member that is attached to the upper surface of the slide rail 180 in a manner that allows it to slide along the x-direction. The locking member 190 has a sliding portion 191 and a hanging portion 192.

[0052] The sliding portion 191 is a substantially flat plate-shaped part installed on the slide rail 180. As shown in Figure 8, the sliding portion 191 is positioned so that its lower surface is in contact with the upper surface of the slide rail 180. The lower surface of the sliding portion 191 is a flat surface parallel to the xy plane. Therefore, the locking member 190 can be moved along the x-direction while the sliding portion 191 remains in contact with the upper surface of the slide rail 180.

[0053] The hanging portion 192 is formed to extend from the y-direction end of the sliding portion 191 toward the -z-direction. A circular through-hole 193 is formed in the portion of the hanging portion 192 near the lower end, passing through it along the x-direction. The shape of the through-hole 193 is the same as the shape of the through-hole 112 formed in the protruding portion 111.

[0054] When measuring the shape of the anode 210 with the measuring device 100, the through hole 193 provided in the locking member 190 and the through hole 112 formed in the protruding portion 111 are aligned, and a screw 195 is inserted through each through hole. As a result, the upper end of the holding portion 110 is held by the locking member 190. At this time, since the holding portion 110 is held only by the screw 195 at its upper end, it is possible to rotate around the screw 195.

[0055] After connecting the holding part 110 to the locking member 190 as described above, user M slides the holding part 110 and the locking member 190 along the slide rail 180, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 9, to move the measuring device 100 to a predetermined measuring position. The "measuring position" is, for example, a portion of the surface of the anode 210 that is supported from the inside by ribs.

[0056] After moving the holding part 110 to the measurement position as described above, user M rotates the holding part 110 around the screw 195 so that the lower end of the holding part 110 is brought closer to the anode 210, as shown in Figure 10. Ultimately, the tip of projection 131 comes into contact with the upper sealing surface 230, and the tip of projection 141 comes into contact with the lower sealing surface 230.

[0057] The sealing surface 230 is used as a "reference surface" when measuring the shape of the anode 210. The tips of the projections 131 and 141 contact the sealing surface 230, thereby maintaining the holding portion 110 parallel to the reference surface. To enable this arrangement, the distance between projections 131 and 141 is pre-adjusted. The projections 131 and 141 function as "supports" to keep the holding portion 110 parallel to the anode 210, which is the surface to be measured.

[0058] The measuring device 100 of this embodiment is configured such that even after the user M releases their hand from the state shown in Figure 10, the tips of each projection 131, etc., remain in contact with the sealing surface 230. As a mechanism to maintain this state, for example, a locking mechanism may be separately provided that biases the lower end of the holding part 110 toward the anode 210. In this case, the mechanism, together with the projections 131 and 141, functions as the "support part" described above.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10, once the installation is complete, the holding part 110 is parallel to the anode 210, and each measuring instrument 160 has the tip 162 of its measuring probe 161 in contact with the surface of the anode 210 (i.e., the surface to be measured). The display unit 163 of the measuring instrument 160 displays a numerical value corresponding to the displacement of the measuring probe 161, that is, a numerical value indicating the protrusion height of the anode 210 at the position of the measuring instrument 160. By visually checking this numerical value, the user M can understand the surface shape of the anode 210.

[0060] Furthermore, it is desirable to perform a so-called "zero-point adjustment" on each measuring instrument 160 in advance so that the displayed value accurately represents the shape of the anode 210. For example, to perform zero-point adjustment, the tips of the protrusions 131 and 141 can be brought into contact with the surface plate, and the values ​​displayed on each display unit 163 can be reset to "0".

[0061] As described above, with the measuring device 100 of this embodiment, by simply arranging the holding unit 110 parallel to the anode 210, which is the surface to be measured, the shape of the surface to be measured at multiple locations can be measured simultaneously by each measuring instrument 160. Since the relative positions of the multiple measuring instruments 160 are fixed in advance, the measurement work becomes easier compared to the case where measuring instruments 160 are manually placed at multiple measurement locations and measured sequentially. Furthermore, variations due to the operator can be reduced, so the shape can be measured more accurately than in the conventional method.

[0062] Furthermore, if the electrolytic cell 20 can be laid flat, that is, with the anode 210 aligned with a horizontal surface, the shape of the anode 210 can be measured simply by placing the measuring device 100 so that the projection 131 or the like contacts the horizontal sealing surface 230. In this case, the slide rail 180 and locking member 190 are unnecessary.

[0063] When assembling the electrolytic cell 10, it is more efficient to measure the shape of the anode 210 while the electrolytic cell 20 is in an upright position. Therefore, in this embodiment, a fixing device (slide rail 180 and locking member 190) is provided to be attached to the portion of the upright electrolytic cell 20 above the anode 210, and the device is configured to allow measurement to be performed while holding the upper end of the holding portion 110. The slide rail 180 corresponds to the "first fixing device" in this embodiment. The locking member 190 corresponds to the "second fixing device" in this embodiment.

[0064] Although the measuring device 100 according to this embodiment is configured as a device for measuring the surface shape of the anode 210 as described above, it may also be configured as a device for measuring the surface shape of the current collector 220.

[0065] As shown in Figure 3, the surface of the current collector 220 is located further back than the sealing surface 240. Therefore, when the surface of the current collector 220 is used as the surface to be measured, the protrusions 131 and 141 should be made shorter than in this embodiment, so that they only protrude to a position on the y-direction side of the tip 162 of the measuring probe 161, rather than protruding to a position on the -y-direction side of the tip 162 as shown in Figure 5.

[0066] As mentioned earlier, the anode 210 has multiple through holes 211. As shown in Figure 11(A), if the tip 162 of the measuring probe 161 enters the through holes 211 during measurement, it becomes impossible to accurately measure the surface shape of the anode 210.

[0067] Therefore, in cases where a through hole exists in the surface to be measured as described above, the tip 162 of the measuring probe 161 may be formed as a "flat surface," as shown in Figure 11(B). Here, a "flat surface" refers to a surface perpendicular to the direction of movement of the measuring probe 161. For example, by providing an enlarged diameter portion 165 with a larger diameter than the rest of the measuring probe 161 at the tip, the tip 162 can be made into a flat surface larger than the through hole 211. This reliably prevents the tip 162 of the measuring probe 161 from entering the through hole 211.

[0068] A second embodiment will now be described. In the following, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly explained, and the points that are common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in Figure 12, the measuring device 100 according to this embodiment further comprises a transmitter 170 and a control device 101, and in this respect it differs from the first embodiment.

[0069] The transmitter 170 is a device for transmitting data measured by the length measuring instrument 160 to an external source, and is provided individually for each length measuring instrument 160. The transmitter 170 performs bidirectional wireless communication with the control device 101, which will be described later. The transmitter 170 transmits measurement data to the control device 101 in response to a request from the control device 101. Communication between the transmitter 170 and the control device 101 may be performed via a wired connection.

[0070] The control device 101 is a computer system equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The control device 101 includes, as elements representing its function, a data collection unit 102, a determination unit 103, an operation unit 104, and a notification unit 105. These may be configured as a single device, or as multiple devices that communicate bidirectionally with each other. Furthermore, part or all of the control device 101 may be implemented by a so-called "cloud server." The specific device configuration is not particularly limited in realizing the functions of the control device 101 described below.

[0071] The data collection unit 102 is the part that performs wireless communication with each measuring instrument 160 and collects measurement data from the measuring instruments 160.

[0072] The determination unit 103 is the part that performs a pass / fail process for each measurement data collected by the collection unit 102. The determination unit 103 determines the pass / fail status of each measurement data by comparing it with a preset threshold. The threshold may be a set of an upper limit and a lower limit, or it may be just one of them.

[0073] The operation unit 104 is the part that receives operations performed by the user. The operation unit 104 is an input device such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel. When a predetermined operation is performed on the operation unit 104 by the user, the data collection unit 102 starts collecting data from each measuring instrument 160 at that time.

[0074] The notification unit 105 is the part that notifies the user of the pass / fail judgment results made by the judgment unit 103. The notification unit 105 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The notification unit 105 may also be a device that provides notification through sound, vibration, etc.

[0075] The processing flow performed by the control device 101 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 13. The series of processes shown in Figure 13 are, for example, repeatedly executed each time a predetermined control cycle has elapsed after the control device 101 has been started up.

[0076] In the first step S01, it is determined whether an operation to instruct the start of data acquisition has been performed on the operation unit 104. The user positions the holding unit 110 parallel to the anode 210 as shown in Figure 10, and then performs the above operation on the operation unit 104. If the operation has not yet been performed, the series of processes shown in Figure 13 are terminated. If an operation has been performed on the operation unit 104, the process proceeds to step S02.

[0077] In step S02, data collection is performed by the data collection unit 102. The data collection unit 102 sends a request signal to each transmitter 170. In response, the transmitter 170 sends the measurement data from the length measuring instrument 160 to the control device 101.

[0078] In step S03, following step S02, the judgment unit 103 performs a pass / fail determination. As mentioned earlier, the judgment unit 103 performs a pass / fail determination for each measurement data by comparing each of the measurement data collected in step S02 with a threshold value. The collected measurement data is classified as either "pass" or "fail".

[0079] In step S04, following step S03, the pass / fail judgment result is notified to the user via the notification unit 105. For example, the control device 101 notifies the user of the pass / fail judgment result by displaying the measurement data in a list on the notification unit 105 screen and highlighting only the measurement data that has been judged as "fail". Through this process, the user can find out the measurement result with simple operation.

[0080] The embodiments have been described above with reference to specific examples. However, this disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Modifications made to these specific examples by those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of this disclosure, as long as they retain the features of this disclosure. The elements, their arrangement, conditions, shapes, etc., of each of the aforementioned specific examples are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the aforementioned specific examples can be combined in different ways as appropriate, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 100: Measuring device 110: Holding part 160: Measuring instrument 210: Anode (surface to be measured)

Claims

1. A measuring device for measuring the shape of a surface to be measured on an electrolytic cell, A rod-shaped holding part that extends in a straight line, The system comprises a plurality of measuring instruments arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the holding portion and held by the holding portion, Each of the aforementioned measuring instruments is, This measures the distance to the surface to be measured along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The holding portion is further provided with a support portion for maintaining it in a state parallel to the surface to be measured. The aforementioned support portion is A measuring device including a plurality of protrusions whose tips are brought into contact with the sealing surface, which is a reference surface of the electrolytic cell.

2. With the electrolytic cell in an upright position such that the direction normal to the surface to be measured is horizontal, The electrolytic cell further comprises a fixing device attached to the portion of the electrolytic cell above the surface to be measured, The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device holds one end of the holding portion along the longitudinal direction.

3. A measuring device for measuring the shape of a surface to be measured on a member, A rod-shaped holding part that extends in a straight line, The system comprises a plurality of measuring instruments arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the holding portion and held by the holding portion, Each of the aforementioned measuring instruments is, This measures the distance to the surface to be measured along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. With the member in an upright position such that the direction normal to the surface to be measured is horizontal, The member further comprises a fixing device attached to the portion of the member located above the surface to be measured, The fastener holds one end of the holding portion along the longitudinal direction, The aforementioned fixing device is A rod-shaped member extending in a straight line, comprising a first fixing device attached to the member, A measuring device comprising a member that is movably attached to the first fixing device, the second fixing device which holds the end of the holding portion.

4. Each of the aforementioned measuring instruments is, The measuring device according to claim 1, having a measuring probe that is movable along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the tip of the measuring probe is brought into contact with the surface to be measured.

5. The measuring device according to claim 4, wherein a flat surface perpendicular to the direction of movement of the measuring probe is formed at the tip of the measuring probe.

6. The measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the flat surface is larger than the through hole formed in the surface to be measured.

7. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a collection unit for collecting measurement data from each of the aforementioned measuring instruments.

8. The measuring device according to claim 7, further comprising a determination unit for determining whether the collected measurement data is pass or fail.

9. The measuring device according to claim 8, further comprising a notification unit for notifying the user of the result of the determination by the determination unit.

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