IP Library Granted Patent US 7,571,545
Granted Patent B2
US 7,571,545 · App. 11/140,198 · Granted Aug 11, 2009

Contour reading device including a feeler mobile in rotation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,571,545
App. No.
11/140,198
Granted
Aug 11, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

Contour reading device, in particular for eyeglass frame rims, including a carrier axis (A) projecting transversely to the surface of a turntable ( 6 ), a carrier arm ( 18 ) which is mounted at one end to turn about the carrier axis (A) and at the other end of which a feeler ( 8 ) is mounted, whereby the feeler ( 8 ) is mobile relative to the turntable ( 6 ) along a circular arc path centered on the carrier axis (A).

Claims (27)

1. Contour reading device ( 1 ), in particular for eyeglass frame ( 10 ) rims, including a support ( 3 , 4 ) for holding an article whose contour is to be read and a turntable ( 6 ) that is rotatable relative to the support ( 3 , 4 ) about a rotation axis and carries a reading subassembly ( 15 ) that includes a feeler ( 8 ) mobile in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the turntable ( 6 ) and in a plane transverse to the rotation axis of the turntable ( 6 ),

which reading device ( 1 ) is characterized in that the reading subassembly ( 15 ) further includes:

a rotation axis (A) referred to as the carrier axis transverse to the surface of the turntable ( 6 ),

a carrier arm ( 18 ) which is mounted at one end to turn about said carrier axis (A) and at the other end of which said feeler ( 8 ) is mounted, whereby the feeler ( 8 ) is mobile relative to the turntable ( 6 ) along a circular arc path centered on said carrier axis (A).

2. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the turntable ( 6 ) has on its surface a semicircular slot ( 7 ) centered on the carrier axis (A) and the carrier arm ( 18 ) is disposed so that the feeler ( 8 ) passes through the semicircular slot ( 7 ).

3. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the semicircular slot ( 7 ) extends between the rotation center of the turntable ( 6 ) and its periphery.

4. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carrier arm ( 18 ) cooperates with angular drive means adapted to drive the movement of the feeler ( 8 ) in said plane transverse to the rotation axis of the turntable ( 6 ).

5. Contour reading device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the angular drive means include a guide arm ( 22 ) one end of which is centered on the carrier axis (A) and the other end of which includes drive means cooperating with the combination of the feeler ( 8 ) and the carrier arm ( 18 ).

6. Contour reading device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the drive means include a rolling bearing ( 25 ).

7. Contour reading device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the drive means include a fixed bearing ( 24 ).

8. Contour reading device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the guide arm ( 22 ) is centered on the carrier axis (A) by means of a rolling bearing ( 23 ).

9. Contour reading device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the guide arm ( 22 ) has a semicircular portion ( 26 ) centered on the carrier axis (A).

10. Contour reading device according to claim 9 , characterized in that it further includes an angular drive motor ( 28 ) cooperating with said semicircular portion ( 26 ) to drive rotation of the guide arm ( 22 ) about the carrier axis (A).

11. Contour reading device according to claim 10 , characterized in that the semicircular portion ( 26 ) is toothed and meshes with a pinion of the angular drive motor ( 28 ).

12. Contour reading device according to claim 10 , characterized in that the semicircular portion ( 26 ) is toothed and meshes with an intermediate pinion ( 27 ) that meshes with a pinion of the angular drive motor ( 28 ).

13. Contour reading device according to claim 5 , characterized in that it further includes an encoder ( 28 ) cooperating with the guide arm ( 22 ) to measure the angular position of the guide arm ( 22 ) about the carrier axis (A).

14. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carrier arm ( 18 ) cooperates with axial drive means adapted to drive the movement of the feeler ( 8 ) in said direction parallel to the rotation axis of the turntable ( 6 ).

15. Contour reading device according to claim 14 , characterized in that the axial drive means include an axial drive motor ( 31 ) adapted to move the carrier arm ( 18 ) along the carrier axis (A).

16. Contour reading device according to claim 15 , characterized in that the axial drive motor ( 31 ) includes a pinion ( 32 ) meshing with a rack ( 33 ) fastened to a ring ( 20 ) attached to the carrier arm ( 18 ) and surrounding the carrier axis (A).

17. Contour reading device according to claim 15 , characterized in that the axial drive motor ( 31 ) is adapted to position the carrier arm ( 18 ) along the carrier axis (A) in accordance with a varying set point.

18. Contour reading device according to claim 15 , characterized in that the axial drive motor ( 31 ) is adapted to compensate the force of gravity.

19. Contour reading device according to claim 15 when directly or indirectly dependent on claim 5 , characterized in that the axial drive motor ( 31 ) is mounted on the guide arm ( 22 ).

20. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that it further includes an encoder ( 31 ) cooperating with the carrier arm ( 18 ) to indicate the axial position of the carrier arm ( 18 ) along the carrier axis (A).

21. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carrier axis (A) is defined by a shaft ( 17 ) fixed perpendicularly to the surface of the turntable ( 6 ).

22. Contour reading device according to claim 21 , characterized in that said shaft ( 17 ) has a prismatic cross section adapted to drive the carrier arm ( 18 ) in rotation about the carrier axis (A).

23. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the feeler ( 8 ), the carrier axis (A) and the rotation axis of the turntable ( 6 ) are parallel.

24. Contour reading device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the carrier arm ( 18 ) is centered on the carrier axis (A) by means of a ball bush ( 19 ) enabling movement in translation and rotation of the carrier arm ( 18 ) relative to the carrier axis (A).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2018
From: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GÉNÉRALE D'OPTIQUE)
To: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 045853/0275 →