IP Library Granted Patent US 11,619,572
Granted Patent B2
US 11,619,572 · App. 17/374,561 · Granted Apr 4, 2023

Durometer

Inventors: Akihiko Kandori (Tokyo, JP); Yuko Sano (Tokyo, JP); Yuhua Zhang (Tokyo, JP); Shigemitsu Ando (Kyoto, JP); Mitsunobu Watanabe (Kyoto, JP); MItsuo Okimoto (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
G01N3/38A61B5/0053A61B5/442G01N1/34G01N3/02G01N3/40G01N3/42A61B2562/0223G01N2203/0076G01N2203/0676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,619,572
App. No.
17/374,561
Granted
Apr 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a durometer enabling a contact portion in contact with an object to perform smooth piston motion. The durometer includes a main body unit including a movable unit pressed continuously against an object to be measured, a first sensor outputting acceleration information corresponding to an acceleration of movement of a contact part of the object to be measured in contact with the movable unit in a pressing direction, a second sensor outputting reactive force information corresponding to a reactive force at the contact part of the object to be measured in contact with the movable unit, a motor, a crank mechanism driven by the motor and causing the main body unit and the movable unit to perform piston motion, and at least one buffering member disposed on a periphery of the main body unit.

Claims (18)

1. A durometer comprising:

a movable unit pressed continuously against an object to be measured;

a main body unit connected to the movable unit via a resilient member;

a housing housing the main body unit; and

a driving mechanism driven by a motor and causing the main body unit and the movable unit to perform piston motion with respect to the main housing,

wherein the movable unit and the main body unit are respectively provided with a coil disposed to be opposed to each other, the coils being configured such that reactive force information corresponding to a reactive force at a contact part of the object to be measured in contact with the movable unit is output.

2. The durometer according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a contact member having a shape so as to encircle a periphery of the movable unit and in contact with the object to be measured,

wherein the contact member includes a cutout.

3. The durometer according to claim 2 ,

wherein the contact member is of a cylindrical shape, and the cutout occupies ½ or more of a circumference of the contact member when seen from a side of a contact surface in contact with the object to be measured.

4. The durometer according to claim 1 ,

wherein the driving mechanism is a crank mechanism.

5. The durometer according to claim 4 ,

wherein the crank mechanism includes:

a crank shaft located eccentric to a shaft of the motor; and

a connecting member connecting the crank shaft to the main body unit,

wherein a length of the connecting member is ⅓ or more of a length of the main body unit in a moving direction.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2021
From: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058666/0407 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 29, 2021
From: MAXELL, LTD.
To: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058255/0579 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2021
From: KANDORI, AKIHIKO; SANO, YUKO; ZHANG, YUHUA; ANDO, SHIGEMITSU; WATANABE, MITSUNOBU; OKIMOTO, MITSUO
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056846/0904 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2015-128007 · Jun 25, 2015 · national
JP 2015-210979 · Oct 27, 2015 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16806657 · Mar 2, 2020
Continuation 15737543
Related Publication 20210341368A1 · Nov 4, 2021