阅读说明：本技术 测量设备和方法 (Measuring device and method ) 是由 本杰明·贾森·梅里菲尔德 格拉汉姆·理查德·福格森 于 2020-03-11 设计创作，主要内容包括：描述了一种用于安装在机器外壳内的测量设备。该设备包括测量装置(2；300；400；500)和用于保护测量装置(2；300；400；500)免受机器外壳内存在的污染物(420)的影响的保护器件(40,42；70；100；230)。保护器件(40,42；70；100；230)至少可在保护测量装置(2；300；400；500)免受污染物的影响的第一模式和与第一模式相比对测量装置(2)提供较少的污染物保护的第二模式之间切换。污染物传感器(14；242；302；360；410)用于感测机器外壳内的污染,从而确定保护器件(40,42；70；100；230)何时可以采用第二模式。还描述了一种对应的方法。(A measuring device for mounting within a machine housing is described. The device comprises a measuring apparatus (2; 300; 400; 500) and a protection means (40, 42; 70; 100; 230) for protecting the measuring apparatus (2; 300; 400; 500) from contaminants (420) present in the machine housing. The protection means (40, 42; 70; 100; 230) is switchable at least between a first mode protecting the measurement device (2; 300; 400; 500) from contaminants and a second mode providing less contaminant protection to the measurement device (2) than the first mode. A contamination sensor (14; 242; 302; 360; 410) is used to sense contamination within the machine housing to determine when the protection device (40, 42; 70; 100; 230) can adopt the second mode. A corresponding method is also described.)

1. A measuring device for mounting within a machine housing, the measuring device comprising:

measuring device, and

protection means for protecting the measuring device from contaminants present within the machine housing, the protection means being switchable between at least a first mode in which the measuring device is protected from contaminants and a second mode in which less contaminant protection is provided for the measuring device than in the first mode,

characterised in that the apparatus includes a contamination sensor for sensing contamination within the machine housing, the sensed contamination being used to determine when the protection device is able to adopt the second mode.

2. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the protection device can be switched to the second mode only if the contamination sensed by the contamination sensor is below a threshold.

3. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the protection device is switched to the first mode when the contamination sensed by the contamination sensor exceeds a threshold.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a controller for analysing the output of the contaminant sensor and for controlling the protection device.

5. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the measurement device comprises a non-contact measurement device comprising an optical receiver and/or an optical transmitter, the protection means being arranged to prevent contamination of the optical receiver and/or the optical transmitter.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the protection means comprises at least one shutter for protecting the measurement device, the shutter providing a larger aperture in the second mode than in the first mode.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the measuring means comprises a measurement sensor, wherein a single sensor provides both the measurement sensor and the contaminant sensor, whereby the single sensor is used for both object and contaminant measurements.

8. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the measurement device comprises a different measurement sensor than the contaminant sensor.

9. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the contaminant sensor is an optical sensor that analyzes received light transmitted to it through a region within the tool housing.

10. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the measurement device, the protection means and the contaminant sensor are provided within a single measurement unit.

11. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the measuring device and the contaminant sensor are provided as a plurality of separate units.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the measuring device is capable of obtaining object measurements when the protection device is in both the first mode and the second mode, the measuring device having an additional measuring function when the protection device is in the second mode.

13. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the protection device is further capable of adopting at least one additional mode.

14. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the measuring device comprises an optical tool setting device having a transmitter for passing light along a beam path into which a tool to be measured can be inserted to a receiver.

15. A method for operating a measuring apparatus mounted within a machine housing, the measuring apparatus comprising a measuring device and a protection means for protecting the measuring device from contaminants present within the machine housing, the protection means being switchable between at least a first mode in which the measuring device is protected from contaminants and a second mode in which less contaminant protection is provided for the measuring device than in the first mode,

wherein the method comprises the steps of:

(i) sensing an amount of contamination within the machine housing, an

(ii) (ii) determining when the protection device is able to adopt the second mode based on the amount of contamination sensed in step (i).