Angle test apparatus for torsion spring

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for testing an angle between two legs of a torsion spring.

2. Description of Related Art

The angle between two legs of a torsion spring is generally tested by angle rulers or projective measurements. However, if the length of a twisted main body of the torsion spring is too long or the diameter of the main body is too large, the angle ruler will be useless. Although a projective measurement may be more effectible than angle rulers, the projective measurement will be imprecise because the main body cannot stand evenly on the platform while keeping its particular form.

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of an angle test apparatus, together with a torsion spring.

FIG. 2 is a partly assembled, isometric view of the angle test apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is an assembled, top plan view of the angle test apparatus of FIG. 2 .

FIGS. 4-6 are similar to FIG. 3 , but show different using states.

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

FIG. 1 , is an exemplary embodiment of an angle test apparatus provided for testing whether an angle between two legs of a torsion spring 10 qualifies or not. The angle test apparatus includes a platform 20 , a positioning member 40 , and a test block 50 .

The torsion spring 10 includes a twisted main body 12 , a first leg 140 and a second leg 142 extending out from opposite ends of the main body 12 .

The platform 20 includes a rectangular board 22 , a bar-shaped limiting block 24 mounted on a front side of a top surface of the board 22 , and an installation block 26 mounted on a rear side of the top surface of the board 22 opposite to the limiting block 24 . A pin 32 perpendicularly extends up from the top surface of the board 22 , adjacent to a rear side of the limiting block 24 . The installation block 26 defines a through hole 260 extending along a direction perpendicular to the limiting block 24 .

The positioning member 40 includes a screw 42 , a spring 44 , and a movable block 46 .

The screw 42 includes a blocking portion 422 , and an operation portion 420 and a threaded pole 424 connected to opposite sides of the blocking portion 422 .

The movable block 46 includes a bar 460 defining a threaded hole (not shown) in an end surface of a first end of the bar 460 , and a clamping portion 462 formed on a second end of the bar 460 opposite to the first end. A V-shaped opening 466 is defined in the clamping portion 462 , with a large end of the opening 466 extending through an end surface of the clamping portion 462 opposite to the bar 460 .

The test block 50 is trapezoid-shaped, and includes a top wall 52 , a bottom wall 54 parallel to the top wall 52 , and a first sidewall 56 and a second sidewall 58 slantingly connected between opposite ends of the top and bottom walls 52 and 54 . The length of the second sidewall 58 is less than the first sidewall 56 . The angle between the bottom wall 54 and the first sidewall 56 is α. The angle between the bottom wall 54 and the second sidewall 58 is β. The test block 50 defines a first through hole 500 adjacent to a junction of the first sidewall 56 and the bottom wall 54 , and a second through hole 502 adjacent to a junction of the second sidewall 58 and the top wall 52 . The angle α is set to be the minimum value of 180 degrees subtracting a angle within a qualified range between the first and second legs 140 and 142 . The angle β is set to be the maximal value of 180 degrees subtracting a angle within a qualified range between the first and second legs 140 and 142 from 180 degrees.

FIG. 2 , shows in assembly, the spring 44 is fitted about the bar 460 . The bar 460 is then extended through the through hole 260 from a space between the installation block 26 and the limiting block 24 , thereby, the spring 44 is sandwiched between the installation block 26 and the clamping portion 462 . The threaded pole 424 is screwed into the threaded hole of the bar 460 , until the blocking portion 422 abuts against the rear side of the installation block 26 , to movably install the movable block 46 to the platform 20 . The pin 32 is positioned at a side of the movable block 46 .

FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 , show in testing the torsion spring 10 , the operation portion 420 is operated to move the movable block 46 toward the installation block 26 . The spring 44 is deformed. The main body 12 of the torsion spring 10 is engaged in the opening 466 , and then is blocked by the limiting block 24 after the spring 44 is restored. The first leg 140 is sandwiched between the pin 32 and the limiting block 24 .

The test block 50 is put on the board 22 , and the bottom wall 52 is slidably contacted with the rear side of the limiting block 24 . The first and second sidewalls 56 and 58 are arranged to face the second leg 142 in turn. The test block 50 is slid toward the second leg 142 each time. If the bottom end (adjacent to the first through hole 500 ) of the first sidewall 56 and the top end (adjacent to the second through hole 502 ) of the second sidewall 58 both contact the second leg 142 , the angle between the first and second legs 140 and 142 is qualified (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Otherwise, the angle between the first and second legs 140 and 142 is unqualified (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 ).

In this embodiment, the first and second through holes 500 and 502 are defined as two reference objects. In another embodiment, the first and second through holes 500 and 502 may be omitted.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the description or sacrificing all of their material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments.