# US 10,371,517 B2 · Device and method for measuring the straightness of a rod-like work piece > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,517 B2 - Document ID: US10371517B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/477,217 - Filed: 2017-04-03 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-02 - Assignees: MSG Maschinenbau GmbH - Applicants: MSG Maschinenbau GmbH - Inventors: Arshad Kavousian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371517B2 ## CPC - G01B 21/32: for measuring the deformation in a solid - B23Q 17/20: for indicating or measuring workpiece characteristics, e.g. contour, dimension, hardness - G01B 5/0016: {due to weight (on machine tools B23Q11/001)} - G01B 5/20: for measuring contours or curvatures - G01B 5/25: for testing the alignment of axes - G01B 11/24: for measuring contours or curvatures - G01B 11/26: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes - G01B 11/272: {using photoelectric detection means} - G01L 5/0038: {applying a pushing force} - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) ## Abstract A device for measuring the straightness of a rod-like work piece includes a support for the rod-like work piece. The support has multiple sections, each of which has a support surface. At least one force sensor is provided to measure the force applied by the work piece onto the support surface in a direction that extends essentially transverse to gravitational acceleration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for measuring a straightness of a rod-like work piece comprising: a beam; at least two support sections attached at different points of the beam, each of said at least two support sections including: a support surface configured to support a portion of the rod-like work piece; and a first sensor configured to measure a force that is applied by the rod-like work piece onto the respective support surface in a direction essentially transverse to a direction of gravitational acceleration; wherein the support surface of each of said at least two support sections is disposed on a piston rod within a cylinder, wherein the piston rod is configured to be displaced in a direction essentially opposite to the direction of gravitational acceleration by provision of compressed air to the cylinder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the cylinder is attached to a guide piece including guide slots for selecting a height of the guide piece. ### Claim 3 A device for measuring a straightness of a rod-like work piece comprising: a beam; at least two support sections attached at different points of the beam, each of said at least two support sections including: a support surface configured to support a portion of the rod-like work piece; and a first sensor configured to measure a force that is applied by the rod-like work piece onto the respective support surface in a direction essentially transverse to a direction of gravitational acceleration; wherein the first sensor is configured to measure the force that is applied by the rod-like work piece onto the respective support surface in the direction essentially transverse to the direction of gravitational acceleration and unequal to a longitudinal direction of the rod-like work piece. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein each of the at least two support sections further includes a second sensor configured to measure the force applied by the rod-like work piece onto the respective support surface in essentially the direction of gravitational acceleration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise a single sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the support surfaces is moveable transverse to the direction of gravitational acceleration such that at least one component of the force applied by the rod-like work piece onto the respective support surface is unequal to the longitudinal direction of the rod-like work piece. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein each support surface is one of pivot-mounted and moveably supported. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the at least two support sections further include a fastener for fastening the rod-like work piece to the respective support surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, further comprising at least one optical device configured to provide an optical assessment of the rod-like work piece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein each of the at least two support sections further includes a reflector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the at least two support sections comprises at least three support sections, including a first support section supporting one end of the rod-like work piece, a third support section supporting another end of the rod-like work piece, and a second support section between the first support section and the third support section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the support surface of each of said at least two support sections is disposed on a piston rod within a cylinder, wherein the piston rod is configured to be displaced in a direction essentially opposite to the direction of gravitational acceleration by provision of compressed air to the cylinder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the cylinder is attached to a guide piece including guide slots for selecting a height of the guide piece. ### Claim 14 A method for measuring a straightness of a rod-like work piece, comprising: placing the rod-like work piece onto at least two support surfaces of at least two support sections attached at different points to a beam; measuring, by a first sensor coupled to each of the at least two support surfaces, a force applied by the rod-like work piece to each of the at least two support surfaces in a direction essentially transverse to gravitational acceleration; wherein measuring the force applied by the rod-like work piece to each of the at least two support surfaces comprises measuring the force applied by the rod-like work piece to each of the at least two support surfaces in the direction essentially transverse to the direction of gravitational acceleration and unequal to the longitudinal direction of the rod-like work piece. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising measuring, by a second sensor coupled to each of the at least two support surfaces, a force applied by the rod-like work piece to each of the respective support surfaces in essentially the direction of gravitational acceleration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising moving at least one of the respective support surfaces transverse to the direction of gravitational acceleration such that at least one component of the force applied by the rod-like work piece onto the respective support surface is unequal to the longitudinal direction of the rod-like work piece. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising moving one or more of support surfaces of the at least two support sections by actuating a piston attached to each respective support surface, wherein actuating the piston comprises applying one of pressure-control and displacement-control to a cylinder to which the piston is movably coupled. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising mapping a partial section of an outer contour of the rod-like work piece by measuring the force applied by different sections of the rod-like work piece to each of the at least two support surfaces in the direction essentially transverse to gravitational acceleration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising mapping an entire exterior contour of the rod-like work piece by measuring the force applied by different sections of the rod-like work piece to each of the at least two support surfaces in the direction essentially transverse to gravitational acceleration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising generating a log of force measurements for each measured rod-like work piece.