Inductive position detection configuration for indicating a measurement device stylus position

A method, comprising:

• moving a scanning probe along a surface of a workpiece;
• and
• generating three-dimensional position information based on inductive sensing signals generated by the scanning probe as the scanning probe is moved along the surface of the workpiece, wherein the scanning probe comprises:
• a stylus suspension portion that is coupled to a frame of the scanning probe, comprising:
• a stylus coupling portion that is configured to be rigidly coupled to a stylus;
• and
• a stylus motion mechanism that is configured to enable axial motion of the stylus coupling portion along an axial direction, and rotary motion of the stylus coupling portion about a rotation center;
• and
• a stylus position detection portion arranged along a central axis that is parallel to the axial direction and nominally aligned with the rotation center, comprising:
• a coil board configuration, the coil board configuration comprising:
• a first board portion including N top rotary sensing coils and a top axial sensing coil configuration;
• a second board portion including N bottom rotary sensing coils and a bottom axial sensing coil configuration, wherein N is an integer that is at least 3;
• and
• a center board portion positioned between the first board portion and the second board portion of the coil board configuration and including at least a first field generating coil configuration, wherein the coil board configuration is mounted in a fixed relationship to the frame of the scanning probe with the second board portion of the coil board configuration closer to the stylus suspension portion, and the first, second and center board portions of the coil board configuration are nominally parallel to one another and nominally orthogonal to the central axis;
• and
• a disruptor configuration comprising first and second disruptor elements, each comprising at least one of a conductive plate or a conductive loop that provides a disruptor area, wherein the disruptor elements are located along the central axis in a disruptor motion volume extending on opposite sides of the coil board configuration, and the disruptor elements are coupled to the stylus suspension portion in a fixed relationship relative to one another by a coupling configuration, wherein the disruptor elements move in the disruptor motion volume relative to an undeflected position in response to a deflection of the stylus suspension portion, the disruptor elements moving over an operating motion ranges +/−Rz along the axial direction in response to the axial motion, and over respective operating motion ranges +/−Rx and +/−Ry along orthogonal X and Y directions that are orthogonal to the axial direction in response to the rotary motion, the field generating coil configuration generating a changing magnetic flux generally along the axial direction in the disruptor motion volume in response to a coil drive signal;
• and
• signal processing and control circuitry that is operably connected to the coils of the stylus position detection portion to provide the coil drive signal and configured to input signals from the coil board configuration comprising respective signal components provided by the respective rotary and axial sensing coils of the coil board configuration, and output signals indicative of an axial position and a rotary position of at least one of the disruptor elements or the stylus relative to the frame of the scanning probe, wherein the signals that are output comprise the inductive sensing signals that are generated by the scanning probe as the scanning probe is moved along the surface of the workpiece.

A system, comprising:

• a scanning probe;
• a drive mechanism;
• and
• an attachment portion attaching the scanning probe to the drive mechanism, wherein the scanning probe comprises:
• a stylus suspension portion that is coupled to a frame of the scanning probe, comprising:
• a stylus coupling portion that is configured to be rigidly coupled to a stylus;
• and
• a stylus motion mechanism that is configured to enable axial motion of the stylus coupling portion along an axial direction, and rotary motion of the stylus coupling portion about a rotation center;
• and
• a stylus position detection portion arranged along a central axis that is parallel to the axial direction and nominally aligned with the rotation center, comprising:
• a coil board configuration, the coil board configuration comprising:
• a first board portion including N top rotary sensing coils and a top axial sensing coil configuration;
• a second board portion including N bottom rotary sensing coils and a bottom axial sensing coil configuration, wherein N is an integer that is at least 3;
• and
• a center board portion positioned between the first board portion and the second board portion of the coil board configuration and including at least a first field generating coil configuration, wherein the coil board configuration is mounted in a fixed relationship to the frame of the scanning probe with the second board portion of the coil board configuration closer to the stylus suspension portion, and the first, second and center board portions of the coil board configuration are nominally parallel to one another and nominally orthogonal to the central axis;
• and
• a disruptor configuration comprising first and second disruptor elements, each comprising at least one of a conductive plate or a conductive loop that provides a disruptor area, wherein the disruptor elements are located along the central axis in a disruptor motion volume extending on opposite sides of the coil board configuration, and the disruptor elements are coupled to the stylus suspension portion in a fixed relationship relative to one another by a coupling configuration, wherein the disruptor elements move in the disruptor motion volume relative to an undeflected position in response to a deflection of the stylus suspension portion, the disruptor elements moving over an operating motion ranges +/−Rz along the axial direction in response to the axial motion, and over respective operating motion ranges +/−Rx and +/−Ry along orthogonal X and Y directions that are orthogonal to the axial direction in response to the rotary motion, the field generating coil configuration generating a changing magnetic flux generally along the axial direction in the disruptor motion volume in response to a coil drive signal;
• and
• signal processing and control circuitry that is operably connected to the coils of the stylus position detection portion to provide the coil drive signal and configured to input signals from the coil board configuration comprising respective signal components provided by the respective rotary and axial sensing coils of the coil board configuration, and output signals indicative of an axial position and a rotary position of at least one of the disruptor elements or the stylus relative to the frame of the scanning probe.