# US 11,906,485 B2 · Indenter receptacle for a measuring device, and a measuring device for detecting signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,485 B2 - Document ID: US11906485B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/546,615 - Filed: 2021-12-09 - Published: 2022-06-23 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-21 - Assignees: Helmut Fischer GmbH Institut für Elektronik und Messtechnik - Applicants: Helmut Fischer GmbH Institut für Elektronik und Messtechnik - Inventors: Tanja Haas; Henry Thiele; Josef Ludwig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906485B2 ## CPC - G01N 3/42: by performing impressions under a steady load by indentors, e.g. sphere, pyramid (G01N3/54 takes precedence) - G01N 3/46: the indentors performing a scratching movement - G01N 2203/0676: Force, weight, load, energy, speed or acceleration - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract The invention relates to an indenter receptacle for a measuring device, having a receptacle for detachably fastening an indenter, having an interface for mounting a measuring device, wherein a solid body joint arrangement is provided, which at least three solid body joints are provided between the interface and the receptacle and which are aligned offset at 90° to one another with respect to their flexibility in only one spatial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An indenter receptacle for a measuring device, comprising: a receptacle for detachably fastening an indenter, an interface for mounting on the measuring device, and a solid body joint arrangement, which has at least two solid body joints between the interface and the receptacle and which are aligned offset by 90° to each other with respect to their flexibility in only one spatial direction, wherein the solid body joint arrangement of the indenter receptacle comprises the at least two solid body joints formed in one piece. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The indenter receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a first solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints is flexible along a vertical axis, in particular the Z-axis, and is mechanically rigid in the two further spatial directions according to the X- and Y-axes, and a second solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints is mechanically rigid in the Z-axis and is mechanically flexible in the X- or Y-axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The indenter receptacle according to claim 2, wherein a third solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints is provided between the second solid body joint and the receptacle, and the third solid body joint is mechanically rigid in the Z-axis and flexible in the X- or Y-axis, in which the second solid body joint is formed to be mechanically rigid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The indenter receptacle according claim 3, wherein the first solid body joint is flexible in the Z-axis and mechanically rigid in the X- and Y-axes, the second solid body joint is flexible in the Y-axis and mechanically rigid in the X- and Z-axes, and the third solid body joint is mechanically flexible in the X-axis and mechanically rigid in the Y- and Z-axes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The indenter receptacle according to claim 3, wherein the second and third solid body joints formed by two webs offset by 90° to each other, which are arranged mirror-inverted to each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The indenter receptacle according to claim 5, wherein a longitudinal axis of the receptacle for the indenter lies in the intersection between the second and third solid body joints. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The indenter receptacle according to claim 6, wherein the second and third solid body joints, which are arranged on top of one another as seen in the Z-axis, have a bore at the intersection, which bore is aligned with the receptacle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The indenter receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a first solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints has a peripheral frame which comprises a front and rear end face between which two legs, which are spaced apart from each other and run in parallel, extend, wherein each leg is connected with at least one joint to the front and rear end face. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The indenter receptacle according to claim 8, wherein a cross-sectional reduction is provided on the inner side and/or the outer side of each leg or both to form the joint. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The indenter receptacle according to claim 8, wherein the front end face is aligned in parallel to the rear end face and, due to the design of the frame, a parallelogram guide is formed for a traversing movement of the front end face along the Z-axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The indenter receptacle according to claim 8, wherein at least an outer or inner side of the leg of the frame is formed to be flat, or the legs have a rectangular or trapezoidal contour when seen in the plan view. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The indenter receptacle according to claim 8, wherein the receptacle for the indenter is arranged on the front end face of the first solid body joint with the interposition of at least one further solid body joint. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The indenter receptacle according to claim 8, wherein a projection or retaining webs or protrusions are provided on a front end face of the first solid body joint, on the underside of which a second solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints is arranged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The indenter receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the solid body arrangement comprises a first measuring device which is provided on an outer side of the front end face of the frame. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The indenter receptacle according to claim 14, wherein two or more sensors of the first measuring device, which are aligned at an angle to each other, are positioned relative to the projection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The indenter receptacle according to claim 1, wherein an open, partially open or closed support frame or a support structure is provided on the receptacle of the indenter, on which support frame or support structure a reference surface is provided, which is arranged opposite the indenter as viewed along the Z axis and which is associated with a sensor of a second measuring device or a sensor of a third measuring device or both. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The indenter receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a first solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints and at least one further solid body joint of the at least two solid body joints are integrated in a common frame, which comprises a rear end face and a front end face as well as legs arranged at a distance from each other and preferably in parallel to each other, wherein each leg is connected by at least two joints to the front end face and at least two joints to the rear end face, and preferably at least one recess is provided between the joints which lie between the leg and the rear end face or between the leg and the front end face. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The indenter receptacle according to claim 17, wherein the joints are formed as separate joint elements, which are connectable by detachable fastening elements to the leg on one side and to the front end face or rear end face on the other side. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The indenter receptacle according to claim 17, wherein at least one directly applicable sensor is provided on an outer side of the at least one joint. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A measuring device for detecting measurement signals during a penetration movement of an indenter into a surface of a test specimen or into a coating on the test body, having a measuring table on which the test specimen can be positioned, having a lifting drive device by means of which a traversing movement of the indenter along a Z-axis is controllable, and having at least one first measuring device for detecting a traversing movement of the indenter along a traversing axis in the Z-direction, wherein the indenter receptacle according to claim 1 is provided for receiving the indenter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The measuring device according to claim 20, wherein the indenter receptacle is surrounded by a measuring head housing which is removable.