# US 2019/0168378 A1 · Measurement station and measurement method

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- Number: US 2019/0168378 A1
- Document ID: US20190168378A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/208,912
- Filed: 2018-12-04
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-05
- Assignees: Mitutoyo Corporation
- Applicants: Mitutoyo Corporation
- Inventors: Masahiro ISHIKAWA; Yoshitaka KAYABA; Go FUKINO; Hirotaka MURAMATSU
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168378A1

## CPC

- B25J 9/02: characterised by movement of the arms, e.g. cartesian coordinate type (B25J9/06 takes precedence)
- B25J 9/0009: {Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases}
- B25J 9/0093: {co-operating with conveyor means}
- B25J 9/0096: {co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table}
- B25J 13/088: {with position, velocity or acceleration sensors}
- G01B 5/0004: {Supports (G01B5/025 takes precedence)}
- G01B 5/0007: {Surface plates}
- G01B 5/0016: {due to weight (on machine tools B23Q11/001)}
- G01B 5/008: using coordinate measuring machines
- B25J 18/00: Arms
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS

## Abstract

A robot arm supporting a workpiece, a support mechanism in a form of a coordinate measuring machine supporting a detector head, and a fixation portion in a form of a contact block fixing the detector head to the workpiece are used to bring the contact block fixed to a table and the workpiece into contact to each other. The detector head measures the workpiece while a relative position of the detector head and the workpiece is fixed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A measurement station comprising:
a robot arm configured to support one of a workpiece and a detector head;
a support mechanism configured to support the other of the workpiece and the detector head; and
a fixation portion configured to fix a relative position of the detector head and the workpiece.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The measurement station according to claim 1, wherein
the fixation portion is provided to the support mechanism supporting the detector head,
the robot arm comprises fingers to hold the workpiece, and
the fingers holding the workpiece are capable of contacting with the fixation portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The measurement station according to claim 1, wherein
the support mechanism is a measuring machine comprising: a table on which a measurement target is to be placed; and a transfer mechanism that is attached with the detector head and allows the detector head to be moved relative to the table,
the robot arm is capable of supporting the workpiece and moving the workpiece to a surface of the table, and
the fixation portion is provided to the surface of the table and is capable of contacting with the workpiece or the robot arm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The measurement station according to claim 1, wherein
the support mechanism is a conveyor on which the workpiece is placed and configured to deliver the workpiece, the robot arm is attached with the detector head and configured to move the detector head to the conveyor, and the fixation portion is provided to the robot arm and is capable of contacting with a surface of the conveyor or the workpiece.

### Claim 5

A measurement method comprising:
using a robot arm configured to support one of a workpiece and a detector head and a support mechanism configured to support the other of the workpiece and the detector head;
bringing the support mechanism or the detector head into contact with the workpiece or the robot arm; and
measuring the workpiece using the detector head while a relative position of the detector head and the workpiece is fixed.