US 5,084,981 A · Probe head

Abstract

A probe head for orientating a probe relative to a head of a coordinate measuring machine, has a support a rotor rotatable relative to the support, and a swivel rotatable relative to the rotor. The rotor and swivel are mounted for rotation through a series of discrete, and repeatable rest positions. The relative orientation of support, rotor and swivel is detected by an indicating mechanism comprising a printed circuit board having a series of electrical conductive elements and a contact arm mounted for rotation over the conductive elements on the circuit board. When the electrical contacts of the contact arm come into register with the conductive elements on the circuit board a pulse is transmitted to a micro-processor which determines the relative orientation of e.g. the support and rotor which is shown on the LCD. The micro-processor may also provide instructions (on the LCD) indicating in which direction the rotor should be moved in order to attain a predetermined position stored in a memory of the micro-processor; an indication is provided on the LCD that such a predetermined position has been attained.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A manually operable probe head for orienting a probe on the quill of a coordinate positioning machine comprising a support connectable to the quill;

a rotor to which a probe is connectable;
means providing rotation of said rotor relative to the support;
indexing means providing a plurality of mechanically defined rest locations at discrete orientations of said rotor relative to said support;
and indicating means, said indicating means comprising:
a display provided on the probe head;
generating means provided on the probe head for generating on said display a unique visual signal in respect of each said rest location;
a memory provided on the probe head for storing data corresponding to at least one of said rest locations;
and
means provided on the probe head for indicating the relative position of the rotor and the support corresponding to a rest location which is stored in the memory.

6 more elements

A manually operable probe head for orienting a probe relative to a quill of a coordinate positioning machine, having a support connectable to the quill of the machine;

a rotor to which said probe is connectable, mounted to the support;
means providing rotation of the rotor relative to the support about an axis, said rotor being manually rotatable about said axis;
means providing a plurality of mechanically defined rest locations at discrete orientations of said rotor relative to said support;
and an indicating mechanism provided on the probe head, the indicating mechanism comprising:
a plurality of elongate conductive elements provided on one of the rotor and support;
a contact arm provided on the other of the rotor and support for contacting said elements, and completing an electrical circuit upon relative rotation of the rotor and the support;
a power source providing a voltage in said circuit, thereby to generate a signal in said circuit;
and
means provided on the probe head for determining an incremental count of said signals, and for generating on a visual display provided on the probe head a visual signal representing the instantaneous position of the rotor relative to the support on the basis of the incremental count;
a memory provided on the probe head for storing data corresponding to at least one of said rest locations;
and
means provided on the probe head for indicating the relative position of the rotor and the support corresponding to a rest location which is stored in the memory.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Probe head

Life of this patent

Probe head

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22