Method and apparatus for determining a workpiece's surface position
AssigneeAcuson Corporation
InventorsAnthony A. Amon, Anthony M. Rogers, Michael A. Morasci
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining a workpiece's surface position. One embodiment of the invention includes two conductive bodies that are insulated from each other. During a surface position determining operation, one of these bodies has a first potential, while the other body has a second potential. These bodies are then moved towards a conductive surface of the workpiece, until both of these bodies are electrically detected to contact the surface. Finally, the distance that one of these bodies traverses is used to identify the position of the surface of the workpiece.
Claims21
An apparatus for detecting position of a conductive surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first conductive body;
- and
- (b) a second conductive body insulated from said first conductive body;
- (c) wherein, during a surface position detecting operation of said apparatus,
- (i) said first conductive body has a first potential and said second conductive body has a second potential, and
- (ii) said conductive bodies and said conductive surface approach each other until both said first and second conductive bodies contact said surface to establish a circuit path between said conductive bodies, wherein the distance traversed by said first conductive body before both said first and second conductive bodies contact said surface defines the position of the surface.
An apparatus for detecting position of a conductive surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first conductive body coupled to a moveable housing;
- and
- (b) a second conductive body coupled to said moveable housing, said second conductive body insulated from said first conductive body;
- (c) wherein, during a surface position detecting operation of said apparatus,
- (i) said first conductive body has a first potential and said second conductive body has a second potential, and
- (ii) said moveable housing approaches said conductive surface of said workpiece until both said first and second conductive bodies contact said surface to establish a circuit path between said conductive bodies, wherein the distance traversed by one of said conductive bodies before both said first and second conductive bodies contact said surface defines the position of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.