METHOD OF PLACING WORK PIECE ON TABLE OF MEASURING DEVICE

• US 20160131302A1
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Inventors: HIRANO, Kotaro, WATANABE, Ryousuke, SAKAI, Hisayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/0002 Arrangements for supporting, fixing or guiding the measuring instrument or the object to be measured
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/201 for measuring roundness

Abstract

A method of placing a work piece on a measuring device in which a work piece is placed on a table of a measuring device is provided. The method includes: using a retainer capable of holding the work piece above the table and a lifting/lowering device lifting and lowering a top surface of the table; holding the work piece above the table with the retainer; lifting the top surface of the table with the lifting/lowering device to bring the top surface of the table into contact with a bottom surface of the work piece; and, after a load of the work piece is borne by the table, releasing the hold of the retainer on the work piece.

Claims

1. A method of placing a work piece on a measuring device where a work piece is placed on a table of a measuring device, the method comprising:

using a retainer capable of holding the work piece above the table;

using an adjuster capable of lifting and lowering a top surface of the table;

holding the work piece above the table with the retainer;

lifting the top surface of the table with the adjuster to bring the top surface of the table into contact with a bottom surface of the work piece; and

after a load of the work piece is borne by the table, releasing the hold of the retainer on the work piece.

2. The method of placing the work piece on the measuring device according to claim 1, wherein an operation in which the load of the work piece is borne on the table is an operation which, after lifting the table and bringing the table into contact with the bottom surface of the work piece, continues lifting the table and bears the load of the work piece on the table.

3. The method of placing the work piece on the measuring device according to claim 1, wherein:

the work piece is held above the table by the retainer, the table occupying a reference position,

the top surface of the table is lifted from the reference position by the adjuster and is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the work piece,

after the load of the work piece is borne by the table, the hold of the retainer is released, and

the top surface of the table is lowered by the adjuster and returned to the reference position.

4. The method of placing the work piece on the measuring device according to claim 2, wherein:

the work piece is held above the table by the retainer, the table occupying a reference position,

the top surface of the table is lifted from the reference position by the adjuster and is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the work piece,

after the load of the work piece is borne by the table, the hold of the retainer is released, and

the top surface of the table is lowered by the adjuster and returned to the reference position.

5. The method of placing the work piece on the measuring device according to claim 1, wherein:

the top surface of the table is lowered by the adjuster to a standby position, which is lower than the reference position,

the work piece is held by the retainer at a position above the table and lower than the reference position,

the top surface of the table is lifted from the standby position by the adjuster and is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the work piece,

after the load of the work piece is borne by the table, the hold of the retainer is released, and

the top surface of the table is lifted by the adjuster and returned to the reference position.

6. The method of placing the work piece on the measuring device according to claim 2, wherein:

the top surface of the table is lowered by the adjuster to a standby position, which is lower than the reference position,

the work piece is held by the retainer at a position above the table and lower than the reference position,

the top surface of the table is lifted from the standby position by the adjuster and is brought into contact with the bottom surface of the work piece,

after the load of the work piece is borne by the table, the hold of the retainer is released, and

the top surface of the table is lifted by the adjuster and returned to the reference position.

7. A measuring device comprising:

a table having a top surface of which a work piece is placed, the table installed on a base;

a measurer configured to measure the work piece placed on the top surface;

an adjuster installed in an area between the top surface and the base and configured to lift and lower the top surface with respect to the base; and

a controller configured to;

control the adjuster

lift the top surface in a state where the work piece is held above the top surface, and

bring the top surface into contact with the bottom surface of the work piece, after which the load of the work piece is borne by the table.

8. The measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the adjuster comprises;

an anti-vibration table provided between the table and the base, the anti-vibration table comprising;

a bottom surface member arranged on the base;

a top surface member supporting the table; and

a gas spring installed on the bottom surface member and supporting the top surface member;

a gas route supplying gas to the gas spring; and

a control valve configured to control the gas supply of the gas route, and

the controller is configured to control operations of the adjuster by controlling the gas supply to the gas spring using the control valve.

9. The measuring device according to claim 8, wherein:

the anti-vibration table has tilt adjustment performance and comprises;

a plurality of the gas springs installed between the top surface member and the bottom surface member; and

an adjustment valve connected to each of the gas springs, the adjustment valve adding gas from the gas route when the gas springs are compressed and exhausting gas from the gas springs when the gas springs are stretched out,

the adjuster comprises;

the anti-vibration table; and

a valve open/close controller configured to forcibly open and close the adjustment valve, and

the controller is configured to control the gas supply to the gas springs by forcibly opening and closing the adjustment valve using the valve open/close controller.

10. The measuring device according to claim 7, wherein the adjuster is a lifting/lowering mechanism provided to the table and configured to support the top surface so as to be capable of lifting and lowering.