Touch probe

• US 4,509,266 A
• Filed: 06/14/1983
• Issued: 04/09/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valenite Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gte Valeron Corp. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cusack, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/504,066
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 33/169 R, 33/172 E, 33/174 L, 33/174 PC, 33/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 33/561
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/047 Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/58 Wireless transmission of information between a sensor or probe and a control or evaluation unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/002 Constructional details of contacts for gauges actuating one or more contacts G01B7/016 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/03 Photoelectric

Abstract

A touch probe for use in turning centers includes a cylindrical shank portion that allows the probe to be mounted in the same manner as the tools and also provides a compartment for batteries supplying power to infrared transmission circuitry for wirelessly transmitting information about the inspected workpiece back to the machine controller.

Claims

1. A probe for use in a turning center in place of a tool for performing inner diameter work on a workpiece, said probe comprising:

a housing having a stylus projecting from one end thereof for contacting the workpiece, a generally conical middle housing portion having an outer surface converging toward said stylus and a rear wall extending transversly to the longitudinal axis of the probe, circuit means within the housing middle portion coupled to the stylus, at least one infrared radiation transmitting device on the outer surface and coupled to said circuit means, operative to transmit infrared signals associated with stylus contact with the workpiece;

an elongated hollow cylindrical portion of reduced cross-sectional dimension with respect to the rear wall, and at least one battery within the cylindrical portion for providing power to said circuit means.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein said circuit means is adapted to generate a given frequency for driving said infrared device to indicate proper operational status of the probe, and to shift the frequency when the stylus contacts the workpiece.

3. The probe of claim 1 which further comprises photodetector means mounted adjacent the infrared transmitting device, and means for coupling the photodetector means to the circuit means wherein power from the battery is selectively coupled to the circuit means upon detection of a given optical signal by the photodetector means.

4. The probe of claim 1 which further includes an annular nosepiece threadedly mounted to one end of the housing middle portion, a switch unit having a projecting member inserted into the nosepiece and removably attached thereto, and a cable connecting the switch unit to the circuit means.

5. The probe of claim 1 wherein a plurality of cylindrical batteries are slidably mounted within the cylindrical portion of the housing, one terminal of one battery being urged against a conductive area on a member closing off one end of the cylindrical portion, and means for connecting the conductive area to the circuit means.

6. The probe of claim 5 wherein said member is a board mounted to the rear wall.

7. Apparatus for detecting contact with another object, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having stylus means projecting from one end thereof for contacting an object, said housing having a generally conically shaped middle portion having an outer surface converging toward said stylus, said middle portion having a given cross sectional dimension and including a surface extending generally perpendicular to the axis of the stylus;

an elongated, hollow, generally cylindrical portion of reduced cross sectional dimension with respect to the middle portion and extending from an opposite end of the housing, said cylindrical portion being adapted to be mounted in a machine in the same manner as a tool;

circuit means within the housing for generating signals associated with stylus contact with the object;

battery means in said cylindrical portion for powering said circuit means; and

optical transmission means on said converging outer surface of the housing middle portion, adapted to provide an optical signal to a remote receiver associated with stylus contact with the object.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said optical transmission means is operative to transmit infrared radiation.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said battery means comprises a plurality of cylindrical batteries which are connected together in series.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cylindrical portion includes a removable cap at one end thereof to permit the batteries to be slid into the interior of said cylindrical portion.

11. In a probe for detecting contact with a workpiece, said probe having a movable stylus at one end thereof and mounting means on an opposite end thereof for mounting the probe in a machine adapted to move the probe relative to the workpiece, with the probe further including circuit means therein for generating a signal when the stylus moves upon contact with the workpiece, the improvement wherein the mounting means comprises:

an elongated member having exterior portions thereof conforming to a receptacle in the machine for mounting the probe thereto, the interior of said member including a coaxially extending hollow bore therein adapted to slidably receive a plurality of cylindrical batteries for providing power to the circuit means; and

removable cap means on the end of said member adapted to permit said batteries to be inserted and removed from the interior of said member whereby said member serves the dual purpose of providing the mounting means for the probe and to house the batteries.

12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said cap means includes spring means adapted to urge the batteries together.

13. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said exterior of said member conforms in dimension to the shanks of tools used to perform inner-diameter work on a workpiece in a turning center.

14. The improvement of claim 11 wherein said improvement further comprises:

a middle housing portion between the stylus and the mounting means, with the circuit means being contained in the middle housing portion; and

optical transmission means located on said housing middle portion, said optical transmission means being coupled to the circuit means and adapted to provide an optical signal to a remote receiver associated with stylus contact with the workpiece.

15. The improvement of claim 14 wherein said housing middle portion includes a sloping outer surface converging toward said stylus and wherein said optical transmission means are located on said sloping outer surface.

16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein said optical transmission means is located in a segment of said housing middle portion, with said segment extending less than 180 degrees about the circumference of said housing middle portion.

17. The improvement of claim 16 wherein said optical transmission means comprises at least one light emitting diode.

18. The improvement of claim 17 wherein said optical transmission means is operative to transmit infrared radiation.