Touch signal probe

• US 4,516,327 A
• Filed: 05/04/1983
• Issued: 05/14/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitutoyo Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitutoyo Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikeda, Tadashi, Noguchi, Hironori, Kanda, Yoshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Haroian, Harry N.
• Application Number:
  US06/491,573
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 33/169 R, 33/174 L, 33/172 E, 33/174 Q, 409/125, 409/126
• US Class Current: 33/556
• 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

Abstract

A touch signal probe used in a coordinate measuring instrument or the like having a probe to brought into contact with a workpiece to be measured and outputting an electrical signal when in contact with the workpiece. The probe includes a probe case for tiltably and vertically movably holding the probe, a top plate affixed to the end portion of the probe case and having a shank, a stationary plate housed in the probe for fixing and holding a top end portion of the probe, an abutting ball and an engaging ball which are affixed to the stationary plate, a side receiving seat affixed to the probe case for being abutted against by the abutting ball to control the movement of the stationary plate in the lateral direction, an engagable seat affixed to the probe case having an engageable groove to be abutted thereagainst by said engaging ball at two points for controlling the position of the stationary plate in the lateral direction, three contact point balls affixed to the stationary plate at substantially equaliangular intervals, three stationary contact points affixed to the bottom receiving seat in opposed relations to the contact balls and biasing means for urgingly biasing the stationary plate.

Claims

1. A touch signal probe comprising:

a probe case for tiltably and vertically movably holding said probe to be brought into contact with a workpiece to be measured;

a top plate affixed to the top end portion of the probe case and having a shank engageable with or disengageable from a movable bed;

a stationary plate housed in the probe case, for fixing and holding the top end portion of said probe;

a bottom receiving seat affixed to the bottom of the probe case, for holding the stationary plate;

an abutting ball and an engaging ball, which are affixed to the stationary plate and each having a side peripheral edge projecting from the stationary plate in the lateral direction and fixedly secured to the stationary plate;

a side receiving seat affixed to the probe case, for being abutted against the abutting ball to control the movement of the stationary plate in the lateral direction;

an engageable seat affixed to the probe case, having an engageable groove to be abutted thereagainst with said engaging ball at two points for controlling the position of the stationary plate in the lateral direction;

three contact point balls affixed to the stationary plate at substantially equiangular intervals, each having an under peripheral edge projecting downwardly from the stationary plate and fixedly secured to the stationary plate;

three stationary contact points affixed to the bottom receiving seat in opposed relations to the contact point balls;

a first biasing means for urgingly biasing the stationary plate toward the bottom receiving seat; and

a second biasing means for urgingly biasing the stationary plate toward the side receiving seat and the engageable seat.

2. A touch signal probe as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said contact point balls comprises an under peripheral edge of the abutting ball of the stationary plate.

3. A touch signal probe as set forth in claim 1, wherein two of said contact point balls comprise an under peripheral edge of the abutting ball and an under peripheral edge of the engaging ball of the stationary plate.