Touch probe
DCFirst Claim
1. A coordinate positioning machine having an arm and a table movable relative to each other;
- a retaining module provided on the arm, having a first set of engagement elements;
at least one task module stored within the working area of the machine, said task module having a second set of engagement elements which are releasably engageable with said first set of engagement elements on said retaining module;
a magazine having a plurality of storage ports each for storing a said task module;
means for magnetically urging said task module into engagement with said storage port in a first direction;
wherein said retaining module, said task module and said storage port are configured so that, when said task module is retained in said storage port, the second set of engagement elements on the task module are accessible to the first set of engagement elements on the retaining module from a direction opposite to the first direction, and so that, when first and second elements are engaged, the retaining module may carry the task module away from the storage port in a second direction, transverse to the first direction.
3 Assignments
Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magazine has a plurality of storage ports 400 each of which retains a stylus module 314 for use in measuring workpiece dimensions on a coordinate measuring machine. Each storage port 400 is configured as a pair of jaws provided by docking inserts 414. A permanent magnet 418 is mounted on each docking insert 414. The lower casing of the stylus module 314 is urged against the inwardly facing edges 416 of the docking inserts 414 by the magnetic attraction force due the magnets 418. The stylus module 314 is engaged with a retaining module (on the quill of the machine) by moving the retaining module in a downward sense to engage the stylus module 314; further downward movement disengages the stylus module 314 from the storage port 400, thus enabling engagement of such a stylus module and removal of the module from the storage port in a single continuous movement.
62 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A coordinate positioning machine having an arm and a table movable relative to each other;
- a retaining module provided on the arm, having a first set of engagement elements;
at least one task module stored within the working area of the machine, said task module having a second set of engagement elements which are releasably engageable with said first set of engagement elements on said retaining module;
a magazine having a plurality of storage ports each for storing a said task module;
means for magnetically urging said task module into engagement with said storage port in a first direction;
wherein said retaining module, said task module and said storage port are configured so that, when said task module is retained in said storage port, the second set of engagement elements on the task module are accessible to the first set of engagement elements on the retaining module from a direction opposite to the first direction, and so that, when first and second elements are engaged, the retaining module may carry the task module away from the storage port in a second direction, transverse to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- a retaining module provided on the arm, having a first set of engagement elements;
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7. A magazine for use on a coordinate positioning machine, the magazine containing a plurality of task modules each having a set of engagement elements, to enable engagement of a task module by a retaining module provided on a movable arm of the machine, performance of an operation by the machine using said task module, and return of said task module to the magazine, the magazine comprising:
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a plurality of storage ports each for retaining a said task module, each storage port having a pair of jaws extending in a first direction; means for magnetically urging a said task module into engagement with said jaws in a second direction, transverse to said first direction; wherein the spacing of said jaws, and the configuration of said task modules is such that said engagement elements are accessible from a direction opposite to said first direction and said task modules are disengageable from said storage ports against the action of said magnetic urging means in said direction opposite to said first direction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a coordinate positioning machine having an arm and a table movable relative to each other;
- a retaining module provided on the arm;
a plurality of task modules, each releasably engageable with the retaining module;
a magazine having a plurality of storage ports each of which retains a said task module, each storage port having a pair of jaws;
the method comprising the steps of sequentially;engaging said task module with said retaining module, by magnetically urging said task module onto said retaining module; operating the machine to perform an operation with said task module; operating the machine to bring the task module into engagement with the jaws of a storage port; operating the machine to move the retaining module away from the storage port in a direction opposite to the direction of the magnetic attraction force between the retaining module and task module;
whereinduring said movement of the retaining module away from the storage port the jaws of the storage port apply a reaction force to said task module, equal and opposite to the said magnetic attraction force, thereby retaining the task module in the storage port and enabling disengagement of said retaining module from said task module by virtue of the movement of the movable arm and thus the retaining module. - View Dependent Claims (11)
- a retaining module provided on the arm;
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12. A magazine for retaining a plurality of task modules within the working area of a coordinate positioning machine, each said task module being releasably connectable to a retaining module supported on the movable arm of said machine, the magazine having:
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a plurality of storage ports, each for retaining a said task module; and at least one electromagnetic sensor for sensing the presence of at least one of an electric and a magnetic field generated by a said retaining module thereby to detect the presence of a said retaining module lying in a predetermined spatial relationship with the magazine. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A coordinate positioning machine comprising:
- a table;
an arm supported by a support structure providing relative movement of the table and the arm;
a probe supported on the arm, having a retaining module and a task module releasably connectable to the retaining module, the retaining module having means for detecting when a said task module becomes disconnected therefrom, and for generating an alarm signal accordingly to arrest said relative movement of said table and said arm;
a magazine having a plurality of storage ports, each for retaining a said task module to enable exchange of one said task module on said retaining module for another;
wherein sensing means are provided for sensing the presence of said retaining module in a predetermined spatial relationship with said magazine, and for emitting an inhibit signal accordingly to inhibit said alarm signal and thereby enable said relative movement during the course of an exchange operation. - View Dependent Claims (18)
- a table;
Specification