Modular measurement device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A modular measurement device comprising:
- a retaining module attachable to a positioning apparatus;
at least one stylus support module being exchangeably attachable to the retaining module; and
at least one stylus module being exchangeably attachable to said at least one stylus support module, wherein the stylus support module has a suspension system for movably supporting the stylus module, wherein the retaining module and the stylus support module cooperate to measure displacement of the suspension system, and wherein the exchangeable attachment of the stylus module to the stylus support module is formed by complementary mountings on the stylus module and the stylus support module, allowing a repeatable rest position of the stylus module relative to the stylus support module following exchange.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a modular measurement device 100 having, attachable to the quill 12 of a CMM, any one of a plurality of stylus support modules 120ab, 120cd, or 120ef. Attachable to a stylus support module is a range of stylus modules 110a-f. The stylus support modules have different spring rates to ensure that a near optimum response can be obtained for each stylus module used. The stylus modules may be configured so that each cannot be mistakenly fitted to the wrong stylus support module. The modules are held together by magnetic attraction, and the strength of attraction is cascaded so that the stylus module is removed first if pulled off.
35 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A modular measurement device comprising:
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a retaining module attachable to a positioning apparatus;
at least one stylus support module being exchangeably attachable to the retaining module; and
at least one stylus module being exchangeably attachable to said at least one stylus support module, wherein the stylus support module has a suspension system for movably supporting the stylus module, wherein the retaining module and the stylus support module cooperate to measure displacement of the suspension system, and wherein the exchangeable attachment of the stylus module to the stylus support module is formed by complementary mountings on the stylus module and the stylus support module, allowing a repeatable rest position of the stylus module relative to the stylus support module following exchange. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A modular measurement device comprising:
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a retaining module attachable to a positioning apparatus;
a plurality of stylus support modules being exchangeably attachable to the retaining module; and
a plurality of stylus modules each being exchangeably attachable to one of said plurality of stylus support modules, wherein each stylus support module has a suspension system for movably supporting the stylus module, the retaining module and each of the stylus support module cooperate to measure displacement of the suspension system and the suspension system of at least one of the stylus support modules has a different configuration from that of at least one of the other of the stylus support modules. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. A stacked modular measurement system having at least three modules in a stack held together by means of magnetic attraction between adjacent modules wherein the attraction between one pair of the adjacent modules is not equal to the attraction between another pair of adjacent modules.
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17. A modular measurement system comprising a modular measurement device including:
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a retaining module attachable to a positioning apparatus;
at least one stylus support module being exchangeably attachable to the retaining module;
at least one stylus module being exchangeably attachable to said at least one stylus support module, wherein the stylus support module has a suspension system for movably supporting the stylus module, the retaining module and the stylus support module cooperate to measure displacement of the suspension system and the exchangeable attachment of the stylus module to the stylus support module is formed by complementary mountings on the stylus module and the stylus support module allowing a repeatable rest reposition of the stylus module relative to the stylus support module following exchange, and the system further comprising a rack for storing any of the modules when not in use.
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18. A modular measurement system comprising a modular measurement device including:
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a retaining module attachable to a positioning apparatus;
a plurality of stylus support modules being exchangeably attachable to the retaining module;
a plurality of stylus modules having a work contact area and each being exchangeably attachable to one of said plurality of stylus support modules, wherein each of the stylus support module has a suspension system for movably supporting the stylus module, the retaining module and each of the stylus support module cooperate to measure displacement of the suspension system and the suspension system of each stylus support module has a different configuration, and the system further comprising a rack for storing any of the modules when not in use.
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Specification