Portable coordinate measurement machine with improved counter balance
First Claim
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1. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising:
- a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of jointed arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, two of said jointed arm segments having a hinge joint therebetween, said hinge joint being positioned within a housing component of said articulated arm, said housing component constituting a structural component of said arm such that said housing component comprises a load bearing skeletal component of said arm;
a spring counter-balance comprising a spring coaxially mounted around said hinge joint and within said housing component, wherein said spring counter-balance is an integral and internally mounted component of said articulated arm;
a measurement probe attached to a first end of said articulated arm;
an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume.
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Abstract
A portable coordinate measurement machine comprises an articulated arm having jointed arm segments. The articulated arm includes an integrated, internal counter-balance in one of its hinge joints. This counter-balance utilizes a coil spring having relatively wide end rings and narrower internal rings machined from a metal cylinder. The spring further includes at least two posts for locking into the hinge structure of the arm as well as a spring adjustment mechanism.
232 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising:
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a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of jointed arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, two of said jointed arm segments having a hinge joint therebetween, said hinge joint being positioned within a housing component of said articulated arm, said housing component constituting a structural component of said arm such that said housing component comprises a load bearing skeletal component of said arm;
a spring counter-balance comprising a spring coaxially mounted around said hinge joint and within said housing component, wherein said spring counter-balance is an integral and internally mounted component of said articulated arm;
a measurement probe attached to a first end of said articulated arm;
an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising:
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a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of jointed arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;
a counter-balance mounted as an integral and internal component of said articulated arm, said counter-balance comprising a spring which is machined from a metal cylinder, said spring having a pair of opposed end rings and a plurality of internal rings therebetween;
at least one locking post on one of said end rings and at least one locking post on the other of said end rings, said posts mating with complimentary locking grooves in said two arm segments;
a measurement probe attached to a first end of said articulated arm;
an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising:
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a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of jointed arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, two of said jointed arm segments having a hinge joint therebetween, said hinge joint being positioned within a structural housing component of said articulated arm wherein said structural housing component comprises a pair of mating socket members, said hinge joint being captured in said socket members;
a spring counter-balance comprising a spring coaxially mounted around said hinge joint and within said structural housing component, wherein said spring counter-balance is an integral and internally mounted component of said articulated arm;
a measurement probe attached to a first end of said articulated arm;
an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification