Coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object

• US 8,365,426 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2011
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Ruck, Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US13/198,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 335/03, 335/56, 335/57, 335/58, 335/59, 335/60, 335/61
• US Class Current: 33/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor

Abstract

A coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object has a frame structure on which a probe head is arranged. The probe head has a probe head sensor system, a body part and a coupling part which can move relative to the body part. The frame structure is designed to move the probe head relative to the measurement object. The probe tool has at least one stylus for making contact with the measurement object, and also has a rotating plate. The stylus is coupled to the coupling part by means of the rotating plate, such that it can rotate. At least one roll motion projection is formed on the body part. The rotating plate can be rolled along this roll motion projection by means of a movement of the coupling part in order to set a defined orientation of the stylus.

Claims

1. A coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object, comprising:

a probe head having a body part, a coupling part moveable relative to the body part, a probe tool arranged on the coupling part, and a probe head sensor system designed to detect a position of the coupling part relative to the body part, and

a frame structure designed to move the probe head relative to the measurement object,

wherein the probe tool has at least one stylus for making contact with the measurement object and has a rotating plate via which the stylus is rotatably coupled to the coupling part in order to establish a defined orientation of the stylus relative to the coupling part, and

wherein at least one roll motion projection is formed on the body part, with the rotating plate being configured to roll along the roll motion projection as a result of a defined movement of the coupling part relative to the body part, thereby allowing to set the defined orientation of the stylus.

2. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe head sensor system has at least one measurement force generator configured to produce the defined movement of the coupling part relative to the body part.

3. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the roll motion projection surrounds the rotating plate at least partially.

4. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the roll motion projection is a circular tube.

5. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a traction element arranged between the rotating plate and the roll motion projection.

6. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 5, wherein the traction element is an O-ring.

7. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 5, wherein the traction element is made from rubber or a rubber-like material.

8. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 5, wherein the traction element is a toothed ring arranged on an outer periphery of the rotating plate.

9. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe head and the probe tool together comprise an orientation detection apparatus for detecting the defined orientation of the stylus.

10. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 9, wherein the orientation detection apparatus comprises a plurality of orientation detection elements, which are each associated with a defined orientation of the stylus, and comprises at least one sensor which interacts with the orientation detection elements.

11. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 10, wherein orientation detection elements are electrical identification circuits.

12. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 10, wherein the orientation detection elements are arranged at offset angles with respect to one another in a rotation direction of the rotating plate.

13. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 10, wherein the orientation detection elements each have at least two contacts which are arranged radially one after the other on the rotating plate.

14. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the coupling part comprises a centering pin designed for holding the probe tool, said centering pin being moveable between a rotation position allowing rotation of the rotating plate and a latching position blocking rotation of the rotating plate.

15. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 14, wherein the centering pin has a conical section and the coupling part further comprises a bearing element, with the conical section being mounted without play in the rotation position by means of the bearing element, and with the conical section being arranged at a distance from the bearing element in the latching position.

16. The coordinate measuring machine of claim 14, further comprising a control unit configured to produce a sudden movement of the coupling part, said sudden movement moving the centering pin from the rotating position to the latching position.

17. A probe head for a coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object, comprising:

a body part,

a coupling part moveable relative to the body part,

a probe head sensor system for detecting a position of the coupling part relative to the body part, and

a probe tool coupled to the coupling part,

wherein the probe tool has at least one stylus for making contact with the measurement object, and

wherein the probe tool has a rotating plate via which the at least one stylus is rotatably coupled to the coupling part, said stylus having a defined orientation relative to the coupling part, and

wherein a roll motion projection is arranged on the body part, with said rotating plate being configured to selectively roll along the roll motion projection by means of a movement of the coupling part relative to the body part, thereby allowing to set the defined orientation of the stylus.

18. A method for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object, comprising the steps of:

providing a probe head having a body part, a coupling part moveable relative to the body part, a probe head sensor system for detecting a position of the coupling part relative to the body part, and a roll motion projection,

providing a frame structure designed to move the probe head relative to the measurement object,

providing a probe tool coupled to the coupling part, said probe tool comprising at least one stylus for making contact with the measurement object and a rotating plate via which the stylus is rotatably coupled to the coupling part,

bringing the rotating plate into contact with the roll motion projection,

moving the rotating plate along the roll motion projection by means of a movement of the coupling part relative to the body part in order to set a defined orientation of the stylus relative to the coupling part,

touching a measurement point on the measurement object by means of the stylus, and

determining spatial coordinates of the measurement point as a function of the position of the probe head relative to the measurement object and as a function of the defined orientation.