Portable coordinate measurement machine with a rotatable handle

• US 8,595,948 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Raab, Simon, Atwell, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US13/412,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20120204436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 335/03, 335/56, 335/57, 335/58
• US Class Current: 33/503
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/005 coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/042 Calibration or calibration artifacts G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices referred to in the other groups of this subclass testing, calibrating or compensating compasses G01C17/38
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/401 characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37193 Multicoordinate measuring system, machine, cmm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40233 Portable robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45061 Measuring robot

Abstract

A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) includes a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal resulting in the articulated arm having a plurality of position transducers. The AACMM also includes a base section connected to the second end; and a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end, an inner core, and a handle; wherein the probe end is fixed with respect to the inner core, the handle is configured to rotate about the inner core, and the probe end is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space.

Claims

1. A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising:

a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal resulting in the articulated arm having a plurality of position transducers;

a base section connected to the second end; and

a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end, an inner core, and a handle;

wherein the probe end is fixed with respect to the inner core, the handle is configured to rotate about the inner core, and the probe end is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space.

2. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to freely rotate about the inner core.

3. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 2, further comprising a first bearing between the inner core and the handle, wherein the first bearing has a first axis of rotation.

4. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 3, further comprising a second bearing between the inner core and the handle.

5. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 3, wherein the first axis passes through the probe end.

6. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a slip ring assembly configured to transmit electrical signals between the inner core and the handle.

7. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a first electronic circuit, wherein a portion of the first electronic circuit is built on a circuit board, and wherein the circuit board is held fixed with respect to the inner core.

8. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a first electronic circuit, wherein a portion of the first electronic circuit is built on a circuit board, and wherein the circuit board is located in the handle.

9. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 7, wherein the first electronic circuit further comprises a processor.

10. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 7, wherein the first electronic circuit includes a temperature sensor.

11. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a light attached to the handle.

12. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe end includes a fixed probe having a portion of a round ball.

13. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe end includes a touch trigger probe having a portion of a round ball.

14. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a switch attached to the handle.

15. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to allow gripping and manipulation by a probe operator.

16. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, further comprising a second electronic circuit configured to receive the position signals from the plurality of position transducers.

17. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe end is configured to rotate about a first number of axes of the portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine and the handle is configured to rotate about a second number of axes of the portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, wherein the second number of axes is greater than the first number of axes by one.

18. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe end is configured to rotate about a first number of axes of the portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine and the handle is configured to rotate about a second number of axes of the portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, wherein the second number of axes is greater than the first number of axes by at least one.

19. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 18, wherein the plurality of position transducers comprises a number that equals the first number.

20. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 18, wherein the plurality of position transducers comprises a number that is greater than the first number.

21. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 1, wherein the probe assembly further comprises a first encoder configured to measure the handle rotation.

22. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 21, wherein the handle is further configured to attach an auxiliary device.

23. The portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine of claim 22, wherein the auxiliary device is a laser line scanner.

24. A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising:

a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;

a base section connected to the second end; and

a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end, an inner core, a handle, and a slip ring;

wherein the handle is configured to rotate about the inner core, the slip ring is located between the handle and the inner core, and the slip ring is configured to transmit electrical signals between the inner core and the handle.

25. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 24, further comprising an accessory that attaches to the handle, the accessory configured to rotate with the handle, the accessory including a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature.

26. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 25, wherein the accessory is a laser scanner.

27. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 26, wherein the laser scanner is thermally stabilized.

28. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 26, wherein the laser scanner includes a bracket, the temperature sensor attached to the bracket.

29. A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising:

a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;

a base section connected to the second end; and

a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end and a handle;

wherein the probe end is configured to rotate about a first number of axes and the handle is configured to rotate about a second number of axes; and

wherein the second number of axes is greater than the first number of axes by one.

30. A method for manually operating a portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising:

providing a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, a base section connected to the second end, a probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly having a probe end, an inner core, and a handle, wherein the probe end is configured to rotate about six axes and the handle is configured to rotate about the six axes and a seventh axis;

gripping the handle by an operator;

manually positioning the probe end about the six axes, based at least in part on the gripping; and

manually positioning the handle about the six axes and the seventh axis, based at least in part on the gripping.