Portable coordinate measurement machine having a handle that includes electronics

• US 9,513,100 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Raab, Simon, Barber, Marc M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US14/542,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20150068054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 335/03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, 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 including a probe end and a handle; wherein the probe assembly is connected to the first end; wherein the handle contains electronics that include a processor; wherein the handle is configured to be gripped by a hand; and wherein the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space associated with the probe end.

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 of the plurality of connected arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing a plurality of position signals, at least one of the plurality of position signals passing between two of the plurality of connected arm segments through a first slip ring assembly;

a first electronic circuit that receives the plurality of position signals;

a base section connected to the second end; and

a probe assembly including a probe end and a handle;

wherein the probe assembly is connected to the first end;

wherein the handle contains a second electronic circuit that is in electrical communication with the first electronic circuit;

wherein the handle is configured to be gripped by an operator'"'"'s hand; and

wherein the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space associated with the probe end.

2. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 1, wherein:

the probe end has a ball portion having a center and a generally cylindrically symmetric portion having an axis of symmetry, the axis of symmetry passing through the center;

the handle is configured to be grasped by fingers and a palm of the hand, the fingers and the palm generally wrapping around a line passing through the handle, the handle having a first space internal to a region grasped by the fingers and the palm; and

the line is perpendicular to the axis of symmetry.

3. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 2, wherein the handle is configured to rotate about the axis of symmetry.

4. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 3, further comprising a second slip ring assembly configured to transmit electrical signals between the second electronic circuit and the first electronic circuit, wherein a first portion of the second slip ring assembly rotates with respect to a second portion of the second slip ring assembly and wherein the rotation of the first portion with respect to the second portion is about the axis of symmetry.

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

6. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 2, wherein a laser is included in the first space.

7. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 2, wherein a camera is included in the first space.