Surface sensing device with optical sensor
First Claim
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1. A surface sensing device for use in position determining apparatus, comprising:
- an elongate stylus having a workpiece-contacting stylus tip;
an optical element at or near or connected to the tip so as to be subjected to lateral displacements of the tip;
an optical transducer system which projects a light beam along the stylus between a the between the optical element and a detector, thereby to measure said lateral displacements of the tip;
a mounting for the stylus the of the surface sensing device which enables only longitudinal displacement and bending of the stylus and constrains other movements thereof, the mounting for the stylus disposed within a housing of the surface sensing device, wherein the longitudinal displacement of the stylus is at the mounting for the stylus within the housing of the surface sensing device; and
a displacement measurement transducer arranged to measure said longitudinal displacement of the stylus.
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Abstract
A surface sensing device for use in position determining apparatus has an elongate stylus (74) with a tip (82) for scanning the surface of a workpiece to be measured. Lateral displacements of the stylus tip are detected by a light beam which passes along the stylus from a light source (66) to a retroreflector (78). This reflects the beam back via a beamsplitter (70) to a position sensitive detector (76). The stylus is mounted for longitudinal displacement on a carriage (72). The longitudinal displacement is measured by another light beam projected by the beamsplitter (70) onto a second position sensitive detector (84).
37 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A surface sensing device for use in position determining apparatus, comprising:
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an elongate stylus having a workpiece-contacting stylus tip; an optical element at or near or connected to the tip so as to be subjected to lateral displacements of the tip; an optical transducer system which projects a light beam along the stylus between a the between the optical element and a detector, thereby to measure said lateral displacements of the tip; a mounting for the stylus the of the surface sensing device which enables only longitudinal displacement and bending of the stylus and constrains other movements thereof, the mounting for the stylus disposed within a housing of the surface sensing device, wherein the longitudinal displacement of the stylus is at the mounting for the stylus within the housing of the surface sensing device; and a displacement measurement transducer arranged to measure said longitudinal displacement of the stylus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15)
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11. A surface sensing device for use in position determining apparatus, comprising:
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an elongate stylus having a workpiece-sensing stylus tip; the stylus having a relatively flexible portion permitting bending of the stylus and a relatively stiff portion, the relatively stiff portion being closer to the tip than the relatively flexible portion; said tip being subjected to lateral displacements caused by bending of the stylus; a transducer system which measures lateral displacements of the tip, including those caused by said bending of the stylus; a mounting for the stylus in the surface sensing device which enables longitudinal displacement of the stylus, the mounting for the stylus disposed within a housing of the surface sensing device, wherein the longitudinal displacement of the stylus is at the mounting for the stylus within the housing of the surface sensing device; and a displacement measurement transducer arranged to measure said longitudinal displacement of the stylus. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 16, 17)
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18. A surface sensing device for use in position determining apparatus, comprising:
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a probe housing; a longitudinally movable carriage mounted within the probe housing; an elongate stylus having a workpiece-sensing stylus tip; the longitudinally movable carriage providing a mounting for the stylus, which enables longitudinal displacement of the stylus at said mounting for the stylus within the housing; the stylus being exchangeably attachable to and detachable from the carriage; a displacement measurement transducer in the probe housing arranged to measure said longitudinal displacement; said stylus tip being subject to lateral displacements; a transducer system located at least partially in the exchangeable stylus, and arranged to measure said lateral displacements of the tip. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification