ULTRA-LIGHT AND ULTRA-ACCURATE PORTABLE COORDINATE MEASUREMENT MACHINE
First Claim
1. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) comprising:
- a manually-positionable articulated arm having first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of arm segments and a plurality of rotary joints, the first end including a connector configured to connect to a measurement probe and the second end including a base;
wherein at least one of the rotary joints of the plurality of rotary joints includes;
first and second bearings;
a shaft that engages an inner race of the first bearing and an inner race of the second bearing, the shaft configured to rotate about an axis of rotation of the first bearing and the second bearing;
a housing having at least one port that engages at least one of an outer race of the first bearing and an outer race of the second bearing; and
at least one transducer configured to output an angle signal corresponding to an angle of rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about the axis of rotation,wherein a first joint, from the plurality of joints, is attached to a second joint, from the plurality of joints, by a structure that is in contact with the inner or outer race of a bearing of the first joint or the inner or outer race of a bearing of the second joint, the structure fabricated from steel, stainless steel, or a controlled expansion alloy lighter in weight than steel and having a thermal expansion coefficient matching that of steel or stainless steel in the range of between of 9.9 to 18 μ
m/m°
C. at 25°
C.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) includes an articulated arm including rotary joints. At least one of the rotary joints includes bearings; a shaft that engages an inner diameter of the bearings, the shaft configured to rotate about an axis of rotation of the bearings; a housing having at least one port that engages an outer diameter of at least one of the bearings; and at least one transducer configured to output an angle signal corresponding to an angle of rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about the axis of rotation. Structural portions of the CMM are fabricated from steel, stainless steel, or alloys lighter in weight than steel but having a thermal expansion coefficient matching that of steel.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) comprising:
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a manually-positionable articulated arm having first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of arm segments and a plurality of rotary joints, the first end including a connector configured to connect to a measurement probe and the second end including a base; wherein at least one of the rotary joints of the plurality of rotary joints includes; first and second bearings; a shaft that engages an inner race of the first bearing and an inner race of the second bearing, the shaft configured to rotate about an axis of rotation of the first bearing and the second bearing; a housing having at least one port that engages at least one of an outer race of the first bearing and an outer race of the second bearing; and at least one transducer configured to output an angle signal corresponding to an angle of rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about the axis of rotation, wherein a first joint, from the plurality of joints, is attached to a second joint, from the plurality of joints, by a structure that is in contact with the inner or outer race of a bearing of the first joint or the inner or outer race of a bearing of the second joint, the structure fabricated from steel, stainless steel, or a controlled expansion alloy lighter in weight than steel and having a thermal expansion coefficient matching that of steel or stainless steel in the range of between of 9.9 to 18 μ
m/m°
C. at 25°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) comprising:
-
a manually-positionable articulated arm having first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of arm segments and a plurality of rotary joints, the first end including a connector configured to connect to a measurement probe and the second end including a base; wherein at least one of the rotary joints includes; first and second bearings; a shaft that engages an inner diameter of the first bearing and an inner diameter of the second bearing, the shaft configured to rotate about an axis of rotation of the first bearing and the second bearing; a housing having at least one port that engages at least one of an outer diameter of the first bearing and an outer diameter of the second bearing; and at least one transducer configured to output an angle signal corresponding to an angle of rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about the axis of rotation, wherein at least one of the plurality of arm segments or at least one of the plurality of rotary joints are fabricated of a controlled expansion alloy lighter in weight than steel and having a thermal expansion coefficient matching that of steel or stainless steel in the range of between of 9.9 to 18 μ
m/m°
C. at 25°
C. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) comprising:
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a manually-positionable articulated arm having first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of arm segments and a plurality of rotary joints, the first end including a connector configured to connect to a measurement probe and the second end including a base; wherein at least one of the rotary joints includes; first and second bearings; a shaft that engages an inner diameter of the first bearing and an inner diameter of the second bearing, the shaft configured to rotate about an axis of rotation of the first bearing and the second bearing; a housing having at least one port that engages at least one of an outer diameter of the first bearing and an outer diameter of the second bearing; and at least one transducer configured to output an angle signal corresponding to an angle of rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about the axis of rotation, wherein all structural portions of at least one of the plurality of rotary joints are fabricated of steel, stainless steel, or of a controlled expansion alloy lighter in weight than steel and having a thermal expansion coefficient matching that of steel or stainless steel in the range of between of 9.9 to 18 μ
m/m°
C. at 25°
C. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification