Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Movable contact probe – per se
Patent
1990-10-25
1991-12-24
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Movable contact probe, per se
33556, G01B 700
Patent
active
050740520
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a contact-sensing probe. The scope of the invention is specified in the claims hereto. By virtue of the axially proximate relationship of one ends of elongate support elements and the axially remote relationship of other ends of the elongate support elements, a second member is supported on a first member in a manner making it possible not only to tilt the second member in any plane containing the axis of the first member but also to displace the movable member in either axial sense.
Two embodiments of a probe according to this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively an elevation and plan view of the first embodiment, FIG. 1 being a section on the line I--I in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 being a section on the line II--II in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of FIG. 1 and shows a modification.
FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively an elevation and a plan view of the second embodiment, FIG. 4 being a section on the line III--III in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5 being a section on the line IV--IV in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of FIG. 4 and shows a modification.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the probe has a housing 10, having an axis 10A. A two-dimensional structure or disc-shaped plate 11 is situated within the housing and extends in a plane A--A transverse to the axis 10A. A stylus 12 secured to the plate 11 extends from the housing 10 along the axis 10A. The housing 10 is adapted to be secured to a coordinate measuring machine operable to bring the free end, 13, of the stylus into engagement with a workpiece 15 with a view to measuring the position thereof as known per se.
The plate 11 is supported in the housing by two sets of flexible wires 14 which are flexible in compression but rigid (non-yieldable) in tension and which are situated in an equispaced arrangement around the axis 10A. Each wire has an end 16 secured to the plate 11 by a lug 16A and an end 17 secured to the housing 10 by a lug 17A. The one set comprises three first wires 14A extending obliquely upwards from the plane A--A and a set of three second wires 14B extending obliquely downwards from the plane A--A. For clarity only one wire of each set is shown in FIG. 1. A torsion spring 18 connected between the housing 10 and the plate 11 is adapted to apply torque to the plate 11 about the axis 10A such that the wires are placed into tension thereby establishing a firm connection between the members 10,11 and holding the stylus 12 in a stable rest position relative to the housing 10.
Displacement of the stylus 12 from the rest position, as by said engagement with the workpiece 13, is accommodated by the buckling of the wires and in opposition to the force of the spring 18. It will be clear that the stylus 12 is supported by the wires 14 in a manner permitting tilting of the stylus in any plane containing the axis 10A and permitting movement in either sense of the direction of the axis 10A.
Referring to the wires 14A, 14B shown in FIG. 1, displacement of the stylus end 13 in the direction +X or -Z is accommodated by buckling of the wires 14B. Displacement of the stylus 12 in the direction -X or +Z is accommodated by buckling of the wires 14A.
Generally, the plate 11, and thus the stylus 12, is displacable angularly, i.e. is tiltable, in any plane containing the axis 10A and is displacable linearly in either sense of the direction of the axis 10A. In each case, the spring 18 restores the stylus to the rest position when the displacing force ceases. Each flexible wire constitutes a lost-motion device.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show that the ends 16 of the wires 14A have substantially the same angular position about the axis 10A as the ends 16 of the wires 14B, the ends 17 being positioned correspondingly. In a modification (not illustrated) the wires 14A are staggered with respect to the wires 14B so that the end 16 of any wire 14A lies intermediate between the ends 16 of the other two of the wires 14B, the ends 17 being similarly staggered.
An alternative form of lost-motion
REFERENCES:
patent: 4279080 (1981-07-01), Nakaya
patent: 4523382 (1985-06-01), Werner et al.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Renishaw plc
Wirthlin Alvin
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