Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Coordinate movable probe or machine
Patent
1986-05-16
1987-07-07
Stearns, Richard R.
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Coordinate movable probe or machine
33504, G01B 703
Patent
active
046777555
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a coordinate measuring instrument wherein a measuring element is tridimensionally concerned with a work to be measured and the shape or the like of the work is measured from a relative movement value between the both members.
BACKGROUND TECHNIQUES
In recent years, there has been known a coordinate measuring instrument for measuring various shapes such as an outer diameter, an inner diameter of a hole and a center position of the hole of a work, which is rested on a mount, and has become increasingly common and is widely used for the measurement and the like of a tridimensional object with high accuracy.
The general construction of the coordinate measuring instrument of the type described has heretofore been one as shown in FIG. 3 for example. More specifically, in FIG. 3, a pair of supports 3 are erected from a mount 2 formed of a stone surface plate or the like rested on a support base 1, a transverse member 4 made smoothly movable by an air bearing or the like in the longitudinal direction, i.e. the direction of Y-axis is mounted onto these supports 3, and a relative movement value between the transverse member 4 and one of the supports 3 is detected by a Y-axis displacement detector 5 comprising an optical displacement detector or the like.
A slider 6 is provided on the transverse member 4 in a manner to be made smoothly movable by an air bearing or the like in the lateral direction, i.e. the direction of X-axis, and a relative movement value between this slider 6 and the transverse member 4 is detected by an X-axis displacement detector 7 comprising an optical displacement detector or the like. A square shaft-shaped spindle 9 provided at the bottom end thereof with a measuring element 8 is supported by the slider 6 in a manner to be made slidable by an air bearing or the like in the vertical direction, i.e. the direction of Z-axis, and a relative movement value between this spindle 9 and the slider 6 is detected by a Z-axis displacement detector 10 comprising an optical displacement detector similar to the above-mentioned detectors. Here, the transverse member 4, the slider 6 and the spindle 9 constitute a measuring element support member 11. In consequence, the measuring element 8 is supported by the measuring element support member 11, and the measuring element 8 is supported in a manner to be made movable relative to a work 12 to be measured, which is rested on the mount 2, tridimensionally, i.e. in the directions X-, Y- and Z-axes.
With the above-described arrangement, a shape or the like of the work 12 is measured such that: a spindle 9 is manually grasped, or gripped by a hand of a robot in the case of an automatical measurement, and the measuring element 8 is brought into contact with a preset origin to obtain a reference of polar coordinates; subsequently, the measuring element 8 is brought into contact with measuring points of the work 12 and the relative movement values of this measuring elements from the origin in the directions of X-, Y- and Z-axes are measured by the detectors 5, 7 and 10; and signals from the detectors 5, 7 and 10 are suitably processed by a processing unit comprising a computer or the like, not shown, to thereby obtain measured values.
Now, in the coordinate measuring instrument of the type described, to achieve the measurement with high accuracy, constructions of various portions are formed solidly, and the measuring element 8 is integrally secured to the measuring element support member 11, at a predetermined distance therefrom. In consequence, the conventional coordinate measuring instrument presents the following disadvantages.
(1) In order to move the measuring element 8 to a desired measured surface of the work 12, the measuring element 8 should necessarily be moved together with a moving mechanism as a whole, i.e. the measuring element support member 11, and moreover, depending on the shape of the work 12, the measuring element should be moved, making a detour around the work 12. Thus, the working efficiency becomes lo
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Iwano Hideo
Shudo Kazuo
Mitutoyo Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Stearns Richard R.
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