Joint axis for coordinate measurement machine
View Patent ↗One aspect of the present invention comprises a coordinate measurement apparatus that includes an articulated arm having a first end, a second end, and plurality of jointed arm segments therebetween, each arm segment including at least one position transducer. A measurement probe assembly is coupled to the second end of the arm. The measurement probe assembly comprises a first joint providing a first axis of rotation between the second end of the arm and a body of the measurement probe assembly. An encoder includes an encoder housing and an encoder shaft. The encoder housing is configured to rotate about a second axis with respect to the encoder shaft, which is rigidly coupled to the body. A probe is rigidly coupled to the encoder shaft. A measurement device is coupled to the encoder housing such that the measurement device rotates about a second axis with respect to the probe.
1. A coordinate measurement device comprising:
an articulated arm having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of jointed arm segments therebetween, each arm segment including at least one position transducer; and
a measurement probe assembly coupled to the second end of the arm, the measurement probe assembly comprising:
a first joint providing a first axis of rotation between the second end of the arm and a body of the measurement probe assembly;
a read head and an encoder disk, the encoder disk configured to rotate about a second axis with respect to the read head;
a first probe rotatably fixed with respect to the body about the second axis of rotation; and
a second probe coupled to the body such that the second probe rotates about the second axis with respect to the first probe.
2. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 wherein said arm includes 7 axes of rotation and the first and second axes comprise the 6 th and 7 th axis of rotation respectively.
3. The coordinate measurement device of claim 2 , wherein the jointed arm segments are arranged in a 2-2-3 joint configuration.
4. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the measurement second probe is a laser scanner.
5. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the first probe is a touch probe.
6. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the first probe is a rigid probe.
7. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 , further comprising a slip ring provided between the read head and the second probe.
8. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 , further comprising a handle coupled to the body.
9. The coordinate measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the measurement probe assembly is removably coupled to the articulated arm.
10. A coordinate measurement apparatus comprising:
an articulated arm having a first end, a second end, and plurality of jointed arm segments therebetween, each arm segment including at least one position transducer; and
a measurement assembly coupled to the second end of the arm, the measurement assembly comprising:
a first joint providing a first axis of rotation between the second end of the arm and a body of the measurement assembly;
a probe rigidly coupled to the first joint; and
a measurement device configured for rotation about the probe.
11. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising:
a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of rotary joints; and
a measurement assembly coupled to the second end of the arm, the measurement assembly comprising a first rotable joint providing a first axis of rotation, a probe rigidly coupled to the first joint, a measurement device configured for rotation about the probe and means for rotating the measurement device about the probe along a second axis of rotation.
12. The CMM of claim 11 wherein said arm includes 7 axes of rotation and the first and second axes comprise the 6 th and 7 th axis of rotation respectively.
13. The CMM of claim 12 , wherein the arm is arranged in a 2-2-3 joint configuration.
14. The CMM of claim 11 , wherein the measurement device is a laser scanner.
15. The CMM of claim 11 , wherein the probe is a touch probe.
16. The CMM of claim 11 , wherein the probe is a rigid probe.
17. The CMM of claim 11 , further comprising a handle coupled to the measurement device.
18. The CMM of claim 11 , further comprising a slip ring.
19. A joint for a coordinate measurement apparatus comprising:
a joint body connectable to a coordinate measurement apparatus;
a rotatable joint defining an axis of rotation of the joint;
a first probe connector rotationally fixed with respect to the joint body about the axis of rotation of the joint; and
a second probe connector rotatable with respect to the joint body about the axis of rotation of the joint.
20. The joint of claim 19 , further comprising a first probe coupled to the first probe connector.
21. The joint of claim 20 , wherein the first probe comprises one of a rigid probe, an electrical contact probe, a touch trigger probe, a strain sensing probe, a laser point probe, a laser line probe, and an optical probe.
22. The joint of claim 19 , further comprising a second probe coupled to the second probe connector.
23. The joint of claim 22 , wherein the second probe comprises one of a rigid probe, an electrical contact probe, a touch trigger probe, a strain sensing probe, a laser point probe, a laser line probe, and an optical probe.
24. The joint of claim 19 , wherein the joint is configured to be removably couplable to the coordinate measurement apparatus.