Coordinate measurement machine with improved joint

1. A coordinate measurement apparatus comprising:

an articulated arm comprising a first end, a second end configured to mount a coordinate measuring probe, at least a first arm segment and a second arm segment therebetween;

at least one joint body connecting said first arm segment to said second arm segment, said joint body supporting both pivots and rotations between the first and second arm segments, wherein the joint body comprises at least one rounded pattern and at least one reader device configured to read said at least one pattern, the at least one reader configured to detect both of said pivots and rotations.

2. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reader device comprises a camera.

3. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a slip ring rotatably connected to first arm segment.

4. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising at least one hardwired connection attached to the slip ring, said hardwired connection in electronic communication with the second arm segment, wherein said hardwired connection is configured to transfer a coordinate data between said first arm segment and said second arm segment.

5. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rounded pattern is a spherical pattern.

6. A coordinate measurement apparatus comprising:

an articulated arm comprising a first end, a second end configured to mount a coordinate measuring probe, at least a first arm segment, a second arm segment, and a third arm segment therebetween, the arm segments being rotatably connected in sequence; and

at least one joint connecting said first arm segment to said second arm segment, said joint configured to allow said first arm segment to pivot and rotate relative to said second arm segment and further configured to measure said pivots and rotations, wherein the joint connects the arm segments by an attractive force.

7. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least three sequentially connected arm segments are at least rotatably or pivotably connected.

8. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the articulated arm comprises at least one rotational encoder.

9. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the joint comprises a ball and socket joint.

10. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the joint comprises a joint body rotatably coupled to the first arm segment to define a first axis of rotation of the joint and rotatably coupled to the second arm segment to define a second axis of rotation of the joint.

11. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the joint further comprises a data surface coupled to the first arm segment and a data acquisition device coupled to the second arm segment, the data acquisition device configured to acquire data from the data surface.

12. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the data surface comprises a ball portion having a graphical pattern disposed on an outer surface thereof.

13. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the data acquisition device comprises an optical camera.

14. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the joint further comprises a light element configured to illuminate the data surface.

15. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the attractive force comprises a magnetic force.

16. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the attractive force comprises a suction force provided by a vacuum.

17. A coordinate measurement apparatus comprising:

an articulated arm having a first end, a second end configured to mount a coordinate measuring probe, at least a first arm segment and a second arm segment therebetween;

at least one joint connecting said first arm segment to said second arm segment, said joint comprising a first joint member, a second joint member, at least one sensor, and at least one graphical pattern defining a multitude of unique geometric shapes;

wherein said first arm segment is configured to pivot and rotate relative to said second arm segment via the first and second joint members, said pivots and rotations being measurable by the at least one sensor.

18. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the graphical pattern defines a multitude of unique triangles.

19. The coordinate measurement apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect a single triangle.

20. A coordinate measurement apparatus comprising:

an articulated arm having a first end, a second end configured to mount a coordinate measuring probe, at least a first arm segment and a second arm segment therebetween;

at least one ball and socket joint connecting said first arm segment to said second arm segment, said ball and socket joint comprising a ball member and a socket member, wherein the ball member comprises at least one graphical pattern and the socket member comprises at least one optical reader device configured to read said graphical pattern.