Measuring probe and measuring probe system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001358-B2
Application number	US-201615281326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 6, 2015
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A measuring probe for measuring a screw groove of a relatively rotatable ball screw includes a stylus having a tip end portion configured to contact the screw groove, a radial-direction displacement mechanism configured to support the stylus so as for the stylus to be displaceable in an X direction toward an axial center of the ball screw, an axial-direction displacement mechanism configured to support the stylus so as for the stylus to be displaceable in an axial direction (Z direction) of the axial center, and sensors configured to detect displacement of the stylus produced by the radial-direction displacement mechanism and the axial-direction displacement mechanism. This enables high-accuracy measurement of a predetermined position of a side surface of a relatively rotatable work.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measuring probe for measuring a side surface shape of a relatively rotatable work, comprising:
a stylus having at least one tip end portion configured to contact a side surface of the work;
a radial-direction displacement mechanism configured to support the stylus so as for the stylus to be displaceable in a direction toward an axial center or the work;
an axial-direction displacement mechanism configured to support the stylus so as for the stylus to be displaceable in an axial direction of the axial center; and
a sensor configured to detect displacement of the stylus produced by the radial-direction displacement mechanism and the axial-direction displacement mechanism.

2. The measuring probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial-direction displacement mechanism includes a radial-direction displacement member provided integrally with the stylus, a plurality of first hinge members connected to the radial-direction displacement member and configured to be deformed in correspondence with displacement of the stylus, and a radial-direction housing configured to support the radial-direction displacement member via the plurality of first hinge members, and
the axial-direction displacement mechanism includes an axial-direction displacement member configured to support the radial-direction housing, a plurality of second hinge members connected to the axial-direction displacement member and configured to be deformed in correspondence with displacement of the stylus, and an axial-direction housing configured to support the axial-direction displacement member via the plurality of second hinge members.

3. The measuring probe according to claim 2 , wherein
the sensor includes
a first sensor including a first reference member provided at an end portion of the radial-direction displacement member on a side opposite to the stylus, and a first detection member fixed on the radial-direction housing to be opposed to the first reference member and configured to detect a position of the first reference member, and
a second sensor including a second reference member provided at an end portion of the axial-direction displacement member, and a second detection member fixed on the axial-direction housing to be opposed to the second reference member and configured to detect a position of the second reference member.

4. The measuring probe according to claim 2 , further comprising a buffer mechanism configured to enable restoring forces increasing in accordance with the deformation amounts of the first hinge members and the second hinge members to be decreased, respectively.

5. The measuring probe according to claim 4 , wherein
the buffer mechanism includes two magnetic structures, and the two magnetic structures are provided on side surfaces of the radial-direction displacement member to be symmetrical to each other.

6. The measuring probe according to claim 2 , wherein
the radial-direction displacement member includes a clamp mechanism configured to temporarily clamp the radial-direction displacement member to the radial-direction housing.

7. The measuring probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of tip end portions are provided, and mutual positions of the tip end portions are relatively adjustable.

8. A measuring probe system including the measuring probe according to claim 1 , comprising:
a rotation mechanism configured to enable relative rotation of the work to the measuring probe; and
a signal processing device configured to control the rotation mechanism and to process an output of the measuring probe.

9. The measuring probe system according to claim 8 , wherein
the signal processing device includes a processing unit configured to derive at least one actual side surface shape of the work by processing the output of the measuring probe, and the rotation mechanism includes a rotary encoder configured to output a relative rotation angle of the work, and
the processing unit is configured to derive the plurality of actual side surface shapes in initial states in which rotation start positions of the rotation mechanism are different from each other, and perform calculation among the plurality of actual side surface shapes to reduce a measurement error caused by the rotation mechanism.

10. The measuring probe system according to claim 9 , further comprising a probe support mechanism configured to support the measuring probe so as for the measuring probe to be movable in the axial direction along with rotation by means of the rotation mechanism, wherein
the probe support mechanism includes a linear encoder configured to output a position of the measuring probe in the axial direction, and
the processing unit is configured to calibrate output reply properties of the measuring probe, the linear encoder, and the rotary encoder when the processing unit derives the actual side surface shape.

Assignees

• Mitutoyo Corp

Inventors

• Hidaka Kazuhiko
• Hama Nobuyuki
• Nakayama Tatsuki
• Matsumiya Sadayuki

Classifications

• G01B5/204 Primary

  of screw-threads · CPC title

• G01B5/012 Primary

  Contact-making feeler heads therefor · CPC title