Portable coordinate measurement machine having a handle that includes electronics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8931182-B2
Application number	US-201213412744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2012
Priority date	Feb 14, 2002
Publication date	Jan 13, 2015
Grant date	Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising: a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; a base section connected to the second end; and a probe assembly including a probe end and a handle; wherein the probe assembly is connected to the first end; wherein the handle contains electronics that include a processor; wherein the handle is configured to be gripped by a hand; and wherein the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space associated with the probe end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising:
a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;
a base section connected to the second end; and
a probe assembly including a probe end and a handle;
wherein the probe assembly is connected to the first end;
wherein the handle contains electronics that include a processor;
wherein the handle is configured to be gripped by a hand; and
wherein the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space associated with the probe end.

2. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the probe end has a ball portion having a center and a generally cylindrically symmetric portion having an axis of symmetry, the axis of symmetry passing through the center;
the handle is configured to be grasped by fingers and a palm of the hand, the fingers and the palm generally wrapping around a line passing through the handle, the handle having a first space internal to a region grasped by the fingers and the palm; and
the line is perpendicular to the axis of symmetry.

3. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 2 , wherein the handle is configured rotate about the axis of symmetry.

4. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 3 , further comprising a slip ring assembly configured to transmit electrical signals between the probe end and the handle.

5. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 1 , further comprising a switch attached to the handle.

6. A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, comprising:
a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, the articulated arm including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;
a base section connected to the second end; and
a probe assembly having a probe end and a handle;
wherein the probe assembly is attached to the first end;
wherein the probe end has a ball portion having a center and a generally cylindrically symmetric portion having an axis of symmetry, the axis of symmetry passing through the center;
wherein the handle is configured to be grasped by fingers and a palm of a hand, the fingers and the palm generally wrapping around a line passing through the handle, the handle having a first space internal to a region grasped by the fingers and the palm;
wherein the line is perpendicular to the axis of symmetry,
wherein the handle contains an electronic component in the first space; and
wherein the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is configured to measure a three-dimensional coordinate of a point in space associated with the probe end.

7. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , wherein the handle is configured rotate about the axis of symmetry.

8. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 7 , further comprising a slip ring assembly configured to transmit electrical signals between the probe end and the handle.

9. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , further comprising a first electronic circuit, wherein a portion of the first electronic circuit is built on a circuit board, and wherein the circuit board is located in the handle.

10. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 9 , wherein the first electronic circuit further comprises a processor.

11. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 9 , wherein the first electronic circuit includes a temperature sensor.

12. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , further comprising a light attached to the handle.

13. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , wherein the probe end includes a touch trigger probe having a portion of a round ball.

14. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , further comprising a switch attached to the handle.

15. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , wherein the handle is configured to allow gripping and manipulation by a probe operator.

16. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , further comprising a second electronic circuit configured to receive the position signals from the transducers.

17. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 7 , wherein the probe assembly further comprises a first encoder configured to measure the handle rotation.

18. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , wherein a laser is included in the first space.

19. The portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine of claim 6 , wherein a camera is included in the first space.

Assignees

• Raab S
• Barber Marc M
• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Raab Simon
• Barber Marc M

Classifications

• B25J9/1692 Primary

  Calibration of manipulator · CPC title

• G01B21/042

  Calibration or calibration artifacts (G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01B11/005

  coordinate measuring machines · CPC title

• G01B7/008

  using coordinate measuring machines · CPC title

• G05B2219/45061

  Measuring robot · CPC title