Method of controlling a coordinate positioning machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903713-B2
Application number	US-201414894228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2014
Priority date	May 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A method is provided of controlling a coordinate positioning machine to separate a retaining module from a releasably coupled task module, the retaining module being provided on a movable part of the machine, and the method including: moving the retaining module to place the task module into engagement with a storage port for holding the task module; and moving and simultaneously rotating the retaining module to separate the retaining module from the task module with a tilting action of the retaining module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a coordinate positioning machine to separate a retaining module from a releasably coupled task module, the retaining module being provided on a movable part of the machine, and the method comprising:
moving the retaining module to place the task module into engagement with a storage port for holding the task module; and
moving and simultaneously rotating the retaining module to separate the retaining module from the task module with a tilting action of the retaining module.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retaining module comprises a plurality of individual modules releasably coupled to one another in series.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the task module comprises a plurality of individual modules releasably coupled to one another in series.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising controlling the simultaneous movement and rotation so as to maintain a resulting axis of rotation for the retaining module sufficiently close to the coupling interface between the retaining module and the task module to ensure that a separation occurs at that coupling interface in preference to a coupling interface between any two other releasably coupled modules within the retaining module or the task module.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising controlling the simultaneous movement and rotation such that a resulting axis of rotation for the retaining module remains closer to a coupling interface between the retaining module and the task module than it does to a coupling interface between any two other releasably coupled modules within the retaining module or the task module.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising controlling the simultaneous movement and rotation such that a resulting axis of rotation for the retaining module remains substantially at or along a coupling interface between the retaining module and the task module, or remains substantially at or along or just offset from a plane in which that coupling interface lies.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the axis of rotation is controlled to remain substantially at or near an edge of the coupling interface between the retaining module and the task module.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the axis of rotation is controlled to remain substantially at a position which is offset from an edge of the coupling interface between the retaining module and the task module.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupling interface between the retaining module and the task module comprises a plurality of alignment features for alignment of the task module with respect to the retaining module when releasably coupled.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 , comprising controlling the simultaneous movement and rotation such that a resulting axis of rotation for the retaining module passes substantially through a first one of the alignment features, thereby pivoting the retaining module about the first alignment feature.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 , comprising controlling the simultaneous movement and rotation of the retaining module such that the axis of rotation passes substantially through first and second ones of the alignment features, thereby pivoting the retaining module about the first and second alignment features.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the alignment features form a kinematic coupling between the retaining module and the task module.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, during the simultaneous movement and rotation of the retaining module, the movement is along a path that lies substantially in a plane, while the simultaneous rotation is about an axis substantially orthogonal to the plane.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the plane is substantially orthogonal to a coupling interface between the task module and the retaining module.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the task module is held substantially stationary in the storage port during the simultaneous movement and rotation of the retaining module.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, during the simultaneous movement and rotation of the retaining module, the movement is along a part-circular path.

17. A coordinate positioning machine controller configured to perform a method as claimed in claim 1 .

18. A coordinate positioning machine comprising a controller as claimed in claim 17 .

19. A computer program which, when run by a coordinate positioning machine controller, causes the controller to perform a method as claimed in claim 1 .

20. A computer-readable medium having stored therein computer program instructions for controlling a coordinate positioning machine controller to perform a method as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Renishaw Plc

Inventors

• Featherstone Timothy C
• Freeman Matthew H
• Borini Nadim

Classifications

• G01B5/012

  Contact-making feeler heads therefor · CPC title

• G01B21/047 Primary

  Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes · CPC title

• G01B11/007

  feeler heads therefor · CPC title