Claims
- 1. A probe for a coordinate positioning machine, the probe including a suspension assembly comprising:
- a first, relatively fixed, member;
- a second, relatively movable, member;
- a pair of leaf springs, each leaf spring of said pair being connected to said first and second member to enable an arcuate motion of said second member in a plane extending substantially orthogonal to the plane of each of said leaf springs; wherein
- the distance, measured in said plane, between the leaf springs at the first member is greater than the distance, measured in said plane between the leaf springs at said second member, thereby to induce a rotation of said second member upon said arcuate motion thereof relative to the first member, said rotation having an axis orthogonal to said plane, and occurring in a sense opposite to that of said arcuate motion.
- 2. A probe according to claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a fixed structure, by which the probe may be mounted to a movable arm of a coordinate positioning machine, the probe further comprising at least one transducer for measuring displacement of said second member relative to said fixed structure in a direction corresponding to the direction of spacing of the leaf springs, said at least one transducer comprising:
- a scale, having a series of lines spaced apart in said direction, provided on one of the fixed structure and second member;
- an opto-electronic readhead, provided on the other of the fixed structure and second member, for reading said scale.
- 3. A probe according to claim 2, wherein said scale is provided on the second member.
- 4. A probe according to claim 3, wherein said fixed structure is provided by said first member.
Parent Case Info
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of Ser. No. 08/034,770, filed on Mar. 19th, 1993, pending which in turn was a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/643,373, filed on Jan. 21st, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,873.
US Referenced Citations (20)
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Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
34770 |
Mar 1993 |
|
Parent |
643373 |
Jan 1991 |
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