Mitutoyo Corporation

Christopher Richard Hamner

Scott Allen Harsila

Scott Ellis Hemmings

Dawn Alisa Keehnel

Paul Gerard Gladnick

Kazuhiko Hidaka

Ted Staton Cook

Andrew Patzwald

Pavel Ivanovich Nagornykh

Vahan Senekerimyan

Andrew Michael Patzwald

Ted Stanton Cook

A metrology system includes an illumination configuration having an illumination source, an objective lens configuration, and an image sensor configuration including an image sensor. The objective lens configuration includes an objective lens and has a lens optical axis. The illumination configuration, the objective lens configuration and the image sensor configuration form an optical path along which illumination from the illumination configuration travels. The illumination configuration provides illumination in an illumination direction toward at least a portion of an edge of a circular workpiece that is along the optical path. At least part of the illumination configuration is tilted relative to the objective lens configuration such that the illumination direction is at a first tilt angle in relation to the lens optical axis. The objective lens configuration directs illumination toward the image sensor configuration which is configured to provide an image corresponding to the edge of the circular workpiece.

Metrology system for measuring edge of circular workpiece

A measuring probe for a coordinate measuring machine is provided. The measuring probe includes a stylus position detection portion, signal processing and control circuitry and a temperature dependent compensation portion. The stylus position detection portion includes a field generating coil configuration and a sensing coil configuration. The temperature dependent compensation portion includes a temperature dependent component that is coupled to a field generating coil of the field generating coil configuration such that a change in a characteristic of the temperature dependent component due to an increase in temperature of the temperature dependent component causes relatively more current to flow through the field generating coil when driven by the coil drive signal than if the characteristic of the temperature dependent component had not changed. Such implementations are configured to increase the accuracy of the processed signals by at least partially compensating for certain affects that occur due to temperature changes.

Measuring probe with field generating coil configuration and temperature compensation

A metrology system includes front and back vision components portions, and is configured to have a workpiece positioned between the two portions. The back vision components portion includes a light source and a diffuser. The front vision components portion includes a variable focal length lens, an objective lens and a camera. The metrology system includes a movement mechanism portion configured to align relative positions between the front and back vision components portions and an aperture defined through the workpiece such that at least a portion of the light from the light source that passes through the diffuser passes through the aperture for providing the illumination for imaging the aperture. The camera acquires an image stack of images of the aperture at different focus positions. Based on an analysis of the image stack, measurements related to workpiece features of the aperture (e.g., including a distance between workpiece features) can be determined.

Metrology system configured to illuminate and measure apertures of workpieces

A measuring probe for a coordinate measuring machine is provided. The measuring probe includes a stylus position detection portion with a sensing coil configuration, signal processing and control circuitry and a temperature dependent compensation portion. The temperature dependent compensation portion includes a temperature dependent component that is coupled to at least part of the sensing coil configuration such that a change in a characteristic of the temperature dependent component due to an increase in temperature of the temperature dependent component causes a ratio of a first current to a second current to increase in the sensing coil configuration, wherein the first and second currents are in at least one first sensing coil and at least one second sensing coil, respectively, of the sensing coil configuration. Such implementations are configured to increase accuracy of the processed signals by at least partially compensating for certain affects that occur due to temperature changes.

Measuring probe with sensing coils and temperature compensation

An inductive position detection configuration for stylus position measurement in a scanning probe comprises a stylus position detection portion arranged along a central axis in the probe. The stylus position detection portion includes a field generating coil configuration and top and bottom axial and rotary sensing coil configurations. The field generating coil configuration generates a changing magnetic flux, and coil signals indicate conductive disruptor element and/or stylus positions. A field generating coil coupling and crosstalk reducing configuration couples signal processing and control circuitry to the field generating coil configuration to provide a coil drive signal, and is configured to reduce crosstalk that would otherwise occur if the field generating coil configuration were directly connected to the signal processing and control circuitry without the field generating coil coupling and crosstalk reducing configuration.

Inductive position detection configuration for indicating a measurement device stylus position

A modular configuration for a scanning probe for a coordinate measuring machine include a stylus suspension module, a stylus position detection module, and a signal processing and control circuitry module. The stylus position detection module is configured to be assembled separately from the stylus suspension module before mounting to the stylus suspension module. The signal processing and control circuitry module is configured to be assembled separately from the stylus position detection module and the stylus suspension module before rigidly coupling to the stylus position detection module as part of assembling the scanning probe.

Modular configuration for coordinate measuring machine probe

A scanning probe for a coordinate measurement machine includes a stylus suspension module, a stylus position detection module, a disruptor configuration, and a signal processing and control circuitry module. The stylus position detection module includes a sensor configuration, which comprises various coils, and a shield configuration that is located around the sensor configuration and comprises electrically conductive material for shielding the sensor configuration. The stylus position detection module is mounted to the stylus suspension module utilizing a module mounting configuration, which enables the relative position of the sensor configuration to be adjusted for alignment during the assembly of the scanning probe.

Shielding for sensor configuration and alignment of coordinate measuring machine probe

An inductive position detector for stylus position measurement in a scanning probe comprises a coil board configuration located along a central axis in the probe. The coil board configuration includes a field generating coil configuration that surrounds a hole in the coil board configuration, a top axial sensing coil configuration and a bottom axial sensing coil configuration, and N top rotary sensing coils and N bottom rotary sensing coils. A stylus-coupled disruptor configuration includes a cylindrical disruptor element that is configured to move and fit within the hole of the coil board configuration, and moves along Z (axial) and X-Y (rotary) directions in a motion volume. The field generating coil configuration generates a changing magnetic flux (e.g., encompassing all or at least part of the cylindrical disruptor element), and coil signals indicate the cylindrical disruptor element and/or stylus positions.

A scanning probe for a coordinate measuring machine with inductive position sensor signal gain control is provided. The scanning probe includes a stylus position detection portion with field generating and sensing coils, and for which corresponding output signals are indicative of a position of the probe tip of the stylus. Signal processing and control circuitry is configured to implement different operating regions, such as a central high gain operating region which corresponds to a central probe tip position range, as well as other lower gain operating regions, and for which transition operations may be performed for adjusting the gain. In various implementations, transition operations for adjusting a gain may include operations such as: adjusting power to a field generating coil configuration; adjusting a gain of a front end amplifier; altering characteristics of sensing coils; adjusting an input range of an analog to digital converter, etc.

Inductive position sensor signal gain control for coordinate measuring machine probe

An inductive position detector for stylus position measurement in a scanning probe comprises a coil board configuration located along a central axis in the probe. The coil board configuration includes a field generating coil configuration and top and bottom axial and rotary sensing coil configurations. The field generating coil configuration generates a changing magnetic flux, and coil signals indicate conductive disruptor element and/or stylus positions. At least one misalignment compensation element is configured to reduce a signal offset that results from a misalignment of at least one coil of the coil board configuration (e.g., the coil board configuration may comprise a printed circuit board with a plurality of layers in which the coils are located and the misalignment of the at least one coil may result from a registration error, such as within manufacturing tolerances, in a layer to layer registration as part of a fabrication process).

Inductive position detection configuration for indicating a measurement device stylus position and including coil misalignment compensation

An inductive position detector (IPD) for stylus position measurement in a scanning probe comprises a coil board configuration located along a central axis in the probe with a motion volume extending on opposite sides of the coil board configuration. The coil board configuration includes N top rotary sensing coils (RSCs) and a top axial sensing coil configuration (ASCC), and N bottom RSCs and a bottom ASCC. A pair of stylus-coupled conductive disruptors move along Z (axial) and X-Y (rotary) directions in the motion volume. A generating coil (GC) of the coil board configuration generates a changing magnetic flux (e.g., encompassing all or at least part of the disruptors), and coil signals indicate the disruptors and/or stylus positions. Areas of the conductive disruptors may be larger than an area of the generating coil in some implementations, and the conductive disruptors may each comprise a plurality of concentric conductive loops, spirals, etc.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Christopher Richard Hamner