Mitutoyo Corporation

David William Sesko

Joseph Daniel Tobiason

Scott Allen Harsila

Benjamin K Jones

Andrew Patzwald

Michael Nahum

Kazuhiko Kawasaki

Yoshimasa Suzuki

Kim W Atherton

Vidya Venkatachalam

Michelle Mary Milvich

Isaiah Freerksen

Mark Feldman

Andrew Michael Patzwald

Benjamin Keith Jones

A confocal range sensing (CRS) system is provided including a wavelength detector, source light configuration, and one or more measurement channels. Each measurement channel is configured to sense a respective distance to a workpiece surface and includes a confocal detection aperture and confocal light source aperture. The source light configuration includes first and second phosphor compositions, a wavelength combining configuration, and a shared source light path. The first and second phosphor compositions are located in separate respective first and second phosphor regions. As part of workpiece height measurement operations, the first and second phosphor compositions emit first and second emitted light, respectively, to the wavelength combining configuration which outputs first and second emitted light along the shared source light path as source light (i.e., having an extended wavelength range due to the combination of the first and second emitted light) that is received by each respective confocal light source aperture.

Chromatic confocal range sensing system with enhanced spectrum light source configuration

A configuration for coupling a chromatic range sensor optical probe to a coordinate measurement machine (CMM) includes an electric auto connection and a free-space fiber optic coupling with first and second coupling elements. The first coupling element has a first fiber optic connector configured to couple to wavelength detector and light source elements of a CMM through a first optical fiber, and is configured to mount to a probe head of the CMM. The second coupling element has a second fiber optic connector configured to couple to an optical pen of a chromatic range sensor (CRS) optical probe through a second optical fiber, and is configured to mount to the CRS optical probe. One of the first or second coupling elements includes a pair of optical lenses configured to collimate light received via the first optical fiber and focus the collimated light into the second optical fiber.

Configuration for coupling chromatic range sensor optical probe to coordinate measurement machine

A scanning probe responsive in three axes is provided for use in a coordinate measuring machine. The scanning probe includes a frame, a stylus suspension portion and a stylus position detection portion. The stylus position detection portion includes a light source that is operated to radiate source light toward a position indicating element that is fixed relative to the stylus coupling portion. The position indicating element includes a position indicating emitter having an emitter material (e.g., phosphor) that inputs and absorbs the light from the light source and responds by outputting excitation light. In various implementations, the excitation light is directed as at least one of axial measurement light along an axial measurement spot path to form an axial measurement spot on an axial position sensitive detector and/or rotary measurement light along a rotary measurement spot path to form a rotary measurement spot on a rotary position sensitive detector.

Optical configuration for measurement device using emitter material configuration

A position sensing device comprises a frame, a guide bearing, a motion element, a position sensitive detector, a light source, and a position indicating emitter. The motion element is guided by the guide bearing over a measuring range along a measuring axis direction. The light source is configured to radiate source light. The position indicating emitter moves with the motion element. The position indicating emitter comprises an emitter material that absorbs source light and outputs excitation light from the emitter material to form a measurement spot on the position sensitive detector. The measurement spot moves along the sensing axis direction of the position sensitive detector corresponding to the position of the motion element along the measuring axis direction. The position sensitive detector outputs at least one signal in response to the measurement spot which is indicative of the position of the motion element along the measuring axis direction.

Linear displacement sensor using a position sensitive detector

A scanning probe responsive in 3 axes is provided for use in a coordinate measuring machine. The scanning probe includes a frame, a stylus suspension portion and a stylus position detection portion. The stylus position detection portion includes a light source and a position indicating element that is fixed relative to the stylus coupling portion and that includes at least one emitter portion having an emitter material (e.g., phosphor) that inputs and absorbs light from the light source and responds by outputting excitation light. In various implementations, the excitation light is directed as measurement light along a measurement spot path (e.g., including a telecentric imaging configuration) to form a measurement spot at a spot location on a position sensitive detector (e.g., a quadrant-type photodetector), for which the spot location changes in response to a corresponding change in a position of the position indicating element and the stylus coupling portion.

Optical configuration for measurement device using emitter material configuration with quadrant photodetectors

A chromatic point sensor (CPS) system is provided, which compensates for potential errors due to input spectral profile intensity inconsistencies that arise when driving a CPS illumination source using different power levels. The CPS system includes an optical pen comprising a confocal optical path including a chromatically dispersive element and configured to focus different wavelengths at different distances proximate to a workpiece surface to be measured, an illumination source, and CPS electronics. The CPS electronics include: an illumination source control portion configured to drive the illumination source using different power levels; a CPS wavelength detector comprising a plurality of pixels distributed along a measurement axis of the CPS wavelength detector to provide output spectral profile data; and a power level spectral compensation portion configured to compensate the output spectral profile data to remove or reduce potential errors due to input spectral profile intensity inconsistencies that arise when driving the CPS illumination source using the different power levels.

Chromatic range sensor including dynamic intensity compensation function

A scanning probe is provided for use with a coordinate measuring machine. The scanning probe includes a rotary position detection configuration which outputs X and Y position signals indicative of a rotation of a stylus coupling portion about a rotation center, and an axial position detection configuration which outputs a Z position signal indicative of the position of the stylus coupling portion along the axial direction. The Z position signal is substantially insensitive to motion of the axial detection deflector in at least one direction that is transverse to the axial direction. The X, Y and Z position signals may be processed to determine aD position of a contact portion of the stylus, which may include utilizing the Z position signal in combination with known trigonometry of the scanning probe to remove axial motion cross coupling components from the X and Y position signals.

Optical configuration for measurement device

A scanning probe responsive in three axes is provided for use with a coordinate measuring machine. The scanning probe utilizes multiplexing techniques for producing X, Y and Z position signals. The X and Y position signals are indicative of a rotation of a stylus coupling portion about a rotation center, and the Z position signal is indicative of the position of the stylus coupling portion along the axial direction. The Z position signal is substantially insensitive to motion of the axial detection deflector in at least one direction that is transverse to the axial direction. The X, Y and Z position signals may be processed to determine a 3D position of a contact portion of the stylus, which may include utilizing the Z position signal in combination with known trigonometry of the scanning probe to remove axial motion cross coupling components from the X and Y position signals.

Measurement device with multiplexed position signals

An interchangeable chromatic range sensor (CRS) probe for a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The CRS probe is capable of being automatically connected to a CMM under program control. In one embodiment, in order to make the CRS probe compatible with a standard CMM auto exchange joint, all CRS measurement light transmitting and receiving elements (e.g., the light source, wavelength detector, optical pen, etc.) are included in the CRS probe assembly. The CRS probe assembly also includes an auto exchange joint element that is attachable through a standard auto exchange joint connection to a CMM. In one embodiment, in order to provide the required signals through the limited number of connections of the standard CMM auto exchange joint (e.g., 13 pins), a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) serializer may be utilized for providing additional control and data signals on two signal lines.

Interchangeable chromatic range sensor probe for a coordinate measuring machine

A system and method for a chromatic probe detachment sensor is provided. A detachment signal element is included in an interchangeable optics element of a probe. The detachment signal element is configured to substantially transmit a first set of wavelengths corresponding to a measuring range, and at least partially reflect a set of detachment element wavelengths. In one implementation, the detachment signal element comprises a thin film coating such as a sharp edge filter. The detection of a detachment condition can thus be achieved using the existing probe electronics without requiring the addition of other external sensors or wiring to the probe or coordinate measuring machine that utilizes the probe. The sensing of a detachment condition may be utilized to halt further movement of the probe to minimize damage in the event of a collision.

Chromatic range sensor probe detachment sensor

An optical pen for use in a chromatic range sensor (CRS) may be used in a probe system for a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The optical pen includes a confocal optical path, an interchangeable optics element, an optical pen base member, and a repeatable fast exchange mount. The confocal optical path includes a confocal aperture and a chromatically dispersive optics portion. The interchangeable optics element includes the chromatically dispersive optics portion. The optical pen base member includes an external mounting surface for mounting to an external reference frame. The repeatable fast exchange mount includes a first mating half located on the base member and a second mating half located on the interchangeable optics element. The repeatable fast exchange mount is configured to allow the base member to receive and hold the interchangeable optics element in a fixed relationship relative to the base member and the external reference frame.

Interchangeable optics configuration for a chromatic range sensor optical pen

A method of error compensation in a chromatic point sensor (CPS) reduces errors associated with varying workpiece spectral reflectivity. The errors are associated with a distance-independent profile component of the CPS measurement signals. Workpiece spectral reflectivity may be characterized using known spectral reflectivity for a workpiece material, or by measuring the workpiece spectral reflectivity using the CPS system. CPS spectral reflectivity measurement may comprise scanning the CPS optical pen to a plurality of distances relative to a workpiece surface and determining a distance-independent composite spectral profile from a plurality of resulting wavelength peaks. By comparing the distance-independent composite spectral profile obtained from a workpiece with that corresponding to the CPS distance calibration procedure, the contribution of the reflectivity characteristics of the workpiece will be indicated in the differences between the profiles, and potential CPS position errors due to varying workpiece reflectivity characteristics may be calculated and/or compensated.

Chromatic point sensor compensation including workpiece material effects

A chromatic point sensor system configured to compensate for potential errors due to workpiece material effects comprises a first confocal optical path including a longitudinally dispersive element configured to focus different wavelengths at different distances proximate to a workpiece; a second optical path configured to focus different wavelengths at substantially the same distance proximate to the workpiece; a light source connected to the first confocal optical path; a light source connected to the second optical path; a first confocal optical path disabling element; a second optical path disabling element; and a CPS electronics comprising a CPS wavelength detector which provides output spectral profile data. The output spectral profile data from the second optical path is usable to compensate output spectral profile data from the first confocal optical path for a distance-independent profile component that includes errors due to workpiece material effects.

Chromatic point sensor configuration including real time spectrum compensation

A fixed wavelength absolute distance interferometer including a first interferometer comprising a first light source transmitting a first light beam having a wavelength W toward a measurement target, a wavefront radius detector configured to provide a first measurement responsive to the wavefront radius at the wavefront radius detector, and a first path length calculating portion calculating a coarse resolution absolute path length measurement R; and a second interferometer comprising a beam transmitting device transmitting a second-interferometer light beam having a wavelength &#x39b;, a beam splitting/combining device separating the second-interferometer light beam into reference and measurement beams and combining the returning reference and measurement beams into a combined beam, a second-interferometer detector configured to receive the combined beam and provide signals of a phase &#x3c6; of the combined beam, and a second path length calculating portion configured to determine a medium resolution absolute path length measurement Z.

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Woodinville, WA, United States of America

David William Sesko