Renishaw Plc

James L Chase

David R McMurtry

David Jones

David Sven Wallace

Peter G Lloyd

Disclosed is a method of moving an articulating mechanism () for a measuring device, comprising the steps of: releasing two bodies (a,b) which form the articulating mechanism allowing relative movement thereof; moving one of the bodies with respect to the other until a desired position is reached; and re-constraining the two bodies so they are relatively fixed, perhaps as part of a locking process, characterised in that relative movement prior to re-constraining at the desired position occurs under particular conditions. The particular conditions including moving from the same direction; and stopping, slowing down or maintaining the condition at a position adjacent to the desired position. Also disclosed is a method of positioning an articulating mechanism () for a measuring device which is controlled by a potentiometer and a controller () for a measuring device.

Articulating device

Disclosed is a method of moving an articulating mechanism () for a measuring device, comprising the steps of: releasing two bodies () which form the articulating mechanism allowing relative movement thereof; moving one of the bodies with respect to the other until a desired position is reached; and re-constraining the two bodies so they are relatively fixed, perhaps as part of a locking process, characterised in that relative movement prior to re-constraining at the desired position occurs under particular conditions. The particular conditions including moving from the same direction; and stopping, slowing down or maintaining the condition at a position adjacent to the desired position. Also disclosed is a method of positioning an articulating mechanism () for a measuring device which is controlled by a potentiometer and a controller () for a measuring device.

A probe head for a coordinate measuring machine is provided with a heat control management system which regulates the amount of heat generated within the probe head in order to provide thermal stability thereof. The heat control system includes a processor which determines the amount of current passed to one or more motors within the probe head over a predetermined time interval. The processor then determines whether auxiliary heat sources should be activated in order to provide thermal stability. In one embodiment the auxiliary heat sources are provided by passing a high frequency current through the motors of the probe head.

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Wotton-under-Edge, United Kingdom

James L Chase