The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 29, 1996
Filed:
Mar. 17, 1995
Zhouhang Wang, Pontiac, MI (US);
RHK Technology, Inc., Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A probe holder non-rotatingly mountable in a support bracket releasibly receives a scanning microscope probe. Guide rods extend outward from the probe holder on the scan head and engage bores formed in the other of the probe holder and the scan head during closure of the scan head with the probe holder to co-axially align the probe with a probe receiver in the scan head. Transversely extending arms on a spindle attached to a scan head slide along ramp surfaces in the scan head to a fixed stop to rotationally position the scan head. Complementary surfaces on the spindle and a stationarily affixed sleeve co-axially center the scan head with the scan head support structure and the probe holder. A method of co-axially and rotationally aligning a probe for exchange between a scan head and a probe holder is disclosed using the guide rods and guide bores, the spindle arms, ramp and stop surfaces and the complementary surfaces on the spindle and the stationary sleeve, and a non-rotatable probe holder mount. The alignment structure and method are also applied to a sample holder.