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. 14, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 01, 2000
Alan J Holloway, Wotton-under-Edge, GB;
Kevyn B Jonas, Edinburgh, GB;
David A Wright, Edinburgh, GB;
Renishaw PLC, Gloucestershire, GB;
Abstract
A surface sensing device includes an articulating head adapted for attachment to the spindle of a measuring machine and having two relatively rotatable parts capable of rotation about two mutually perpendicular axes. The device additionally includes a stylus assembly having a relatively stiff hollow stylus carrier, and a relatively flexible hollow stylus. An optical transducer system is provided within the stylus assembly and comprises a fixed light source which directs a beam of light towards a stylus tip, and a retro-reflective component at the tip which reflects the beam back to a fixed detector. The arrangement is such that lateral displacement of the stylus tip when the tip is in contact with a surface can be measured directly.