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:
Aug. 04, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 19, 2007
Stuart T. Smith, Charlotte, NC (US);
Jonathan D. Ellis, Stevensville, MD (US);
Stuart T. Smith, Charlotte, NC (US);
Jonathan D. Ellis, Stevensville, MD (US);
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for performing surface property measurements, such as workpiece hardness and other material property measurements, with in-process compensation for instrument frame distortion and the like. The apparatus includes a substantially rigid base; a stylus coupled to the substantially rigid base, the stylus configured and selectively positioned to interact with a surface of a specimen at points along a central axis of the stylus; a proximity detector sensor coupled to the substantially rigid base, the proximity detector sensor disposed at a predetermined distance from the surface of the specimen and operable for sensing the predetermined distance between the proximity detector sensor and the surface of the specimen; and a proximity detector actuator coupled to the substantially rigid base, the proximity detector actuator operable for maintaining the predetermined distance between the proximity detector sensor and the surface of the specimen as the substantially rigid base and the stylus are moved with respect to the surface of the specimen along the central axis of the stylus.