Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A error compensated, coordinate measuring machine, which comprises: a ram; a supporting structure for the ram, the ram being mounted to the structure and movable with respect thereto; means for supporting an object being tested; an object sensing probe mounted to the ram; means for sensing the angular deviation of the ram from a reference plane and for providing ram angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the ram; means for sensing the angular deviation of the object supporting means from the reference plane and for providing object supporting means angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the object supporting means; means for calculating the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data and for providing angularity difference data representative of the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data; means for measuring the position of the ram and for providing ram positional data; and means responsive to the angularity difference data for adjusting the ram positional data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A error compensated, coordinate measuring machine, which comprises: a ram; a supporting structure for the ram, the ram being mounted to the structure and movable with respect thereto; means for supporting an object being tested; an object sensing probe mounted to the ram; means for sensing the angular deviation of the ram from a reference plane and for providing ram angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the ram; means for sensing the angular deviation of the object supporting means from the reference plane and for providing object supporting means angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the object supporting means; means for calculating the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data and for providing angularity difference data representative of the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data; means for measuring the position of the ram and for providing ram positional data; and means responsive to the angularity difference data for adjusting the ram positional data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An error conpensated, coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 1, which further includes means for comparing a maximum angularity difference value with the angularity difference data of the calculating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
An error conpensated, coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 1, which further includes means for storing the angularity difference data of the calculating means, the angularity difference data storing means being responsive to a signal from the object sensing probe.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
An error conpensated, coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 1, which further includes means for storing the ram positional data, the ram data storing means being responsive to a signal from the object sensing probe.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
An error conpensated, coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 1, wherein the means for sensing the angular deviation of the ram is mounted to the ram, and wherein the means for sensing the angular deviation of the object supporting means is mounted to the object supporting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An error conpensated, coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 1, wherein the means for sensing the angularity deviation of the ram and the object supporting means include inclinometers.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of compensating for positional errors in a coordinate measuring machine, the coordinate measuring machine including a ram, a supporting structure for the ram, means for supporting an object being tested, and an object sensing probe mounted to the ram, the ram being mounted to the structure and movable with respect thereto, the method comprising the steps of: sensing the angular deviation of the ram from a reference plane and providing ram angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the ram; sensing the angular deviation of the object supporting means from the reference plane and providing object supporting means angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the object supporting means; calculating the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data and providing angularity difference data representative of the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data; measuring the position of the ram and providing ram positional data; and adjusting the ram positional data in response to the angularity difference data.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of compensating for positional errors in a coordinate measuring machine, the coordinate measuring machine including a ram, a supporting structure for the ram, means for supporting an object being tested, and an object sensing probe mounted to the ram, the ram being mounted to the structure and movable with respect thereto, the method comprising the steps of: sensing the angular deviation of the ram from a reference plane and providing ram angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the ram; sensing the angular deviation of the object supporting means from the reference plane and providing object supporting means angularity data representative of the angular deviation of the object supporting means; calculating the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data and providing angularity difference data representative of the difference between the ram angularity data and the object supporting means angularity data; measuring the position of the ram and providing ram positional data; and adjusting the ram positional data in response to the angularity difference data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of compensating for positional errors in a coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 7, which includes the further step of storing the angularity difference data in response to a signal from the object sensing probe.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of compensating for positional errors in a coordinate measuring machine as defined by claim 7, which includes the further step of storing the ram positional data in response to a signal from the object sensing probe.