Method and apparatus for spatial coordinate measurement

Claim 1

A coordinate measuring apparatus, comprising: a mounting table adapted to support thereon an object to be measured; a plurality of probe means selectively supported one at a time by a Z-spindle on a body of said apparatus; first drive means for spatially moving said probe means and said object relative to each other; detection means for detecting the relative movement between a surface on said object and said probe means; data processing means for processing the detected data from said detection means and which indicates the magnitude of the relative movement so that dimensions and the like of said object are measured; second rotary drive means for selectively turning said Z-spindle in a Z-axis structure supported on said body of said apparatus and yet be capable of axial movement while simultaneously being incapable of turning relative to said body of said apparatus; one of said probe means including a main body having an elongated axis, a support member extending in a direction perpendicular to said axis of said main body, a holding member movable along said support member, and a probing tip connected to said holding member; means for changing the posture of said probing tip of said probe means by moving said probing tip relative to said main body of said probe means in said direction perpendicular to said axis of said main body of said probe means; said detection means including a diametral displacement detector for displacing and outputting a signal representative of a diametral displacement of said probing tip, said diametral displacement occurring in the diametral direction of said object when said rotary drive means is operated while said probing tip is in contact with a round shaft portion of said object, said displacement varying in accordance with the contour of the surface of said round shaft portion; and said detection means further including an angle detector connected to said rotary drive means and adapted for detecting the relationship between the rotational positions of said probing tip and said surface of said round shaft portion when said probing tip is displaced by the operation of said rotary drive means.

Claim 8

A method of effecting coordinate measurement by using a coordinate measuring apparatus having an object mounting table, a moving mechanism movable relative to said object mounting table at least in the directions of two orthogonal axes, a plurality of probes mounted on said moving mechanism and each having a main body and a probing tip disposed on said main body, said probes being selectively replaced relative to the body of said apparatus, thereby enabling various types of measurement in accordance with the shape of an object to be measured supported on said object mounting table, wherein, while said object on said object mounting table is being measured by using a first probe in a predetermined manner, the posture of said probing tip of a second probe to be used in the next measurement process is changed in a diametral direction thereof relative to said main body of said second probe, the diametral displacement of said probing tip being detected and outputted as a signal representative of the magnitude of the displacement, the displacement of said probing tip occurring when a rotary drive means is operated while said probing tip is in contact with a round shaft portion of said object in the diametral direction thereof, and said relative displacement varying in accordance with the contour of the surface of said round shaft portion.

Claim 9

A method of effecting coordinate measurement by using a coordinate measuring apparatus having an object mounting table, a moving mechanism movable relative to said object mounting table at least in the directions of two orthogonal axes, a plurality of probes mounted on said moving mechanism and each having a main body and a probing tip disposed on said main body, said probes being selectively replaced relative to the body of said apparatus, thereby enabling various types of measurement in accordance with the shape of an object to be measured supported on said object mounting table, wherein, while said object on said object mounting table is being measured by using a first probe in a predetermined manner, the posture of said probing tip of a second probe to be used in the next measurement process is changed in a diametral direction thereof relative to said main body of said second probe, the diametral displacement of said probing tip being detected and outputted as a signal representative of the magnitude of the displacement, the displacement of said probing tip occurring when a rotary drive means is operated while said probing tip is in contact with a round shaft portion of said object in the diametral direction thereof, and said relative displacement varying in accordance with the contour of the surface of said round shaft portion.