Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
232 words
A configuration measuring apparatus, comprising: a contacting member for contacting and tracing a surface of an object to be measured; a supporting member for supporting said contacting member, said supporting member having a reflecting surface; an optical probe supporting said contacting member by supporting said supporting member, said optical probe comprising an objective lens having an optical direction extending in the Z-direction of an orthogonal XYZ coordinate system and an automatic focusing means for moving said objective lens in the Z-direction so that a focusing point of said objective lens is maintained positioned at said reflecting surface of said supporting member even if said reflecting surface of said supporting member is dislocated, and means for measuring a Z-coordinate of said reflecting surface of said supporting member by allowing interference of a laser beam reflected by said reflecting surface of said supporting member with a reference light; driving means for moving said optical probe in at least the X-direction of the X and Y-direction of said XYZ coordinate system; and means for measuring the position of said optical probe in at least the X-direction of the X and Y-directions of said XYZ coordinate system; wherein the configuration of the surface of the object in at least the X and Z-direction of the XYZ coordinate system can be measured using said optical probe with said contact member for tracing the surface of the object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
232 words
A configuration measuring apparatus, comprising: a contacting member for contacting and tracing a surface of an object to be measured; a supporting member for supporting said contacting member, said supporting member having a reflecting surface; an optical probe supporting said contacting member by supporting said supporting member, said optical probe comprising an objective lens having an optical direction extending in the Z-direction of an orthogonal XYZ coordinate system and an automatic focusing means for moving said objective lens in the Z-direction so that a focusing point of said objective lens is maintained positioned at said reflecting surface of said supporting member even if said reflecting surface of said supporting member is dislocated, and means for measuring a Z-coordinate of said reflecting surface of said supporting member by allowing interference of a laser beam reflected by said reflecting surface of said supporting member with a reference light; driving means for moving said optical probe in at least the X-direction of the X and Y-direction of said XYZ coordinate system; and means for measuring the position of said optical probe in at least the X-direction of the X and Y-directions of said XYZ coordinate system; wherein the configuration of the surface of the object in at least the X and Z-direction of the XYZ coordinate system can be measured using said optical probe with said contact member for tracing the surface of the object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The configuration measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said driving means moves said optical probe in both the X and Y-directions and said means for measuring the position of said optical probe measures the position in both the X and Y-directions so that the configuration of the surface of the object can be measured in each of the X, Y and Z-directions of the XYZ coordinate system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The configuration measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supporting member is composed of a spring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The configuration measuring apparatus of claim 3, wherein said spring is a leaf spring with first and second opposite surfaces, said contacting member being supported by said first surface and said reflecting surface being said second surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The configuration measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supporting member comprises a slide mechanism slidable relative to said optical probe.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The configuration measuring apparatus of claim 5, wherein said slide mechanism has an upper surface comprising said reflecting surface and an opposite, lower surface supporting said contacting member, a mounting section slidably mounting said slide mechanism to said optical probe.