Portable coordinate measurement machine

{
  "publication_number": "US7032321B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Portable coordinate measurement machine",
  "abstract": "A portable coordinate measurement machine comprises an articulated arm having jointed arm segments. The arm is progressively tapered from the base to the probe and preferably the jointed arm segments include tapered and/or threaded ends.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising: a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of jointed arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; a measurement probe attached to a first end of said articulated arm; at least one of said jointed arm segments including opposed threaded ends, one of said threaded ends being a female threaded end and the other of said threaded ends being a male threaded end and wherein said at least one jointed arm segment is threadably interconnected to adjoining arm segments; and an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume.",
    "2. The CMM of claim 1 including: a base attached to a second end of said articulated arm; and said arm being progressively tapered from said base to said probe with said arm having the largest diameter at said base and the smallest diameter at said probe.",
    "3. The CMM of claim 1 wherein: said threaded ends are tapered.",
    "4. The CMM of claim 1 wherein said at least one jointed arm segment comprises at least two jointed arm segments.",
    "5. The CMM of claim 4 wherein said probe is threadably connected to one of said at least two jointed arm segments.",
    "6. A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) for measuring the position of an object in a selected volume, comprising: a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends, said arm including a plurality of jointed arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal; a measurement probe attached to a first end of said articulated arm; at least one of said jointed arm segments including complimentary male and female tapered ends and wherein said at least one jointed arm segment is interconnected to adjoining arm segments using said tapered ends; and an electronic circuit which receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume.",
    "7. The CMM of claim 6 wherein: said tapered ends are fastened together using threadable fasteners.",
    "8. The CMM of claim 4 wherein said at least two jointed arm segments are adjacent to one another.",
    "9. The CMM of claim 8 including a base threadably connected to one of said at least two jointed ann segments.",
    "10. The CMM of claim 9 wherein said probe is threadably connected to the other of said at least two jointed arm segments.",
    "11. The CMM of claim 6 wherein said at least one jointed arm segment comprises at least two jointed arm segments.",
    "12. The CMM of claim 11 wherein said at least two jointed arm segments are adjacent to one another.",
    "13. The CMM of claim 12 including a base threadably connected to one of said at least two jointed arm segments.",
    "14. The CMM of claim 13 wherein said probe is threadably connected to the other of said at least two jointed arm segments.",
    "15. The CMM of claim 11 wherein said probe is threadably connected to one of said at least two jointed arm segments."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe invention relates in general to coordinate measurement machines (CMMs) and in particular to portable CMM's having an articulated arm.\n\n2. Prior Art\n\nCurrently, portable articulated arms are provided as a measurement system with a host computer and applications software. The articulated arm is commonly used to measure points on an object and these measured points are compared to computer-aided design (CAD) data stored on the host computer to determine if the object is within the CAD specification. In other words, the CAD data is the reference data to which actual measurements made by the articulated arm are compared. The host computer may also contain applications software that guides the operator through the inspection process. For many situations involving complicated applications, this arrangement is appropriate since the user will observe the three-dimensional CAD data on the host computer while responding to complex commands in the applications software.\n\nAn example of a prior art portable CMM for use in the above-discussed measurement system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,582 ('582), which is assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference. The '582 patent discloses a conventional three-dimensional measuring system composed of a manually operated multi-jointed articulated arm having a support base on one end thereof and a measurement probe at the other end. A host computer communicates to the arm via an intermediate controller or serial box.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01B 11/25",
    "B23Q 35/04",
    "B25J 17/025",
    "B25J 19/0016",
    "B25J 19/0091",
    "B25J 9/0012",
    "B25J 9/023",
    "B25J 9/06",
    "B25J 9/1602",
    "G01B 11/005",
    "G01B 11/03",
    "G01B 21/045",
    "G01B 5/004",
    "G01B 5/008",
    "G06T 7/521",
    "Y10S 33/01"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23Q 35/04",
    "B25J 17/02",
    "B25J 19/00",
    "B25J 9/00",
    "B25J 9/02",
    "B25J 9/06",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G01B 11/00",
    "G01B 11/25",
    "G01B 21/00",
    "G01B 21/04",
    "G01B 5/00",
    "G01B 5/004",
    "G01B 5/008",
    "G01B 5/012"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Faro Technologies Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Simon Raab",
    "Seyed Ali Sajedi",
    "Kenneth J. Hasloecher",
    "Marc Barber"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2005-01-04",
  "publication_date": "2006-04-25",
  "grant_date": "2006-04-25",
  "priority_date": "2002-02-14",
  "application_number": "US-2884405-A",
  "family_id": "27737606",
  "cited_by_count": 73,
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