Ball-shaft connection

{
  "publication_number": "US9829301B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Ball-shaft connection",
  "abstract": "The invention relates to a probing means for coordinate measuring machines, with a probe tip having a recess and a shaft penetrating with a shoulder into the recess. According to the invention, the recess tapers towards the interior of the probe tip and the shaft has a construction complementary thereto.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A probing means for coordinate measuring machines, the probing means having one end for contacting a workpiece to be measured, the probing means comprising a shaft, a probe tip provided at the end of the probing means for contacting the workpiece to be measured, the probe tip being fixedly attached to the shaft, the probe tip having a recess, the shaft having a projection, the projection penetrating into the recess, wherein the recess tapers towards an interior of the probe tip and the shaft has a shape which is complementary thereto, and wherein the recess is formed as a truncated pyramid with 4 to 8 facets.",
    "2. The contact probe of claim 1, wherein the probe tip is made from a substance selected from the group consisting of: ruby (mono-crystalline aluminum oxide), sintered aluminum oxide, hard metal, sapphire, silicon nitride, zirconium oxide, and diamond.",
    "3. The probing means of claim 1 wherein the recess does not include threading and the projection does not include threading.",
    "4. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines, comprising: a shaft having a projection, the projection forming one of a cone, a frustrated cone, a pyramid, and a truncated pyramid; a probe tip fixedly attached at one end of the shaft for contacting a workpiece to be measured and having a tapered recess, the tapered recess tapering towards an interior of the probe tip with an opening angle of the taper larger than 5°, the tapered recess being a complementary negative form of the projection; and a soldering or adhesive bonding provided between the projection and the tapered recess for fixedly attaching the projection in the tapered recess of the probe tip.",
    "5. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 4, wherein the projection forms a truncated pyramid.",
    "6. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 5, wherein the opening angle of the taper is larger than 15°.",
    "7. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 6, wherein the tapered recess ends in a blunted manner in the interior of the probe tip.",
    "8. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 6, wherein the recess does not include threading, the projection does not include threading and the tapered recess ends in a blunted manner in the interior of the probe tip.",
    "9. The contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 5, wherein the recess is formed as a truncated pyramid with 4 to 8 facets.",
    "10. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 9, wherein the opening angle of the taper is larger than 15°.",
    "11. The contact probe of claim 5, wherein the tapered recess ends in a blunted manner in the interior of the probe tip and the probe tip is made from a substance selected from the group consisting of: ruby (mono-crystalline aluminum oxide), sintered aluminum oxide, hard metal, sapphire, silicon nitride, zirconium oxide, and diamond.",
    "12. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 4, wherein the projection forms a frustrated cone.",
    "13. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 12, wherein the tapered recess ends in a blunted manner in the interior of the probe tip.",
    "14. The contact probe of claim 13, wherein the probe tip is made from a substance selected from the group consisting of: ruby (mono-crystalline aluminum oxide), sintered aluminum oxide, hard metal, sapphire, silicon nitride, zirconium oxide, and diamond.",
    "15. The probing means of claim 14, wherein the recess does not include threading and the projection does not include threading.",
    "16. The probing means according to claim 14, wherein the projection is adhesively bonded into the recess and the recess in the probe tip is larger than the size of the projection by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the adhesive.",
    "17. The probing means according to claim 16, wherein the opening angle is larger than 15°.",
    "18. A method for manufacturing a probing means for coordinate measuring machines according to claim 4, wherein the recess is made by laser ablation.",
    "19. The method according to claim 18, wherein an opening angle of the taper is made which is larger than the opening angle of a focused laser beam used for ablation.",
    "20. A probing means for coordinate measuring machines, the probing means having one end for contacting a workpiece to be measured, the probing means comprising a shaft, a probe tip provided at the end of the probing means for contacting the workpiece to be measured, the probe tip being fixedly attached to the shaft, the probe tip having a recess the shaft having a projection, the projection penetrating into the recess wherein the recess tapers towards an interior of the probe tip and the shaft has a shape which is complementary thereto, and wherein the shaft includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and the projection is formed at the distal end and has a longitudinal axis that aligns with the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the projection has a shape of a truncated pyramid.",
    "21. A contact probe for coordinate measuring machines, the contact probe having one end for contacting a workpiece to be measured, the contact probe comprising a shaft including a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a projection formed at the distal end with a shoulder surrounding the projection, a probe tip provided at the end of the probing means for contacting the workpiece to be measured, the probe tip being made from a substance selected from the group consisting of: ruby (mono-crystalline aluminum oxide), sintered aluminum oxide, hard metal, sapphire, silicon nitride, zirconium oxide, and diamond, the probe tip being fixedly attached to the shaft, the probe tip having a tapered recess, the projection forming one of a frustrated cone and a truncated pyramid; the tapered recess being a complementary negative form of the projection and the tapered recess ends in a blunted manner in the interior of the probe tip, the projection penetrating into the recess, the projection being formed at the distal end with a shoulder surrounding the projection, the tapered recess tapering towards an interior of the probe tip with an opening angle larger than 5° and a soldering or an adhesive bonding for fixedly attaching the probe tip to the shaft is provided between the projection and the recess.",
    "22. The contact probe according to claim 21, wherein the probe is soldered to the projection.",
    "23. The contact probe according to claim 22, wherein the tip has a ball shape.",
    "24. The contact probe according to claim 23, wherein the angle of the taper is larger than 15°.",
    "25. The contact probe according to claim 21, wherein the probe is adhesively bonded to the projection.",
    "26. The contact probe according to claim 25, wherein the tip has a ball shape.",
    "27. The contact probe according to claim 26, wherein the angle of the taper is larger than 15°."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to the subject-matter claimed in the preamble and thus relates to probes for coordinate measuring machines.\n\nCoordinate measuring machines are used for exactly determining the geometry of objects. For this purpose, the coordinate measuring machine comprises an arm to which a probe is attached and which is then moved with this probe towards the workpiece in order to generate a contact-indicating signal when contacting the workpiece. The geometrical dimensions can be determined by simultaneously detecting where the arm is located when the contact-indicating signal is generated.\n\nThis can be realized, e.g., by calibration in that first a known body is scanned by means of the probe on the arm and/or in that known positions are approached therewith and then the workpiece is scanned by means of the same arrangement. For achieving exact measurements, it is necessary in this approach that the arm or the probing means is not subject to changes between calibration and the actual measurement of the workpiece.\n\nSuch changes might already be caused, for example, by temperature changes because the material of the probing means expands when being heated. In order to avoid such effects, probing means having a very low thermal expansion are already used. Problems likewise occur when the probing means gradually changes while touching the workpiece, for example because it is moved over the workpiece thereby continuously contacting it (“in a scanning manner”) so that its front end is subject to abrasion or abrades material from the workpiece.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01B 5/012",
    "G01B 1/00",
    "G01B 5/016"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01B 5/016",
    "G01B 5/012"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Carl Zeiss 3D Automation GmbH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Frank Richter"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-02-20",
  "publication_date": "2017-11-28",
  "grant_date": "2017-11-28",
  "priority_date": "2012-02-20",
  "application_number": "US-201314379685-A",
  "family_id": "48170374",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}