Coordinate measuring apparatus having an optical sensing head

US4963728A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Stiftung · DE

Inventors

• Albrecht Hof · Aalen, DE
• Wilhelm Ulrich · Aalen, DE
• Lothar Rubl · Aalen, DE
• Klaus-Peter Koch · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 5, 1989
• Grant date: Oct 16, 1990
• Expiry date: Oct 5, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B11/007
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention is directed to a coordinate measuring apparatus having an optical sensing head. The optical sensing head is held on the measuring arm of the coordinate measuring apparatus. The optical sensing head includes a holder and a plurality of detachable front optic units which can be exchanged as required. Each of the front optic units has its own objective and its own illuminating optic arrangement adapted to the objective. The illuminating optic is supplied via light conductors with the light conductors being guided over a change interface where the front optic unit is attached to the holder of the sensing head in a reproducible manner. The light conducting ends for the illumination are coupled in the change interface by means of a coupling device which achieves this coupling with low losses. This device includes, for example, self-centering sleeves which enable flexible supply light conductors to be centrally seated on the end faces of half-rigid plastic light conductors. Interface losses are avoided in this manner.