Patent · US Expired

Configuration measuring apparatus

US5144150A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
8References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 6, 1991
Grant dateSep 1, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 6, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S977/951
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A configuration measuring apparatus includes a contacting member for contacting and tracing a surface of an object to be measured, a supporting member for supporting the contacting member and having a reflecting surface, an optical probe, a driving device, and an X-coordinate or XY-coordinate measuring device. The optical probe supports the contacting member through the supporting member and has an automatic focusing device for moving an objective lens in the Z-direction, which is an optical direction of the lens, so that a focusing point of the objective lens is positioned at the reflecting surface in spite of a possible dislocation of the reflecting surface, which is to be at a focusing position of the objective lens for condensing a laser beam and a device for measuring a Z-coordinate of the reflecting surface by allowing interference of the laser beam which has been reflected by the reflecting surface with a reference light. The driving device moves the optical probe in the X-direction or the XY-direction. The X-coordinate or XY-coordinate measuring device measures a position of the optical probe in the X-direction or the XY-direction. Then, the configuration of the surface of …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.