Optical probe head with mounting means providing a free recalibration of the sensing head after a collision

US5210399A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Stiftung · DE

Inventors

• Robert Maag · Herrieden, DE
• Lothar Rubl · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 6, 1992
• Grant date: May 11, 1993
• Expiry date: Apr 6, 2012

Classification

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

Abstract

An optical probe head has a front optic and an annular enclosure surrounding the front optic. The enclosure contains the illuminating device of the probe head. The front optic is rigidly attached to the optical probe head and the enclosure having the illuminating device and surrounding the front optic is attached to the optical probe head so as to be radially yieldable. In the case of a collision, only the enclosure having the illuminating optics is therefore deflected; whereas, the imaging optics remains undisturbed. In this way, a follow-up calibration of the probe head after a collision is no longer required.