Probe arm for machine tool
US6519863B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 22, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 18, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23Q1/52
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A probe arm comprises a base member 10 securable to a surface of a machine tool, and a rotatable hub 12, carrying an arm member 16 with a tool-setting probe (18 FIG. 1). The hub has a portion 22 with three radial projections (26 FIG. 2) which rotates within an aperture 24 of the base which also has three inward radial projections 30. Together these projections form stops at the operative and non-operative positions of the probe. The aperture also has three axial raised areas 42 on an annular ledge 40 which support an annular should 44 on the hub. Thus there are six points of contact between the hub and base member in the operative and non-operative positions. A biasing arrangement comprises a detent plate 46 secured to the aperture and a planar spring 48 secured to the hub by its central region. Ball bearings 56 are loosely retained in two opposite lugs (54 FIG. 6) on the spring and run around the detent plate between two pairs of detent holes (58 FIG. 5). In the operative and non-operative positions, the ball bearings rest on radially-extending edges (58A FIG. 5) of the detent holes and thus the axial force of the spring also provides a component of force in a tangential direction…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.