Spatial measuring device

Claim 2

An articulated spatial coordinate measuring arm which comprises: a supporting base; a proximal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; an intermediate transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a distal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a probe having a proximal end and a distal end; a first joint assembly swivelingly connecting said proximal end of said proximal member to said base; a second joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said proximal member to the proximal end of said intermediate member; a third joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said intermediate member to the proximal end of said distal member; and a fourth joint assembly hingedly connecting the proximal end of said probe to the distal end of said distal member; wherein at least one of said first, second and third joint assemblies has at least one degree of freedom capable of sweeping through an unlimited arc; wherein said at least one of said first, second and third joint assemblies comprises at least one multi-contact slip-ring sub-assembly for transmitting electrical signals therethrough; and wherein each of said first, second and third joint assemblies has an unlimited range of swiveling motion.

Claim 3

The arm of claim 1, wherein said electrical signals comprise data reflecting the orientation statuses of joint assemblies more distally located from the base than said at least one of said assemblies.

Claim 4

An articulated spatial coordinate measuring arm which comprises: a supporting base; a proximal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; an intermediate transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a distal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a probe having a proximal end and a distal end; a first joint assembly swivelingly connecting said proximal end of said proximal member to said base; a second joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said proximal member to the proximal end of said intermediate member; a third joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said intermediate member to the proximal end of said distal member; and a fourth joint assembly hingedly connecting the proximal end of said probe to the distal end of said distal member; wherein at least one of said first, second and third joint assemblies has at least one degree of freedom capable of sweeping through an unlimited arc; and wherein each of said members comprises: an inner tubular shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; said first end being fixedly attached to a first one of said joint assemblies at a first end of said member; an outer tubular sheath co-axially surrounding said inner tubular shaft, and said sheath having a first extremity and an opposite second extremity; said second extremity being fixedly attached to a second one of said joint assemblies at a second end of said member opposite said first end; a first bearing rotatively mounting said first end of said shaft proximal to said first extremity of said sheath; and a second bearing rotatively mounting said second end of said shaft proximal to said second extremity of said sheath.

Claim 5

An articulated spatial coordinate measuring arm which comprises: a supporting base; a proximal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; an intermediate transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a distal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a probe having a proximal end and a distal end; a first joint assembly swivelingly connecting said proximal end of said proximal member to said base; a second joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said proximal member to the proximal end of said intermediate member; a third joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said intermediate member to the proximal end of said distal member; and a fourth joint assembly hingedly connecting the proximal end of said probe to the distal end of said distal member; wherein at least one of said first, second and third joint assemblies has at least one degree of freedom capable of sweeping through an unlimited arc; and wherein each of said members comprises: an inner tubular shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; said first end being fixedly attached to a first one of said joint assemblies at a first end of said member; an outer tubular sheath co-axially surrounding said inner tubular shaft, and said sheath having a first extremity and an opposite second extremity; said second extremity being fixedly attached to a second one of said joint assemblies at a second end of said member opposite said first end; a first bearing rotatively mounting said first end of said shaft proximal to said first extremity of said sheath; and a second bearing rotatively mounting said second end of said shaft proximal to said second extremity of said sheath.

Claim 6

An articulated spatial coordinate measuring arm which comprises: a supporting base; a proximal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; an intermediate transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a distal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a probe having a proximal end and a distal end; a first joint assembly swivelingly connecting said proximal end of said proximal member to said base; a second joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said proximal member to the proximal end of said intermediate member; a third joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said intermediate member to the proximal end of said distal member; and a fourth joint assembly hingedly connecting the proximal end of said probe to the distal end of said distal member; wherein each of said first, second and third joint assemblies comprises at least one multi-contact slip-ring sub-assembly for transmitting electrical signals therethrough; wherein each of said members comprises: an inner tubular shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; said first end being fixedly attached to a first one of said joint assemblies at a first end of said shaft; an outer tubular sheath co-axially surrounding said inner tubular shaft, and said sheath having a first extremity and an opposite second extremity; said second extremity being fixedly attached to a second one of said joint assemblies at a second end of said member opposite said first end; a first bearing mounting said first end of said shaft proximal to said first extremity of said sheath; and a second bearing supporting said second extremity of said sheath proximal said second end of said shaft.

Claim 7

An articulated spatial coordinate measuring arm which comprises: a supporting base; a proximal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; an intermediate transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a distal transfer member having a proximal end and a distal end; a probe having a proximal end and a distal end; a first joint assembly swivelingly connecting said proximal end of said proximal member to said base; a second joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said proximal member to the proximal end of said intermediate member; a third joint assembly swivelingly and hingedly connecting the distal end of said intermediate member to the proximal end of said distal member; and a fourth joint assembly hingedly connecting the proximal end of said probe to the distal end of said distal member; wherein each of said first, second and third joint assemblies comprises at least one multi-contact slip-ring sub-assembly for transmitting electrical signals therethrough; wherein each of said members comprises: an inner tubular shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; said first end being fixedly attached to a first one of said joint assemblies at a first end of said shaft; an outer tubular sheath co-axially surrounding said inner tubular shaft, and said sheath having a first extremity and an opposite second extremity; said second extremity being fixedly attached to a second one of said joint assemblies at a second end of said member opposite said first end; a first bearing mounting said first end of said shaft proximal to said first extremity of said sheath; and a second bearing supporting said second extremity of said sheath proximal said second end of said shaft.

Claim 8

The arm of claim 4, wherein said second bearing comprises one of said slip-ring sub-assemblies.

Claim 9

The arm of claim 4, wherein: said sheath has an inner diameter; and said shaft has an outer diameter which is at least 50 percent as large as said inner diameter of said sheath.

Claim 10

The arm of claim 6, which further comprises: a first signal conditioning unit mounted within said shaft.

Claim 11

The arm of claim 7, wherein said first signal conditioning unit comprises: means for digitizing analog electrical waveforms produced by a rotational motion transducer located adjacent to said shaft.

Claim 12

In a coordinate measuring device, having an articulated arm having at least one oblong rigid transfer member and a joint having an axis of rotation substantially in-line with a major axis of said member, an improvement comprising: means for allowing said joint to have an unlimited range of swiveling motion; wherein said means for allowing comprise: said member comprising: a first tubular sheath; a second tubular shaft sized and dimensioned to freely rotate within said sheath; and means for rotatively mounting said shaft within said sheath; and wherein said improvement further comprises: a first signal conditioning unit mounted within said shaft.

Claim 13

In a coordinate measuring device, having an articulated arm having at least one oblong rigid transfer member and a joint having an axis of rotation substantially in-line with a major axis of said member, an improvement comprising: means for allowing said joint to have an unlimited range of swiveling motion; wherein said means for allowing comprise: said member comprising: a first tubular sheath; a second tubular shaft sized and dimensioned to freely rotate within said sheath; and means for rotatively mounting said shaft within said sheath; and wherein said improvement further comprises: a first signal conditioning unit mounted within said shaft.

Claim 14

The improvement of claim 9, wherein said first signal conditioning unit comprises: means for digitizing electrical signals produced by a rotational motion transducer located adjacent to said member.

Claim 15

The improvement of claim 9, wherein said means for allowing said joint to have an unlimited range of swiveling motion further comprise a multiconductor electrical slip-ring connector mounted within said member.

Claim 16

The improvement of claim 9, wherein: said sheath has an inner diameter; and said shaft has an outer diameter which is at least 50 percent as large as said inner diameter of said sheath.

Claim 17

An articulated coordinate measuring arm comprising: a plurality of rigid transfer members; means for pivotably connecting a first one of said members to an adjacent one of said members; said means comprise: a joint assembly having at least one degree of freedom capable of sweeping through an unlimited arc; and wherein said first one of said transfer members comprises: an inner tubular shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; said first end being fixedly attached to said joint assembly; an outer tubular sheath having a first extremity and an opposite second extremity; a first bearing rotatively mounting said first end of said shaft proximal to said first extremity of said sheath; and a second bearing rotatively mounting said second end of said shaft proximal to said second extremity of said sheath, and coaxial with said first bearing.

Claim 18

An articulated coordinate measuring arm comprising: a plurality of rigid transfer members; means for pivotably connecting a first one of said members to an adjacent one of said members; said means comprise: a joint assembly having at least one degree of freedom capable of sweeping through an unlimited arc; and wherein said first one of said transfer members comprises: an inner tubular shaft having a first end and an opposite second end; said first end being fixedly attached to said joint assembly; an outer tubular sheath having a first extremity and an opposite second extremity; a first bearing rotatively mounting said first end of said shaft proximal to said first extremity of said sheath; and a second bearing rotatively mounting said second end of said shaft proximal to said second extremity of said sheath, and coaxial with said first bearing.

Claim 19

The arm of claim 13, which further comprises a signal conditioning unit mounted within said shaft.

Claim 20

The arm of claim 14, wherein said signal conditioning unit comprises: means for digitizing analog electrical waveforms produced by a rotational motion transducer located adjacent to said first one of said transfer members.

Claim 21

The arm of claim 13, wherein said joint assembly comprises at least one multi-contact slip-ring sub-assembly for transmitting electrical signals therethrough.

Claim 22

The arm of claim 13, wherein: said sheath has an inner diameter; and said shaft has an outer diameter which is at least 50 percent as large as said inner diameter of said sheath.