Abstract: A form measuring instrument includes: a body; a movable member including: a stylus holder being rotatably supported by the body; a stylus being held by the stylus holder; and a tip being provided at an end of the stylus and being contactable with a workpiece surface; a measurement-force-applying unit being adapted to generate a rotation force acting on the stylus holder to bring the tip of the stylus into contact with the workpiece surface; a displacement detector being provided to a portion of the stylus holder to detect a displacement of the stylus holder resulting from a rotation thereof; and a vibration generator being adapted to apply vibration to the stylus holder.

Abstract: A stylus support member extends in a first direction. A first and second elastic body attaching members are spaced aside from each other in a second direction are arranged spaced aside from the stylus support member in the first direction, and are connected to each other by first and second members. A first elastic body is arranged between a holder and the first elastic body attaching member. A second elastic body is arranged between a first member and the first elastic body attaching member. A third elastic body is arranged between a second member and the second elastic body attaching member. A fourth elastic body is arranged between the holder and the second elastic body attaching member. A detector detects displacement in the second direction of the stylus support member. The first to fourth elastic members perform lever motion of a single degree of freedom.

Abstract: A contact probe includes a stylus and an optical detector configured to detect a posture of the stylus optically. An illumination subject portion is formed on the stylus and has three or more reflection surfaces. The optical detector includes three or more fibers, a light source, a condenser lens group, and a wavelength detector. The wavelength detector calculates posture information of the stylus on the basis of wavelength variations of reflection light beams that are caused by variations of intervals between the condenser lens group and the three or more reflection surfaces, respectively. The contact probe acquires coordinates of a position of the contact to the object to be measured on the basis of posture information obtained by the optical detector.

Abstract: A method of actuating a system comprising a movable component and an actuator configured to move the movable component comprises providing a control signal representative of a desired motion of the movable component. The control signal is supplied to one or more resonators. Each of the one or more resonators has a mode of oscillation representative of at least one elastic mode of oscillation of the system. The control signal is modified by subtracting from the control signal a signal representative of a response of the one or more resonators to the control signal. The actuator is operated in accordance with the modified control signal. Thus, undesirable elastic oscillations of the system which might occur if the system were operated with the original control system can be reduced.

Abstract: A method of detecting a movement of a measuring probe provided between an objective lens adapted to image an object plane on a predetermined image plane and the object plane is disclosed. Additionally, a measuring instrument comprising an objective lens and a measuring probe is disclosed. An input beam of light is split into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The measurement beam is focused on a reverse focal plane of the objective lens such that the measurement beam is collimated by the objective lens. The collimated measurement beam is reflected at the measuring probe. The reflected measurement beam is directed towards the objective lens such that the objective lens focuses the reflected measurement beam on the reverse focal plane. The reflected measurement beam is collimated. The collimated reference beam and the reference beam are superimposed to form a superimposed beam and an interference between the reflected measurement beam and the reference beam is detected.

Abstract: A method of actuating a system comprising a movable component and an actuator configured to move the movable component comprises providing a control signal representative of a desired motion of the movable component. The control signal is supplied to one or more resonators. Each of the one or more resonators has a mode of oscillation representative of at least one elastic mode of oscillation of the system. The control signal is modified by subtracting from the control signal a signal representative of a response of the one or more resonators to the control signal. The actuator is operated in accordance with the modified control signal. Thus, undesirable elastic oscillations of the system which might occur if the system were operated with the original control system can be reduced.

Abstract: A method of detecting a movement of a measuring probe provided between an objective lens adapted to image an object plane on a predetermined image plane and the object plane is disclosed. Additionally, a measuring instrument comprising an objective lens and a measuring probe is disclosed. An input beam of light is split into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The measurement beam is focused on a reverse focal plane of the objective lens such that the measurement beam is collimated by the objective lens. The collimated measurement beam is reflected at the measuring probe. The reflected measurement beam is directed towards the objective lens such that the objective lens focuses the reflected measurement beam on the reverse focal plane. The reflected measurement beam is collimated. The collimated reference beam and the reference beam are superimposed to form a superimposed beam and an interference between the reflected measurement beam and the reference beam is detected.

Abstract: N pieces of gains Gi are sequentially and temporarily set in a control circuit (23), and a stylus (131) is brought in contact with a workpiece (W) for conducting a temporary measurement. At this time, a sensor detection signal output from a sensor detection circuit (21) is filtered by a filter (31) to take out only a frequency component corresponding to a frequency of hunting generated in a closed loop (L) including the control circuit (23). Gains Gj that do not generate hunting in the closed loop (L) are extracted, and the largest gain Gj is set in the control circuit (23) in view of enhancement in responsivity etc. of the measurement. Alternatively, by pressing the stylus (131) into the workpiece (W), a displacement signal indicating a pressing amount and a sensor signal output from a sensor (13) are measured in accordance with a measurement load applied to the stylus (131) to calculate a gain Gs? of the sensor (13) based on the two signals.

Abstract: A surface texture measuring probe (60) includes a probe head (65), a first supporting body (61), a second supporting body (62), a piezoelectric element (63) and a balancer (64). The first supporting body includes a first supporter (611) having an inner space, and a plurality of beams (613) respectively extending from equiangular arrangement positions of the first supporter toward the center and supporting the probe head (65) at the tip end thereof. The second supporting body (62) includes a second supporter (621) and a holder (622) supported by a plurality of beams (623) respectively extending from equiangular arrangement positions of the second supporter towards the center. The piezoelectric element (63) is disposed between the probe head and the holder, and formed to vibrate in an axial direction.

Abstract: A surface texture measuring instrument provided with a near-field measuring unit (30) including a near-field probe (33) that forms a near-field light at a tip end thereof when a laser beam is irradiated, a laser source (35) that generates the laser beam to be irradiated on the near-field probe (33), a detection element (38) that detects scattering effect of the near-field light generated when the near-field probe (33) is moved close to a workpiece (1), and an actuator (32) that displaces the near-field probe (33) and the workpiece (1) in a direction moving close to/away from each other, includes: a laser length-measuring unit (20) that measures a relative distance between a reference position and the workpiece (1) in the vicinity of the tip end of the near-field probe (33) or a relative distance between the reference position and the near-field probe (33).

Abstract: A surface profile measuring instrument for measuring a surface profile of a workpiece has: a probe having a stylus provided with a measuring portion for measuring a surface of a workpiece at a tip end thereof and a detector for outputting a detection signal which varies depending on a measurement condition between the surface of the workpiece and the measuring portion; a scanning mechanism for relatively moving the measuring portion along the surface of the workpiece; a memory (46) that stores a position information of the contact portion when the detection signal reaches a predetermined reference signal value; a vibration inclination angle calculator (51) that calculates a response variation factor (vibration inclination angle ?) that applies variation to the detection signal from the surface of the workpiece; and a profile processor (53) that corrects the position information to obtain an actual profile of the surface of the workpiece using the response variation factor.

Abstract: A surface texture measuring instrument provided with a near-field measuring unit (30) including a near-field probe (33) that forms a near-field light at a tip end thereof when a laser beam is irradiated, a laser source (35) that generates the laser beam to be irradiated on the near-field probe (33), a detection element (38) that detects scattering effect of the near-field light generated when the near-field probe (33) is moved close to a workpiece (1), and an actuator (32) that displaces the near-field probe (33) and the workpiece (1) in a direction moving close to/away from each other, includes: a laser length-measuring unit (20) that measures a relative distance between a reference position and the workpiece (1) in the vicinity of the tip end of the near-field probe (33) or a relative distance between the reference position and the near-field probe (33).

Abstract: A surface texture measuring probe (60) includes a probe head (65), a first supporting body (61), a second supporting body (62), a piezoelectric element (63) and a balancer (64). The first supporting body includes a first supporter (611) having an inner space, and a plurality of beams (613) respectively extending from equiangular arrangement positions of the first supporter toward the center and supporting the probe head (65) at the tip end thereof. The second supporting body (62) includes a second supporter (621) and a holder (622) supported by a plurality of beams (623) respectively extending from equiangular arrangement positions of the second supporter towards the center. The piezoelectric element (63) is disposed between the probe head and the holder, and formed to vibrate in an axial direction.

Abstract: N pieces of gains Gi are sequentially and temporarily set in a control circuit (23), and a stylus (131) is brought in contact with a workpiece (W) for conducting a temporary measurement. At this time, a sensor detection signal output from a sensor detection circuit (21) is filtered by a filter (31) to take out only a frequency component corresponding to a frequency of hunting generated in a closed loop (L) including the control circuit (23). Gains Gj that do not generate hunting in the closed loop (L) are extracted, and the largest gain Gj is set in the control circuit (23) in view of enhancement in responsivity etc. of the measurement. Alternatively, by pressing the stylus (131) into the workpiece (W), a displacement signal indicating a pressing amount and a sensor signal output from a sensor (13) are measured in accordance with a measurement load applied to the stylus (131) to calculate a gain Gs? of the sensor (13) based on the two signals.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method and a device for sealing an end portion of a porous structure having a columnar outer shape, such as a ceramic honeycomb filter, with a sealing material, so that the whole end portion can be uniformly coated with the sealing material, and a porous structure sealed at an end portion in a superior state by the method. In the method, an end portion of a porous structure 9 is sealed at an end face of the porous structure 9 having a columnar outer shape. A porous elastic material 13 having a predetermined thickness adhered on a planar base plate 15 is impregnated with a slurried sealing material, the porous elastic material 13 is pressed onto the end face of the porous structure 9 to coat the end portion of the porous structure 9 with the sealing material.

Abstract: A surface profile measuring instrument for measuring a surface profile of a workpiece has: a probe having a stylus provided with a measuring portion for measuring a surface of a workpiece at a tip end thereof and a detector for outputting a detection signal which varies depending on a measurement condition between the surface of the workpiece and the measuring portion; a scanning mechanism for relatively moving the measuring portion along the surface of the workpiece; a memory (46) that stores a position information of the contact portion when the detection signal reaches a predetermined reference signal value; a vibration inclination angle calculator (51) that calculates a response variation factor (vibration inclination angle ?) that applies variation to the detection signal from the surface of the workpiece; and a profile processor (53) that corrects the position information to obtain an actual profile of the surface of the workpiece using the response variation factor.

Abstract: A stylus structure (40) integrally incorporating a stylus (2), a vibrator (4), a detector (6), a first secondary magnetic circuit (12) and a second primary magnetic circuit (21), and a stylus support (30) integrally incorporating a first primary magnetic circuit (11) and a second secondary magnetic circuit (22) are mutually fittable, thereby achieving signal transmission by the respective magnetic circuits using no electrical contact.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a honeycomb structure having slits and a plurality of arrays of numerous cells aligned in parallel, wherein the slits communicate with external space and are formed along the cell arrays. The apparatus includes an extruder having an extruding die for a honeycomb structure, and a slit forming member arranged near the extruding die and protruding along arrays of a molded article being extruded in which slits are to be formed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure having slits is provided which permits accurate forming of fine slits to cut or grind a targeted cell array alone and which is suitable for application to mass production. The method provides a honeycomb structure having slits and a plurality of arrays of numerous cells aligned in parallel. The slits communicate with an external space and formed along the arrays. The slits are formed by protruding a slit forming member 4-toward the molded article during the extrusion step.

Abstract: A fine feed mechanism (50) and a coarse feed mechanism (60) respectively for minutely and greatly displacing a stylus (12) is provided to a microscopic geometry measuring device (1), so that the respective mechanisms (50, 60) are combinedly actuated for easily controlling the movement of the stylus (12) in a wide range at a short time. Further, a movable balancing portion (53) moving in a direction opposite to a movable driving portion (52) is provided to the fine feed mechanism (50). Since a reaction force caused by the movement of the movable driving portion (52) is cancelled by another reaction force caused by the movement of the movable balancing portion (53) at a fixed portion (51), no mechanical interference is caused between the respective mechanisms (50, 60), thus accurately controlling the movement of the stylus (12).