Patents by Inventor Stephen Paul Hunter
Stephen Paul Hunter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230051393Abstract: An apparatus including an inspection apparatus for inspecting an artefact, and a transfer mechanism for moving a pallet on which an artefact is located relative to the inspection apparatus so as to move the pallet to and from an inspection location, and further including at least one pallet lifter which can be actuated between a retracted and an extended configuration, configured such that when a pallet is at the inspection location the at least one pallet lifter can be actuated to its extended configuration so as to engage with and lift the pallet and thereby decouple the pallet from the transfer mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2020Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Paul HUNTER, Michael John WOOLDRIDGE, Hugo George DERRICK, James Richard Philip HUNTLEY
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Publication number: 20220267097Abstract: A pallet loader for a positioning apparatus, including at least two pallet bays and at least one intermediate member, arranged such that at least two pallet bays are located on different sides of the intermediate member, such that at least one pallet can be driven i) from one pallet bay to another, and ii) from one pallet bay to a positioning apparatus, in which the apparatus includes cooperating guide features on the underside of the at least one pallet and on one or more of the intermediate member and pallet bays for guiding the pallet along a predetermined path and/or for controlling the rotational orientation of the pallet about a vertical axis, as the pallet moves across the intermediate member/pallet bay.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Hugo George DERRICK, Stephen Paul HUNTER, James Richard Philip HUNTLEY
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Patent number: 11236987Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus having a load bearing structure. The load bearing structure has at least one elongate corner piece providing at least two bearing surfaces, one on each side of the corner, for a carriage moveable along the load bearing structure, and at least one piece of sheet material which extends along the at least one elongate corner piece and provides at least one load bearing facet.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Hugo George Derrick, Stephen Paul Hunter, David Andrew Larkham, David Roberts McMurtry
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Patent number: 11060836Abstract: A positioning apparatus including a moveable member moveable along a bearing guideway in a first dimension, the moveable member including at a first end thereof at least first and second bearing members which are preloaded against corresponding first and second sides of a concave corner of the bearing guideway.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Paul Hunter, David Andrew Larkham
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Patent number: 11035658Abstract: A positioning apparatus, having first and second members relatively moveable in a substantially vertical degree of freedom. At least one energy conduit is mounted to at least one of the first and second members, which imparts a load on at least one of the members it is mounted to that varies dependent on the relative position of the first and second members. A compensatory member is configured to apply a load that varies, dependent on the relative position of the first and second members, inversely to the variation in load applied by the at least one energy conduit, so as to at least partially counteract the variation in load applied by the at least one energy conduit on said at least one of the members.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Hugo George Derrick, Stephen Paul Hunter
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Patent number: 10826369Abstract: A positioning apparatus comprising first and second relatively moveable members, and a linear motor comprising at least one elongate stator assembly and at least one armature assembly respectively mounted to the first and second moveable members for effecting relative movement of the first and second moveable members, configured so at to permit longitudinal expansion and/or contraction of the at least one elongate stator assembly and/or of the at least one armature assembly relative to its respective member.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Mark Angood, Hugo George Derrick, Stephen Paul Hunter, David Andrew Larkham
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Publication number: 20200309500Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus having a load bearing structure. The load bearing structure has at least one elongate corner piece providing at least two bearing surfaces, one on each side of the corner, for a carriage moveable along the load bearing structure, and at least one piece of sheet material which extends along the at least one elongate corner piece and provides at least one load bearing facet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Hugo George DERRICK, Stephen Paul HUNTER, David Andrew LARKHAM, David Roberts MCMURTRY
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Patent number: 10718602Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus comprising first and second relatively moveable bodies, at least the first body comprising at least one sheet or plate of material arranged to provide a load-bearing structure comprising a plurality of planar load-bearing members and on which at least one member is mounted to the first body via a mount which is coupled to at least three, non-parallel planar load-bearing members of the first body, such that the planes of said at least three non-parallel planar load-bearing members intersect each other at a common point.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Mark Angood, Hugo George Derrick, Stephen Paul Hunter
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Publication number: 20200182599Abstract: A positioning apparatus, having first and second members relatively moveable in a substantially vertical degree of freedom. At least one energy conduit is mounted to at least one of the first and second members, which imparts a load on at least one of the members it is mounted to that varies dependent on the relative position of the first and second members. A compensatory member is configured to apply a load that varies, dependent on the relative position of the first and second members, inversely to the variation in load applied by the at least one energy conduit, so as to at least partially counteract the variation in load applied by the at least one energy conduit on said at least one of the members.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: June 11, 2020Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Hugo George DERRICK, Stephen Paul HUNTER
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Patent number: 10646883Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus for inspecting an artefact. The coordinate positioning apparatus includes at least one moveable member moveable in at least one degree of freedom, and at least one motor and at least one bearing arrangement for facilitating said movement. At least a part of the at least one motor and/or at least one bearing arrangement are located inside a protective housing therefor. A ferromagnetic contamination trap comprising at least one magnet is provided and configured to attract and retain ferromagnetic contamination entering the protective housing.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventor: Stephen Paul Hunter
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Patent number: 10627259Abstract: A method of determining sub-divisional error of an encoder apparatus, which is configured to measure relative position of relatively moveable parts of an apparatus on which an inspection device for inspecting an artefact is mounted, includes causing the inspection device to inspect a feature so as to obtain measurements of a surface of the feature by relatively moving the relatively moveable parts of the apparatus. The method also includes using the measurements of the surface of the feature obtained by the inspection device during the inspection of the feature to determine the sub-divisional error of the encoder apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Martin Simon Rees, Stephen Paul Hunter, David Sven Wallace
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Publication number: 20200080830Abstract: A positioning apparatus including a moveable member moveable along a bearing guideway in a first dimension, the moveable member including at a first end thereof at least first and second bearing members which are preloaded against corresponding first and second sides of a concave corner of the bearing guideway.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Paul HUNTER, David Andrew LARKHAM
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Publication number: 20180306570Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus having first and second relatively moveable bodies, at least the first body having at least one sheet or plate of material arranged to provide a load-bearing structure having a plurality of planar load-bearing members and on which at least one member is mounted to the first body via a mount which is coupled to at least three, non-parallel planar load-bearing members of the first body, such that the planes of the at least three non-parallel planar load-bearing members intersect each other at a common point.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Mark ANGOOD, Hugo George DERRICK, Stephen Paul HUNTER
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Publication number: 20180309354Abstract: A positioning apparatus comprising first and second relatively moveable members, and a linear motor comprising at least one elongate stator assembly and at least one armature assembly respectively mounted to the first and second moveable members for effecting relative movement of the first and second moveable members, configured so at to permit longitudinal expansion and/or contraction of the at least one elongate stator assembly and/or of the at least one armature assembly relative to its respective member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Stephen Mark ANGOOD, Hugo George DERRICK, Stephen Paul HUNTER, David Andrew LARKHAM
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Publication number: 20180304276Abstract: A coordinate positioning apparatus for inspecting an artefact. The coordinate positioning apparatus includes at least one moveable member moveable in at least one degree of freedom, and at least one motor and at least one bearing arrangement for facilitating said movement. At least a part of the at least one motor and/or at least one bearing arrangement are located inside a protective housing therefor. A ferromagnetic contamination trap comprising at least one magnet is provided and configured to attract and retain ferromagnetic contamination entering the protective housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventor: Stephen Paul HUNTER
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Publication number: 20180058884Abstract: A method of determining the sub-divisional error of an encoder apparatus that is configured to measure the position of relatively moveable parts of an apparatus on which an inspection device for inspecting an artefact is mounted. The method includes causing the inspection device to obtain measurements which includes relatively moving the relatively moveable parts of the apparatus, and using the measurements to determine the encoder apparatus' sub-divisional error.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2016Publication date: March 1, 2018Applicant: RENISHAW PLCInventors: Martin Simon REES, Stephen Paul HUNTER, David Sven WALLACE
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Patent number: 9377284Abstract: A metrology apparatus including a body and a first member rotatable relative to the body about a first axis of rotation, said first axis being defined by first bearing and a first motor for actuating rotation of the first member relative to the body about the first axis of rotation. A surface sensing device is attachable to the first member such that the surface sensing device can move with the first member, relative to the body. The first motor may include a first magnet and at least one metal coil spaced apart along the first axis and mounted such that the first magnet and the at least one metal coil are moveable relative to one another.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2011Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: David Roberts McMurtry, Stephen Paul Hunter, Hugo George Derrick
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Patent number: 9052177Abstract: Metrology apparatus is described that includes a first structure rotatably connected to a second structure by a bearing arrangement. The bearing arrangement includes at least a first friction bearing including parts in sliding contact during rotation of the first structure relative to the second structure. The apparatus includes at least one magnet that relieves the load on the first friction bearing. Multiple magnets, provided in an attracting or repelling arrangement, may be used. The metrology apparatus may include an articulating probe head for a coordinate positioning apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2011Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: RENISHAW PLCInventors: David Roberts McMurtry, Stephen Paul Hunter
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Patent number: 8919005Abstract: An analogue probe for use with a coordinate positioning machine. The analogue probe comprises a temperature actuator which can be modulated so as maintain the temperature of at least a part of the analogue probe at a substantially constant predetermined temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Renishaw PLCInventors: Khaled Mamour, Stephen Paul Hunter
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Patent number: 8511898Abstract: A method of fabricating a bearing surface for a gas or air bearing is described. The method comprises taking a bulk bearing portion having at least one bearing surface region and providing a coating on the bearing surface region to define at least one gas pocket. The at least one gas pocket has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the coating. In one example, laser ablation is used to remove part of the coating to form the gas pockets. The coating may be an anodized coating and the bulk bearing portion may be formed from aluminum. An air bearing component formed using the method is also described.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Renishaw PLCInventors: Hugo George Derrick, Stephen Paul Hunter, Brendon Noel Joseph Callinan