Abstract: A measuring system includes a measuring probe with a contact portion that contacts a workpiece to be measured. The measuring probe operates with a first update rate during at least part of a moving mode, wherein the moving mode includes movement of the measuring probe such that the contact portion is moved away from the workpiece and/or is moved at a distance from the workpiece that is equal to or greater than a threshold distance. The measuring probe operates with a second update rate (i.e., which is faster than the first update rate) during at least part of a measuring mode, wherein the measuring mode includes movement of the measuring probe such that the contact portion is moved toward the workpiece for obtaining a measurement. In various implementations, the combined use of the first and second update rates effectively reduces power-on drift of the measuring probe.

Abstract: Provided is a defect judging unit for a measuring probe including: a stylus; four detection elements; and a signal processing part. The defect judging unit includes a defect judging part configured to compare four judged signals corresponding to the generated signals with predetermined thresholds when the object to be measured and the contact part are out of contact with each other and judge that a defect exists if any of the judged signals is greater than the predetermined threshold, and a judged result output part configured to output a judged result of the defect judging part. According to this configuration, the defect judging unit of the measuring probe and the defect judging method thereof capable of ensuring measurement reliability with a simple configuration are provided.

Abstract: In a probe unit having a measuring probe, a signal processing circuit includes: a signal synthesizing portion configured to process an output of a detection element to output a composite signal obtained by synthesizing displacement components of a contact part in three directions perpendicular to one another; and a signal outputting portion configured to output a digital touch signal to the outside of the probe unit when the composite signal satisfies a predetermined threshold condition. The signal outputting portion includes three comparing portions each configured to compare a threshold condition with the composite signal. When the measuring probe measures the object to be measured, the signal outputting portion outputs the digital touch signal corresponding to outputs of the first and second comparing portions. Thus, there can be provided a probe unit and a measuring system that can stably make measurements with high accuracy while keeping high noise resistance.

Abstract: Provided is a defect judging unit for a measuring probe including: a stylus; four detection elements; and a signal processing part. The defect judging unit includes a defect judging part configured to compare four judged signals corresponding to the generated signals with predetermined thresholds when the object to be measured and the contact part are out of contact with each other and judge that a defect exists if any of the judged signals is greater than the predetermined threshold, and a judged result output part configured to output a judged result of the defect judging part. According to this configuration, the defect judging unit of the measuring probe and the defect judging method thereof capable of ensuring measurement reliability with a simple configuration are provided.

Abstract: In a probe unit having a measuring probe, a signal processing circuit includes: a signal synthesizing portion configured to process an output of a detection element to output a composite signal obtained by synthesizing displacement components of a contact part in three directions perpendicular to one another; and a signal outputting portion configured to output a digital touch signal to the outside of the probe unit when the composite signal satisfies a predetermined threshold condition. The signal outputting portion includes three comparing portions each configured to compare a threshold condition with the composite signal. When the measuring probe measures the object to be measured, the signal outputting portion outputs the digital touch signal corresponding to outputs of the first and second comparing portions. Thus, there can be provided a probe unit and a measuring system that can stably make measurements with high accuracy while keeping high noise resistance.

Abstract: A measuring probe includes two supporting members, each having a rotationally symmetric shape and allowing for an attitude change of a stylus, in an axial direction of a probe housing. Four detection elements are disposed at fourfold symmetric positions in one of the two supporting members that includes four deformable arm parts. A signal processing circuit includes a first processing part that processes outputs of the detection elements to output three displacement signals representing displacement components of a contact part in mutually perpendicular three directions, respectively. The measuring probe capable of reducing measurement directional dependency of sensitivity with a simple configuration while maintaining high sensitivity is thus provided.

Abstract: A measuring probe includes: a stylus having a contact part to be brought into contact with an object to be measured; a probe housing capable of supporting the stylus on an axial center; and a detection element capable of detecting a movement of the contact part. The measuring probe further includes: two supporting members disposed in an axial direction of the probe housing, the supporting member allowing for an attitude change of the stylus; and a coupling shaft for coupling the two supporting members together. The detection element is disposed in one of the two supporting members that is farthest away from a rotational center position of rotation generated in the stylus when a measuring force is applied to the contact part from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, to detect a strain amount of the one of the two supporting members.

Abstract: A measuring probe includes two supporting members, each having a rotationally symmetric shape and allowing for an attitude change of a stylus, in an axial direction of a probe housing. Four detection elements are disposed at fourfold symmetric positions in one of the two supporting members that includes four deformable arm parts. A signal processing circuit includes a first processing part that processes outputs of the detection elements to output three displacement signals representing displacement components of a contact part in mutually perpendicular three directions, respectively. The measuring probe capable of reducing measurement directional dependency of sensitivity with a simple configuration while maintaining high sensitivity is thus provided.

Abstract: A measuring probe includes: a stylus having a contact part to be brought into contact with an object to be measured; a probe housing capable of supporting the stylus on an axial center; and a detection element capable of detecting a movement of the contact part. The measuring probe further includes: two supporting members disposed in an axial direction of the probe housing, the supporting member allowing for an attitude change of the stylus; and a coupling shaft for coupling the two supporting members together. The detection element is disposed in one of the two supporting members that is farthest away from a rotational center position of rotation generated in the stylus when a measuring force is applied to the contact part from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, to detect a strain amount of the one of the two supporting members.

Abstract: An angle detection apparatus includes a grating disk supported by a rotation axis and three or more detectors arrayed proximate to a front surface of the grating disk at equal distances in a circumferential direction of the grating disk. A rotation angle of the grating disk rotated by a reference angle from a predetermined initial position is detected by each of the detectors. An angle error at each of the detectors is measured from a difference between the rotation angle and the reference angle. A tangential vector is acquired by rotating by 90° a directional vector of each of the detectors relative to the rotation center. An eccentricity vector is calculated whose inner product with the tangential vector is the angle error.

Abstract: An image measuring apparatus includes a strobe illumination unit, a camera, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The controller includes a focus position detector that detects the focus position of the camera by controlling the movement mechanism to move the camera along the optical axis of the camera at a predetermined velocity and by controlling the camera to pick up an image of a measurement target object at plural positions. The focus position detector includes an illumination control unit that controls the lighting time of the strobe illumination unit, thereby controlling the brightness of illumination, a relative position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the camera at the center of the lighting time, and a contrast detection unit that detects the contrast of the image picked up by the camera.

Abstract: An angle detection apparatus includes a grating disk supported by a rotation axis and three or more detectors arrayed proximate to a front surface of the grating disk at equal distances in a circumferential direction of the grating disk. A rotation angle of the grating disk rotated by a reference angle from a predetermined initial position is detected by each of the detectors. An angle error at each of the detectors is measured from a difference between the rotation angle and the reference angle. A tangential vector is acquired by rotating by 90° a directional vector of each of the detectors relative to the rotation center. An eccentricity vector is calculated whose inner product with the tangential vector is the angle error.

Abstract: An image measuring apparatus includes a strobe illumination unit, a camera, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The controller includes a focus position detector that detects the focus position of the camera by controlling the movement mechanism to move the camera along the optical axis of the camera at a predetermined velocity and by controlling the camera to pick up an image of a measurement target object at plural positions. The focus position detector includes an illumination control unit that controls the lighting time of the strobe illumination unit, thereby controlling the brightness of illumination, a relative position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the camera at the center of the lighting time, and a contrast detection unit that detects the contrast of the image picked up by the camera.