Bidirectional measuring head (1) comprising: a stationary frame (12), a feeler (2), a kinematic motion assembly (13) which is supported by the stationary frame and carries the feeler to enable the feeler to move along two measuring directions (D1, D2) perpendicular to each other, and at least one position sensor (3a, 3b) that is mounted on the kinematic motion assembly and detects the position of the feeler along at least one measuring direction. The kinematic motion assembly has four columns, each of which runs perpendicular to the two measuring directions: a first column (14) is rigidly linked to the support frame, a second column (15) is adapted to translate along both measuring directions and supports the feeler, a third column (16) and a fourth column (7) each performs a displacement almost exclusively along one of the two measuring directions. The kinematic motion assembly may be a deformable mechanism. The kinematic motion assembly further comprises two balancing elements (60) each of which is hinged to the stationary frame so as to rotate around a rotation axis (33) perpendicular to the measuring directions and comprises one end which is mechanically constrained to the third column or the fourth column.

Probes are provided with caps, the caps comprise rolling bearing elements so that the probes can be slid along a surface to be measured, without damaging the surface or wearing away the tip of the probe or a sacrificial cap. The rolling bearing elements can be arranged in a ring around the probe tip, with the plane of the foremost edges of the rolling bearing elements a predetermined distance from the probe tip. The caps can comprise a housing with a grip, to encourage users to grip the cap, which comprises the rolling bearing elements, rather than the probe.

A coordinate measuring machine for measuring coordinates or properties of a workpiece includes an extended stylus. The extended stylus includes an extension element and a connection element. The extension element includes a carrier portion mounted at the connection element so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation. The extension element includes, on a side remote from the connection element, a shaft portion that is aligned so as to deviate from the axis of rotation. The coordinate measuring machine includes a measurement head to which the extended stylus is attached. The measurement head is configured to measure deflections of the stylus resulting from contacts of the extended stylus to the workpiece.

Provided are a displacement detector, a surface shape measuring apparatus, and a roundness measuring apparatus capable of measuring displacement in a plurality of directions, having a simple configuration, and capable of highly accurate measurement. A displacement measurer includes: a detector body; a substantially L-shaped stylus having a contactor to be in contact with a measuring surface of an object to be measured; a stylus holding part that is provided in the detector body and holds the stylus in a swingable manner, with a swing plane being a plane including a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other; and a displacement detecting unit that is provided in the detector body and detects displacement of the contactor associated with contact between the contactor and the measuring surface.

A measuring system (15) includes a measuring arm receiving unit (18) mounted on the housing (49) or on an axial pin (30) connected to the housing (49) for conjoint rotation so as to be rotatable or pivotable about the axis of rotation (D). A measuring arm (16) can be arranged on the measuring arm receiving unit (18). A motor unit (24) generates a motor torque about the axis of rotation (D) on the measuring arm receiving unit (18). The measuring arm unit (18) is mounted by a ball bearing guide unit (39) to be rotatable about the axis of rotation (D) in the peripheral direction and displaceably along the axis of rotation (D) in the axial direction A. An axial position of the measuring arm unit (18) in the axial direction is defined with the aid of a magnetic axial bearing device (46) and is maintained during operation.

A measuring system (15) includes a measuring arm receiving unit (18) mounted on the housing (49) or on an axial pin (30) connected to the housing (49) for conjoint rotation so as to be rotatable or pivotable about the axis of rotation (D). A measuring arm (16) can be arranged on the measuring arm receiving unit (18). A motor unit (24) generates a motor torque about the axis of rotation (D) on the measuring arm receiving unit (18). A rotary angle specifying the rotary angle position of the measuring arm receiving unit (18) about the axis of rotation (D) is detected by a measuring device (67) having a scale part (68) and a detection unit (69). The scale part (68) is arranged in the form of a circular arc, annularly, or in the form of a disc about or coaxially with the axis of rotation (D).

A coordinate measuring probe body includes a rigid probe body structure including an upper mounting portion, a compliant element mounting frame, and an axial extension portion between them. A stylus suspension portion includes compliant elements that suspend a moving element from the compliant element mounting frame. A displacement sensing arrangement that senses displacement of the moving element includes displacement sensors that output a respective displacement signals. A circuit board assembly that receives the displacement signals has three component mounting portions which are interconnected with a flexible circuit component, and located around the axial extension portion. In various embodiments, all of the compliant elements are located on a distal side of the circuit board assembly.

Apparatuses, systems, and associated methods of assembly are described that provide for improved probed assemblies for use in sensors configured to convert between motion and electrical signals. An example probe assembly includes a probe rod defining a first end. In an operational configuration, the probe rod is at least partially received by a sensor device. The probe assembly further includes a probe head that receives the first end of the probe rod. The probe head mates with the first end so as to secure the probe rod therein. The first end of the probe rod is further welded to the probe head via a butt welding technique.

A position sensor device includes a sensor head with a sensor coil, and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for digitizing output from the sensor coil, and sending the digital input to electronics of the device for further processing. The A/D converter is located closer to the coil than it is to the electronics, which may be in an electronics box mounted remotely from the sensor head. The A/D converter may be a part of the sensor head, may be adjacent to the sensor head, and/or may be connected to the sensor coil by an analog output cable. The analog output cable between the sensor coil and the A/D converter may be of negligible length (and of negligible capacitance), and in any event may be shorter than a digital output cable between the A/D converter and the electronics.

Roughness measurement probe (15) for scanning a surface (F), comprising an integratingly operating device (20) and an optical scanning device (30), wherein the optical scanning device (30) is arranged directly on or in the integratingly operating device (20), wherein the integratingly operating device (20) is designed, when scanning the surface (F), to predetermine a mean distance between the roughness measuring probe (15) and a larger region of the surface (F), and wherein the optical scanning device (30) is designed, when scanning the surface (F), to optically scan a smaller region of the surface (F) in a contactless manner, wherein the integratingly operating device (20) comprises an optical arrangement which is designed as a virtual skid in such a way that it images a light spot (LF) on the surface (F).