An operation input device includes a resistance element to generate a capacitance between an operating medium and the resistance element in response to an approach of the operating medium to the resistance element, and a power source to supply electric charge to one end and the other end of the resistance element. A first electric unit measures a first electric charge transfer amount supplied to the one end of the resistance element in response to generation of the capacitance. A second unit measures a second electric charge transfer amount supplied to the other end of the resistance element in response to generation of the capacitance. A controller is connected to the first and second units, and detects a position of the operating medium in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the resistance element based on a sum of the first and second electric charge transfer amounts.

An inductive sensor insusceptible to external electromagnetic fields. The sensor coil is designed so as to have a first winding part and a second winding part connected thereto, the first winding part and the second winding part being wound in opposite directions. The first winding part is connected to a first coil terminal and the second winding part is connected to a second coil terminal.

Provided is a feeler for workpieces being machined, including a rocking arm configured to feel the workpiece, a first sensor configured to measure the position of the rocking arm and at least one additional sensor operatively connected to the rocking arm and configured to detect external perturbations acting on the feeler.

Measuring probe for non-destructive measuring of the thickness of thin layers, in particular in cavities, which are accessible by an opening or on curved surfaces, with a measuring head, which includes at least one sensor element and at least one contact spherical cap, assigned to the sensor element on a surface, to be checked, of the cavity, and with a gripping element for positioning and guiding the measuring probe on and/or along the surface to be measured, wherein on the gripping element, a long, elastically yielding guide bar is provided, which accepts the at least one measuring head on its end opposing the gripping element, in such a way that it is moveable with at least one degree of freedom in relation to the guide bar.

Rotating/pivoting sensor system for a coordinate measuring apparatus is provided. The rotating/pivoting sensor system includes a coupling mechanism with which the rotating/pivoting sensor system can be coupled to a measurement head of a coordinate measuring apparatus, a sensor-holding part which is connected directly or indirectly to the coupling mechanism, a sensor which is mounted rotatably about a first rotation axis on the sensor-holding part and which is pivotable about the first rotation axis in a continuous angle range, an angle-measuring system with which a pivoting angle of the sensor can be determined, a fixing device with which the sensor can be fixed in a pivoting position, and a method for adjusting a rotating/pivoting sensor system in a coordinate measuring apparatus.

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.

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 (3a3b) 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.

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.

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).

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.