Systems and methods of providing a magnetically coupled ground reference probe for use with test equipment, such as digital multimeters (DMMs). The magnetically coupled ground reference probes disclosed herein may be used instead of a typical test probe or alligator clip. A magnetically coupled ground reference probe may be provided which includes an insulative housing surrounding a conductive magnet such as a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The magnet may autonomously retract into a cavity of the insulative housing when not coupled to a ground reference so that the magnet does not contact a high potential source when being handled by the operator. In at least some implementations, at least a portion of the insulation material of the housing may be compressible to allow the magnet to come into physical contact with a ground reference surface while providing a sufficient creepage and clearance path.

A surface property measuring apparatus includes a control unit, configured to control operations of a roughness measuring instrument and a relative moving mechanism, including: a measuring force command module configured to output a measuring command; and a measuring force control module configured to control the direction and magnitude of the measuring force, wherein the measuring force control module instructs a measuring force application unit of the roughness measuring instrument to generate therein the measuring force whose magnitude and direction are designated by the measuring force command when a displacement speed of a measuring arm is equal to or slower than a predetermined threshold, and the measuring force control module instructs the measuring force application unit to generate therein a force in a direction in which the distal end of the measuring arm is raised upwards when the displacement speed of the measuring arm exceeds the predetermined threshold.

A contact probe includes a stylus, a spring, a magnetic body, and a permanent magnet. The stylus is displaceable in an X direction and a tip of the stylus makes contact with a measured object. A first end of the spring is fixated and a second end provides spring force along the X direction. A position of the magnetic body is fixated with respect to the stylus. The permanent magnet is arranged separated from the magnetic body so as to generate a magnetic force along the X direction between the magnetic body and the permanent magnet.

A measuring probe includes a stylus having a contact part to be in contact with an object to be measured, an axial motion mechanism having a moving member that allows the contact part to move in an axial direction, and a rotary motion mechanism having a rotating member that allows the contact part to move along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction by means of rotary motion. The measuring probe includes a probe main body that incorporates the axial motion mechanism, and a probe module that is supported by the probe main body, incorporates the rotary motion mechanism, and supports the stylus. The probe main body and the probe module are detachably coupled to each other with a pair of rollers and a ball capable of positioning to each other. This allows adequate detection sensitivity and a restoring force suitable for the stylus to be obtained at a low cost.

A measuring apparatus of the present invention includes a stage on which a measured object is placed, a measurement head having an information obtainer obtaining an image of the object, and a vertical driver supporting the measurement head so as to allow movement in a vertical direction. The vertical driver includes a counterbalance mechanism having a hanger of the measurement head, a pulley winding up and withdrawing the hanger by rotation, a spring increasing elastic force by stretching the spring when the measurement head displaces downward, and a cam rotating in conjunction with the pulley and having a cam shape decreasing rotational torque provided to the pulley by the elastic force as a stretching amount of the spring increases.

A measuring machine comprising at least one member mobile along an axis, a motor, a transmission system driven by the motor for displacing the mobile member along the axis, and a control system for controlling the motor, wherein a flexible coupling is set between said transmission system, and the mobile member is configured so as to filter the vibrations transmitted by the transmission system to the mobile member in the direction of the axis and to decouple the mobile member from the transmission system in a direction transverse to the axis.

An automatic measuring device includes a micrometer including a spindle that moves forward and backward to be brought into contact with or away from a workpiece and a displacement detector unit that detects displacement of the spindle, and an automatic operation unit that automates the forward and backward movement of the spindle by power. The automatic operation unit performs a first forward-movement step of moving the spindle forward to bring the spindle into contact with the workpiece, and a contact determination step of determining the contact between the spindle and the workpiece in the first forward-movement step. In the contact determination step, the spindle is determined to be in contact with the workpiece when a change in a position of the spindle detected by the displacement detector unit in the first forward-movement step becomes equal to or less than a predetermined contact determination threshold.