Patent ID: 6637123
Filing Date: 2003-10-28
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring a contoured surface of a workpiece comprising:a housing comprising at least one bore; said at least one bore being adapted to slideably receive a plurality of contiguously aligned balls, wherein said at least one bore further comprises a proximal port and a distal port, and wherein said series of contiguously aligned balls includes a contour-contacting ball located at the proximal end of said at least one bore and an end ball residing at the distal end of said at least one bore; said contour-contacting ball having a portion extending outwardly from said bore at the distal port; said housing including at least one sensing element, said sensing element having a sensing end portion residing in the proximal end portion of said at least one bore and having an oppositely spaced data-transmitting end portion; said end ball being in mechanical and electrical contact with the sensing end portion of said sensing element; biasing means mounted in said at least one bore and being in mechanical and electrical contact with said sensing end portion and with said end ball; and said housing further including retaining means arranged to prevent escapement of said contour contacting ball from said at least one bore.