Patent ID: 7398603

Claim:
A distance measuring probe, comprising: at least one tube track; a tip extension for touching a surface of an object, the tip extension being linearly movable relative to the at least one tube track; at least one hollow tube partly received in the at least one tube track and linearly slidable in the at least one tube track, the at least one hollow tube defining a cavity for containing a flux of air, and being configured to be driven by the flux of air to push the tip extension to move; an air discharge system configured to eject at least part of the flux of air in the at least one hollow tube out of the at least one hollow tube; a linear measuring scale configured to display values of displacements of the tip extension, the linear measuring scale being fixed relative to one of the at least one tube track and the tip extension; and a displacement sensor configured to detect and read the displacement values of the tip extension displayed by the linear measuring scale, the displacement sensor being fixed relative to the other one of the at least one tube track and the tip extension.