Patent ID: 8294906

Claim:
A measuring head system for a coordinate measuring machine comprising: a scanning element having a part for contacting a measured object and including a contacting part, wherein the contacting part is moveable relative to a fixed measuring head base in a lateral x direction and a lateral y direction so that an object to be surveyed can be mechanically scanned with the scanning element; an optical sensor fixed on the measuring head base and having a readable sensor line including a multiplicity of sensor elements arranged continuously and substantially without interruption in series; means including at least one radiation source which are arranged for producing a projection that is dependent on displacements of the contacting part relative to the measuring head base on the sensor line, wherein the means further include a first mask element which is configured for producing a first partial projection on the sensor line in such a way that the first partial projection is optimized for determining an x and a y displacement in the x and y direction, respectively, of the contacting part relative to the measuring head base; and an evaluation unit, wherein the evaluation unit is configured for determining the x and the y displacement from signals generated only by one sensor line.