Patent ID: 8736817

Claim:
A chromatic range sensor (CRS) probe system capable of being automatically connected to a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) under program control, the CRS probe system comprising: an auto exchange joint element which is attachable through a standard auto exchange joint connection to a CMM; and a CRS probe assembly that is mounted to the auto exchange joint element, for automatic connection to the CMM through the auto exchange joint element, wherein: the CRS probe assembly comprises: an optical pen comprising a confocal optical path including a chromatically dispersive optics portion, the optical pen configured to focus different wavelengths at different distances along a measurement axis proximate to a workpiece surface to be measured; an electrically powered light source which receives electrical power transmitted through the auto exchange joint element and generates light originating in the CRS probe assembly, the light comprising an input spectral profile of wavelengths routed to the optical pen; and a CRS wavelength detector comprising a plurality of pixels distributed along a measurement axis of the CRS wavelength detector, the plurality of pixels receiving respective wavelengths and providing output spectral profile data; the CRS probe assembly is configured to receive power and control signals through the auto exchange joint connection; the CRS probe assembly is configured such that when the auto exchange joint element is attached to a CMM and the optical pen is operably positioned relative to a workpiece surface to perform measurement operations and the electrically powered light source generates the light, the optical pen inputs the input spectral profile, outputs corresponding radiation to the workpiece surface, receives reflected radiation from the workpiece surface, and outputs reflected radiation from the confocal optical path to provide an output spectral profile to the CRS wavelength detector, the output spectral profile comprising a distance-dependent profile component having a wavelength peak that indicates a measurement distance from the optical pen to the workpiece surface, and the CRS wavelength detector providing corresponding output spectral profile data; and the CRS probe assembly is configured to output measurement signals based on the output spectral profile data, the output measurement signals being indicative of a measurement distance to the workpiece surface.