Patent ID: 8112896

Claim:
An articulated arm CMM comprising: an articulated arm comprising a plurality of transfer members, a plurality of articulation members connecting at least two transfer members to each other, a coordinate acquisition member at a distal end, and a base at a proximal end; at least two encoders mounted within the articulation members each encoder configured to measure rotation and comprising at least one read head at least one pattern, the at least two encoders comprising a first encoder and a second encoder; and at least one monoblock housing configured such that the at least two encoders are positioned within a single monoblock housing, the single monoblock housing defining at least two axes of rotation between at least two transfer members, the first encoder positioned along a first of at least two axes to measure rotation about a first axis of rotation and the second encoder positioned along a second of the at least two axes to measure rotation about a second axis of rotation.