Patent ID: 7168179

Claim:
A touch probe, including a casing that defines a longitudinal geometric axis, a movable arm-set, housed in the casing, an arm rigidly coupled to the movable arm-set with an end extending out of the casing, a feeler coupled to said end of the arm, and and electric switch adapted for detecting displacements of the movable arm-set with respect to the casing, and including at least a stationary contact and a movable contact, a housing enclosing said stationary contact and said movable contact and a contact protective fluid, and a mechanical transmission device adapted for transmitting displacements of the movable arm-set to the movable contact wherein the casing encloses a sealingly closed chamber, the housing of the electric switch lying at the interior of said sealingly closed chamber, said contact protective fluid being an inert gas that is present in the sealingly closed chamber.