Patent ID: 7178253

Claim:
A coordinate measuring device having a probe comprising: a stylus ( 14 ) with a sensing member ( 18 ) for contacting an object ( 15 ) to be measured; elastic means ( 19 ) including two spaced-apart spring members ( 52 ), each spring member having a central portion, a circumferential ring portion, and at least one leaf spring ( 41 ) extending between the central portion and the circumferential ring portion, wherein each spring member further comprises conductive material; a support unit ( 13 ) to which the stylus ( 14 ) is connected through said elastic means ( 19 ), wherein a flexibility of the at least one leaf spring of each spring member provides an elastic connection between the support unit and the stylus; and magnet means ( 46 ) incorporated within a plate of nonmagnetic material and appearing on surfaces at both sides of the plate of nonmagnetic material, wherein the plate of nonmagnetic material has a circular shape of a same diameter as each of the spring members and has a hole in a central part thereof for passage of the stylus ( 14 ) there-through, said plate further having a circumferential ring shaped thick portion that comprises a thickness greater than a thickness of a remainder portion of the plate, wherein the circumferential ring shaped thick portion provides a predetermined distance between each of the two spring members and the plate, wherein the plate is located between the two spaced-apart spring members ( 52 ), and wherein said magnet means ( 46 ) are further for damping vibrations of the stylus ( 14 ) by generating eddy currents in the conductive material of each leaf spring of said elastic means.