Alignment Adjusting Mechanism for Probe Stylus Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional alignment adjusting mechanisms for probes in measuring instruments cause significant displacement of the stylus, making precise alignment adjustments challenging, especially when measuring small objects, and often require complex arrangements and microscope re-adjustments.
Innovation Solution
An alignment adjusting mechanism featuring an adjusting plate with inclined surfaces and restricted base displacement, allowing the stylus to remain on a line of intersection, minimizing displacement during adjustment and eliminating the need for complex goniostage arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional alignment adjusting mechanisms (pin-rotation or goniostage) are used to adjust probe alignment, then the probe alignment can be adjusted, but the stylus position undergoes large displacement requiring microscope re-adjustment and complicating operations
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment adjusting mechanism is segmented into independent components: an adjusting plate with inclined surfaces, adjustment connectors, and a base with restricted displacement. This segmentation allows the stylus to remain stationary while the adjusting plate rotates independently to change probe alignment, eliminating the need for microscope re-adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjusting plate with inclined surfaces acts as an intermediary between the rotation motion and the probe alignment. By placing the stylus on the line of intersection of the inclined surfaces, the intermediary structure ensures that rotation of the adjusting plate changes probe alignment without displacing the stylus position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional goniostage arrangements are used for alignment adjustment, then probe alignment can be adjusted, but the mechanism size increases making it difficult to control and manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the entire goniostage structure with the stylus, the invention inverts the approach by keeping the stylus stationary and rotating only the adjusting plate with inclined surfaces. This inversion dramatically reduces the volume of the moving object while maintaining full alignment adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses inclined surfaces in three-dimensional space to achieve alignment adjustment. By positioning the stylus on the line of intersection of two inclined surfaces and rotating the adjusting plate, alignment is adjusted in one dimension while the stylus remains fixed in all three dimensions.
3Ease of operation
If the base is allowed to displace freely during alignment adjustment, then the adjusting plate can rotate easily, but the stylus position changes requiring microscope re-adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The base is given a specific local quality of restricted displacement in the direction orthogonal to the inclined surfaces, while allowing rotation about the line of intersection. This localized constraint ensures that the stylus position remains stable during alignment adjustment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the displacement parameters of the base by restricting movement in one direction while permitting rotation in another. This parameter change allows the adjusting plate to rotate for alignment adjustment while maintaining constant stylus position coordinates.
Data Source
AI summary
An alignment mechanism includes: an adjusting plate having first and second adjustment ends parallel to an X axis direction; a probe fixing portion provided to the adjusting plate; a probe fixed to the probe fixing portion; a reinforcing plate having first and second base ends parallel to the X axis direction, displacement of the reinforcing portion in a Y axis direction being restricted; Y-direction adjusting screws for pressing the adjusting plate in the Y axis direction; and adjustment connectors for respectively connecting the first adjustment end with the first base end and the second adjustment end with the second base end. A stylus of the probe is disposed on a line of intersection of a first inclined surface including the first adjustment end and the first base end and a second inclined surface including the second adjustment end and the second base end.