Spring-Connected Probe for Optical Measurement Force Detection

The patent removes the active infrared light sources from the measuring device, extracting the harmful heat-generating component while retaining the optical marker function. Passive markers reflect ambient or projected light without generating heat, thereby eliminating thermal expansion errors while maintaining position detectability through the camera system.

The patent employs passive optical markers instead of active infrared LEDs. These passive markers are simpler, generate no heat, and serve the same positional tracking function without the drawbacks of active light sources. The system may use projected light patterns or ambient light to illuminate these passive markers for camera detection.

The patent implements feedback through the spring element that continuously monitors the force applied to the probe head. When the probe contacts the workpiece, the spring compresses and provides tactile feedback to the user, allowing them to sense when a measuring point has been captured without needing to press a button. This eliminates the dual-action problem of button pressing while maintaining operational simplicity.

The measuring device serves itself by using the spring element to automatically detect and signal measuring point capture through tactile feedback. The system does not require external button actuation or electronic triggering - the physical interaction between probe and workpiece directly generates the feedback signal through spring compression, making the system self-regulating and eliminating user-induced errors.

The patent uses the spring element as an intermediary mechanical component that translates probing force into measurable displacement. Instead of adding electronic sensors to directly measure force, the spring acts as a mechanical mediator that converts force into position changes, which can be detected by the existing optical camera system through marker displacement, thereby avoiding additional complex sensing hardware.

The patent replaces electronic force sensing with a mechanical spring-displacement system. The spring element provides a known mechanical relationship between force and displacement (Hooke's Law), allowing force determination through optical measurement of marker position changes rather than direct electronic force sensing. This substitutes complex electronic sensing with simple mechanical principles and existing optical capabilities.