US 11,904,426 B2
Non-contact tool measurement apparatus
Julian Alexander Cluff, Chipping Sodbury (GB); Graham Richard Ferguson, Stroud (GB); Harry Alan Leafe, Bath (GB); and William Ernest Lee, Nailsworth (GB)
Assigned to RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-under-Edge (GB)
Filed by RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-under-Edge (GB)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/975,254.
Application 17/975,254 is a continuation of application No. 17/274,728, granted, now 11,511,384, previously published as PCT/GB2019/052826, filed on Oct. 7, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 18199443 (EP), filed on Oct. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0046452 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B23Q 17/24 (2006.01); G01B 11/02 (2006.01); G01V 8/12 (2006.01)
CPC B23Q 17/2485 (2013.01) [G01B 11/02 (2013.01); G01V 8/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-contact tool measurement apparatus for a machine tool, comprising;
a transmitter comprising a first aperture and a first laser for generating a first light beam, the first light beam being emitted from the transmitter through the first aperture towards a tool-sensing region,
a receiver comprising a second aperture and an optical detector for detecting received light, the receiver being arranged to receive the first light beam from the tool-sensing region, the received first light beam passing to the optical detector through the second aperture, and
the transmitter and receiver being arranged such that the first light beam emitted by the transmitter passes to the receiver via the tool-sensing region, a tool located in the tool-sensing region thereby occluding the emitted first light beam and the first light beam passing from the transmitter to the receiver when no tool is present in the tool sensing region,
wherein the transmitter comprises a second light source for generating a second light beam having a wavelength that is different to the wavelength of the first light beam, and
wherein the transmitter is configured so that the second light beam is substantially coincident with the first light beam.