PURPOSE: To improve detection precision by leading numbers of optical fibers into a hollow spherical stylus tip part and holding at equal intervals, detecting the intensity of reflected light from a model at the base end side of the optical fibers, and performing arithmetic processing.
CONSTITUTION: Photoelectric conversion outputs of numbers of optical fibers 43 are checked by a computer such as a microcomputer all the time. Namely, which optical fiber and how large its photoelectric output is are read at constant intervals of time. Further, which point at the stylus tip part 41 is closest to the model 40 is calculated from the results of photoelectric outputs at respective points. The vector connecting the center of the stylus tip part 41 and the closest point is separated into an X, a Y, and a Z orthogonal components to obtain detection signals corresponding to an X, a Y, and a Z displacement signals.
ROTSUKAKU TADASHI
KAWADA NORIYUKI
