US 7,543,394 B2
Exchanging device
Eckhard Enderle, Aalen (Germany); and Stefan André Binder, Oberkochen (Germany)
Assigned to Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH, Oberkochen (Germany)
Filed on Jan. 08, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/7,172.
Application 12/007172 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2006/008657, filed on Sep. 06, 2006.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2005 043 454 (DE), filed on Sep. 13, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2008/0134486 A1, Jun. 12, 2008
Int. Cl. G01B 7/008 (2006.01); G01B 5/008 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 33—503  [33/559; 403/328; 403/324; 403/325; 403/DIG. 1; 279/133; 279/137; 279/128; 279/125; 279/157] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A holding device for exchangeably holding a work element on a machine or a machine part, the holding device comprising:
a take-up holder including a first bearing part;
a counter piece releasably mountable on said take-up holder and including a second bearing part corresponding to said first bearing part to permit mounting said counter piece on said take-up holder;
a clamping device for generating a releasable clamping force between said first bearing part and said second bearing part when said counter piece is accommodated on said take-up holder;
a locking device including a first locking element mounted on said take-up holder and a second locking element mounted on said counter piece;
said first locking element and said second locking element being configured to mechanically couple said counter piece to said take-up holder while said counter piece is accommodated on said take-up holder;
said first locking element and said take-up holder conjointly defining a separation interface whereat said first locking element can separate from said take-up holder; and,
said locking device further including a securing mechanism for limiting a separation of said first locking element from said take-up holder at said separation interface to a pregiven distance whereby said counter piece remains connected to said take-up holder should said counter piece tend to separate from said take-up holder notwithstanding said clamping force.