Patent · US Expired

Non-contact method of obtaining dimensional information about an object

US5384717A · kind A · utility

65Cited by
13References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 23, 1992
Grant dateJan 24, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 23, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/24
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Circular reference features such as drilled holes are located in an area of a part such as a cylinder head, the surface of which is laser scanned to obtain scan data. The scan data provides height values of the part. Differences in height values are used to determine the points on scan lines which are boundary points of the circular holes. A first algorithm is used to estimate the contour and radius of each hole. A second algorithm provides a correction factor for the radius of each hole. The circular reference features are used for registering the part relative to a reference datum. Methods are provided that allow the accurate determination of the location of such reference features to within 0.01 mm. (0.0004 in.) from the scan data. The method may be utilized to create modified scan data to machine the part. The method may be utilized iteratively from different views of the part to obtain data which represents the part. Also, the method may be utilized iteratively on similar parts to detect minor differences between the parts.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.