Method of constructing a 3-dimensional map of a measurable quantity using three dimensional coordinate measuring apparatus
US5412880A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 26, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 9, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 26, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B21/04
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A novel, portable coordinate measuring machine comprises a multi-jointed (preferably six joints) manually positionable measuring arm for accurately and easily measuring a volume, which in a preferred embodiment, comprises a sphere ranging from six to eight feet in diameter and a measuring accuracy of 2 Sigma.+-.0.005 inch. (It will be appreciated that "Sigma" means "one standard deviation".) In addition to the measuring arm, the present invention employs a controller (or serial box) which acts as the electronic interface between the arm and a host computer. The coordinate measuring machine of this invention is particularly useful in a novel method for constructing a 3-dimensional map of a measurable quantity (such as temperature, coating, thickness, density or the like) using an independent transducer located at the end of the measuring arm.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.