US4315688A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electro-optical sensor systems for thread and hole inspection
Assignee: Great Lakes Intellectual Property Ltd
•
Filing: 1979-08-08
•
Granted: 1982-02-16
•
Expires: 1999-08-08
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for inspecting threaded objects and for determining the depth of blind holes. For inspecting threads, a light source is provided for illuminating threads of a threaded object. A lens forms an image of the illuminated threads. A detector having a light sensitive area sufficiently small to resolve the thread image is provided to detect the image and an output signal is produced in response to the incident image light. The output signal is analyzed to determine the quality of the threads. For determining the depth of a blind hole, a light source forms a spot on the bottom of a blind hole in an object and the lens forms an image of the spot. Means are provided to detect the spot image to produce an output signal responsive to the incident image light. Means are provided to analyze the output signal to determine hole depth.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy R. Pryor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/95; G01N21/954; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/22; G01B11/24; G01B11/2425; G01N21/952
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
Apparatus for inspecting threaded objects comprising: light source means for illuminating threads of a threaded object; lens means for forming an image of at least a portion of the threads of a threaded object illuminated by said light source means; means for detecting said image, said detecting means comprising a light sensitive member having a light sensitive area sufficiently small to resolve the individual threads in the image of the threads of an illuminated threaded object, said light sensitive member having an output signal responsive to light incident on said light sensitive area; and means for analyzing said output signal to determine the quality of the threads of the threaded object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus for inspecting threaded objects comprising: light source means for illuminating threads of a threaded object; lens means for forming an image of at least a portion of the threads of a threaded object illuminated by said light source means; means for detecting said image, said detecting means comprising a light sensitive member having a light sensitive area sufficiently small to resolve the individual threads in the image of the threads of an illuminated threaded object, said light sensitive member having an output signal responsive to light incident on said light sensitive area; and means for analyzing said output signal to determine the quality of the threads of the threaded object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light source means comprises an incandescent lamp.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the incandescent lamp comprises a filament.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the incandescent lamp comprises a clear glass envelope.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said light source means comprises lens means for focusing an image of at least a portion of said filament on at least a portion of the threads of a threaded object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a transparent protective member interposed between, on the one hand, a threaded object and, on the other hand, said light source means, said lens means, and said image detecting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of said light source means, said lens means, and said image detecting means are mounted in a housing, said transparent protective member forming a window in said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said image detecting means comprises a photodiode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said image detecting means comprises a mask member adjacent said image detecting means having an aperture sufficiently small to resolve the image of the threads of an illuminated threaded object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said mask aperture is curved to approximate the curvature of the thread image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said image forming lens means comprises a lens having a focal length of 50 to 150 mm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for locating a threaded object in a thread inspection location in which location the threads of the threaded object are illuminated by said light source means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said image forming lens means is located at least two inches away from the threads of a threaded object located in said threaded inspection location.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising means for providing relative motion between said threaded object and said image detecting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said relative motion means comprises a powered roller conveyor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said relative motion means comprises a driven conveyor belt.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising means for actuating said analyzing means when the threads of said threaded object are moved into said thread inspection location.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said actuating means comprises means for deactuating said analyzing means when the threads of said threaded object are moved out of said thread inspection location.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said actuating means comprises means for sensing the position of a threaded object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said actuating means comprises a plurality of said sensing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 for inspecting a plurality of discrete threaded holes in a unitary object comprising a plurality of thread sensing units, each of said thread sensing units comprising said light source means, said lens means, and said image detecting means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said thread sensing units are mounted in a common housing, said housing having a transparent protective member forming a window in said housing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 22 further comprising means for keeping said window clean.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said analyzing means comprises means for determining the number of said threads.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said light source means, said lens means, and said image detecting means are positioned on one side of said thread inspection location whereby the bright portions of the thread image are formed by light reflected from the flanks of the threads positioned in said thread inspection location.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
170 words
A method for inspecting threaded objects comprising: providing a sensor unit, said sensor unit comprising light source means for illuminating threads of a threaded object, lens means for forming an image of at least a portion of the threads of a threaded object illuminated by said light source means, and means for detecting said image, said detecting means comprising a light sensitive member having a light sensitive area sufficiently small to resolve the individual threads in the image of the threads of an illuminated threaded object, said light sensitive member having an output signal responsive to light incident on said light sensitive area; moving a threaded object relative to said sensor unit such that the light from said light source means illuminates said threads whereby an image of at least a portion of the threads illuminated by said light is formed by said lens means, and is incident upon said detecting means whereby said output signal is produced; and analyzing said output signal to determine the quality of said threads.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
170 words
A method for inspecting threaded objects comprising: providing a sensor unit, said sensor unit comprising light source means for illuminating threads of a threaded object, lens means for forming an image of at least a portion of the threads of a threaded object illuminated by said light source means, and means for detecting said image, said detecting means comprising a light sensitive member having a light sensitive area sufficiently small to resolve the individual threads in the image of the threads of an illuminated threaded object, said light sensitive member having an output signal responsive to light incident on said light sensitive area; moving a threaded object relative to said sensor unit such that the light from said light source means illuminates said threads whereby an image of at least a portion of the threads illuminated by said light is formed by said lens means, and is incident upon said detecting means whereby said output signal is produced; and analyzing said output signal to determine the quality of said threads.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 26 wherein said threaded object comprises a plurality of discrete threaded portions and wherein sad discrete threaded portions are moved sequentially relative to said sensor unit whereby a single sensor unit is utilized to inspect said plurality of discrete threaded portions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 26 further comprising the steps of initiating said output signal analysis substantially at the time that said thread image is first incident upon said light sensitive member and terminating said output signal analysis substantially at the time that said thread image is last incident upon said light sensitive member.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 28 including the step of sensing the position of the threaded object to initiate said output signal analysis and to initiate a timer for terminating said output signal analysis.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 28 wherein the steps of sensing the position of the threaded object at a first position to initiate said output signal analysis and sensing the position of the threaded object at a second position to terminate said output signal analysis.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for detecting the presence and for determining the depth of a blind hole comprising: light source means for projecting a spot of light onto the surface of an object and onto the bottom of a blind hole in said surface; lens means for forming an image of said spot of light; detector means for detecting said image, said detector means comprising a first light detector positioned to detect the image of said spot of light on said surface and a second light detector positioned to detect the image of said spot of light on the bottom of said blind hole, said first and second light detectors each having an output signal responsive to light incident thereon; and means for analyzing the output signal of said first light detector to determine the presence of said hole and for analyzing the output signal of said second light detector to determine the depth of said hole.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for detecting the presence and for determining the depth of a blind hole comprising: light source means for projecting a spot of light onto the surface of an object and onto the bottom of a blind hole in said surface; lens means for forming an image of said spot of light; detector means for detecting said image, said detector means comprising a first light detector positioned to detect the image of said spot of light on said surface and a second light detector positioned to detect the image of said spot of light on the bottom of said blind hole, said first and second light detectors each having an output signal responsive to light incident thereon; and means for analyzing the output signal of said first light detector to determine the presence of said hole and for analyzing the output signal of said second light detector to determine the depth of said hole.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said second light detector comprises a light sensitive element positioned to detect the image of said spot of light in the bottom of said blind hole, only in the event that the depth of a blind hole onto the bottom of which said spot is projected is at least a pre-determined depth.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
220 words
A method of detecting the presence of and for determining the depth of a blind hole in an object comprising: providing a sensor unit, said sensor unit comprising light source means for projecting a spot of light onto the surface of an object and onto the bottom of a blind hole in said surface, lens means for forming an image of said spot of light, and detector means for detecting said image, said detector means comprising a first light detector to detect the image of said spot of light on said surface and a second light detector positioned to detect the image of said spot of light on the bottom of said blind hole, said first and second light detectors each having an output signal responsive to light incident thereon; moving an object having a blind hole in a surface thereof relative to said light source whereby said spot of light is first incident upon said surface on one side of said blind hole then incident upon the bottom of said hole, and then incident upon said surface on the other side of said blind hole; analyzing the output signal of said first detector to determine the presence of said hole in said surface; and analyzing the output signal of said second detector to determine the depth of said hole.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
220 words
A method of detecting the presence of and for determining the depth of a blind hole in an object comprising: providing a sensor unit, said sensor unit comprising light source means for projecting a spot of light onto the surface of an object and onto the bottom of a blind hole in said surface, lens means for forming an image of said spot of light, and detector means for detecting said image, said detector means comprising a first light detector to detect the image of said spot of light on said surface and a second light detector positioned to detect the image of said spot of light on the bottom of said blind hole, said first and second light detectors each having an output signal responsive to light incident thereon; moving an object having a blind hole in a surface thereof relative to said light source whereby said spot of light is first incident upon said surface on one side of said blind hole then incident upon the bottom of said hole, and then incident upon said surface on the other side of said blind hole; analyzing the output signal of said first detector to determine the presence of said hole in said surface; and analyzing the output signal of said second detector to determine the depth of said hole.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3061731A
Cited
US3404282A
Cited
US3667846A
Cited
US3741656A
Cited
US3890049A
Cited
US3924953A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-02-15 | 1985-08-17 | 1986-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-02-15 | 1989-08-17 | 1990-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-02-15 | 1993-08-17 | 1994-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |