US5617645A — Non-contact precision measurement system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 142 words

A precision measurement system for measuring the surface profile of an object, said system comprising: a linearly displaceable carriage including non-contacting means for measuring a distance between said carriage means and said object and generating a signal indicative thereof; means for generating a laser beam as a baseline; means, associated with said carriage means, for detecting said baseline along a length of said object and measuring deviation of said carriage means from said baseline along said length and generating a deviation profile thereof; and means for receiving said distance signal and said deviation profile and calculating a value representative of a true surface profile of said object, whereby said surface profile of said object is determined from addition of said deviation profile to said surface distances in which deviation in travel of said carriage means from a straight line is compensated for.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 142 words

A precision measurement system for measuring the surface profile of an object, said system comprising: a linearly displaceable carriage including non-contacting means for measuring a distance between said carriage means and said object and generating a signal indicative thereof; means for generating a laser beam as a baseline; means, associated with said carriage means, for detecting said baseline along a length of said object and measuring deviation of said carriage means from said baseline along said length and generating a deviation profile thereof; and means for receiving said distance signal and said deviation profile and calculating a value representative of a true surface profile of said object, whereby said surface profile of said object is determined from addition of said deviation profile to said surface distances in which deviation in travel of said carriage means from a straight line is compensated for.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said baseline is substantially parallel to said object to be measured.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 2 wherein said non-contacting means utilizes a triangulation sensor to determine said distance to said object.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The system of claim 3 further comprising means for transversing said carriage means adjacent to a surface of said object and sampling said baseline deviation and said surface distance at a plurality of points on said object to create said profiles.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 4 wherein said surface profile is determined in realtime from said baseline deviation profile and said surface distance samples as said detector passes along said object.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 5 wherein an instantaneous surface profile at any point on said object is equal to said baseline deviation and said surface distance at said point.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

The system of claim 6 wherein said transversing means includes a linear positioner and wherein said detecting means and said measuring means are attached to said linear positioner for travel adjacent to said object surface.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 13 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said measuring means is a laser sensor.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 8 further comprising means for uploading said baseline deviation and said surface distance samples to a database.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 9 further comprising means for adjusting a rate of sampling along said object surface in order to provide varying levels of precision in said system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 10 wherein said linear positioner and said generating means are affixed to a rigid frame.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 97 words

The system of claim 11 further comprising a second laser baseline located on an opposite side of said object from said baseline, a second detecting means disposed along a path of said second baseline, and a second laser sensor mounted adjacent to said second detecting means, said second detecting means and said second laser measuring both a baseline deviation profile and a surface distance on said opposite side of said object at points common with said baseline and detecting means such that two surface profiles of said object are measured on two opposite sides of said object.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system of claim 12 further comprising means for determining a caliper of said object from said baseline deviations and said surface distances sampled at common points along opposing sides of said object.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 13 wherein said second baseline is substantially parallel to said first baseline.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 10 further comprising means for attaching said linear positioner to said object.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 45 words

The system of claim 15 wherein said attaching means includes fixtures located adjacent opposite ends of said positioner for supporting said positioner on said object surface and wherein said detector and said laser sensor are suspended between said fixtures for passage along said object surface.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 73 words

A method for non-contact, precision measurement of a surface profile comprising the steps of: generating a baseline laser beam; detecting a deviation profile between said laser beam and a measuring device along the length of said surface; measuring a distance profile between said measuring device and a surface along the length of said surface; and adding said baseline deviation profile and said surface distance profile to obtain a measurement of said surface profile.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 73 words

A method for non-contact, precision measurement of a surface profile comprising the steps of: generating a baseline laser beam; detecting a deviation profile between said laser beam and a measuring device along the length of said surface; measuring a distance profile between said measuring device and a surface along the length of said surface; and adding said baseline deviation profile and said surface distance profile to obtain a measurement of said surface profile.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of: detecting said baseline laser beam at a plurality of points along said surface; measuring deviation between said measuring device and said baseline at each of said points; measuring a surface distance at each of said points; and adding said deviations and said surface distances at each of said points to determine said surface profile.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 18 wherein said baseline laser beam extends parallel to said surface.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 100 words

A method for measuring object caliper comprising the steps of: generating a pair of parallel laser beams on opposite sides of an object; passing a pair of detectors along opposite sides of said object and detecting deviation profiles between said detectors and said laser beams along the length of said object; then measuring a distance profile between each detector and said object along the length of said object; and adding said deviation profiles and said distance profile at common points on said object and subtracting from a known distance between said detectors to determine a realtime thickness of said object.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 100 words

A method for measuring object caliper comprising the steps of: generating a pair of parallel laser beams on opposite sides of an object; passing a pair of detectors along opposite sides of said object and detecting deviation profiles between said detectors and said laser beams along the length of said object; then measuring a distance profile between each detector and said object along the length of said object; and adding said deviation profiles and said distance profile at common points on said object and subtracting from a known distance between said detectors to determine a realtime thickness of said object.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 106 words

A method of aligning first and second objects in parallel comprising the steps of: generating a first laser beam as a baseline; splitting said baseline to produce a second laser beam, said second beam being substantially perpendicular to said baseline and substantially parallel to said first object; generating a third laser beam in parallel with said second beam and being substantially parallel to said second object; measuring deviation between said second beams and third beam and said first and second objects respectively; and adjusting relative positions of said first and second objects until said deviations between said objects and said second and third beam are equal.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 106 words

A method of aligning first and second objects in parallel comprising the steps of: generating a first laser beam as a baseline; splitting said baseline to produce a second laser beam, said second beam being substantially perpendicular to said baseline and substantially parallel to said first object; generating a third laser beam in parallel with said second beam and being substantially parallel to said second object; measuring deviation between said second beams and third beam and said first and second objects respectively; and adjusting relative positions of said first and second objects until said deviations between said objects and said second and third beam are equal.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of measuring said deviation at a plurality of points along each of said objects; and adjusting a position of said objects so that said deviations at said points are equal.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 79 words

A precision measurement system for aligning an object, said system comprising: means for generating a laser beam as a baseline; means for splitting said baseline to produce a second laser beam substantially perpendicular to said baseline; means for measuring deviations between said second laser beam and an object at a plurality of points on said object; and means for adjusting a position of said object so that said deviations are equal, thereby aligning said object perpendicular to said baseline.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 79 words

A precision measurement system for aligning an object, said system comprising: means for generating a laser beam as a baseline; means for splitting said baseline to produce a second laser beam substantially perpendicular to said baseline; means for measuring deviations between said second laser beam and an object at a plurality of points on said object; and means for adjusting a position of said object so that said deviations are equal, thereby aligning said object perpendicular to said baseline.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 118 words

A precision measurement system for aligning first and second objects in parallel, said system comprising: means for generating a laser as a baseline; means for splitting said baseline to produce a second laser, said second laser being substantially perpendicular to said baseline and substantially parallel to said first object; generating a third laser beam in parallel with said second beam and being substantially parallel to said second object; means for measuring deviations between said second laser and said first object and said third laser and said second object at a plurality of points on said objects; and means for adjusting a relative position of said objects so that said deviations are equal, thereby aligning said objects in parallel.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 118 words

A precision measurement system for aligning first and second objects in parallel, said system comprising: means for generating a laser as a baseline; means for splitting said baseline to produce a second laser, said second laser being substantially perpendicular to said baseline and substantially parallel to said first object; generating a third laser beam in parallel with said second beam and being substantially parallel to said second object; means for measuring deviations between said second laser and said first object and said third laser and said second object at a plurality of points on said objects; and means for adjusting a relative position of said objects so that said deviations are equal, thereby aligning said objects in parallel.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 43 words

A system for non-contact precision measurement of a surface profile comprising: means for generating a laser beam as a baseline; and means for measuring deviations between said baseline and a measuring device wherein said deviation measurements compensate for mechanical inaccuracy in said system.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 43 words

A system for non-contact precision measurement of a surface profile comprising: means for generating a laser beam as a baseline; and means for measuring deviations between said baseline and a measuring device wherein said deviation measurements compensate for mechanical inaccuracy in said system.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-04-07	2000-10-07	2001-04-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-04-07	2004-10-07	2005-04-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-04-07	2008-10-07	2009-04-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Non-contact precision measurement system

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag