On-machine inspection systems

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling the relative positioning of a machine moveable member and a workpiece in accordance with a desired mode of operation in response to input data, comprising means responsive to said input data to direct the mode of operation desired, means responsive to said input data to move said machine moveable member toward a commanded position, means for producing an error signal indicating the difference between said commanded position and the actual position of said machine moveable member, probe means with deflectable sensing means mounted for movement with said machine moveable member toward said commanded position, said probe means providing an output signal commensurate with the amount its sensing means is deflected from a prescribed null position by said object, switching means operative in response to said error signal indicating that the moveable member has substantially reached a commanded position or to said probe output signal having substantially reached a null position whichever first occurs to effect further movement of the machine moveable member in response to the output of said probe means until the probe means null position is attained, and means for storing data to provide stored data representing the deviation between the position represented by said commanded position and the actual machine position effected responsive to the output of said probe means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means operative in response to input data identifying a predetermined mode of operation to initiate repositioning of the machine moveable member as directed by said command data in combination with said stored data.

Claim 4

An on-machine inspection system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for directing the mode of operation comprises means for effecting a plurality of inspection cycles in response to preselected input codes and means for identifying with the particular inspection cycle the respective stored deviation data representing the deviations between positions represented by command data and those effected under probe means control.

Claim 5

An on-machine inspection system as defined in claim 3, wherein the input data includes limit information indicating permissible limits of deviation, means for comparing said limit information with said data representing deviations, and means to effect storage of said data only when the deviation exceeds said permissible limits.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4, including means operative in response to preselected input codes to initiate remachining of a part under control of further command data in combination with the stored data representing deviations.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means responsive to an output signal from the probe means and operative when the output thereof exceeds a predetermined limit to terminate further machine movement.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including further means operative to terminate machine movement after the machine has attained the commanded position and when the deviation between the commanded position and the actual position exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling the relative position of two objects in response to input data wherein one of said objects is a machine moveable member adapted to perform operations on the other object, means responsive to said input data to direct the mode of operation desired, means responsive to said input data to move said machine moveable member toward a commanded position, means for providing an error signal indicating the difference between said commanded position and the actual position of said machine moveable member, probe means mounted on one of said objects for sensing the relative position of said objects to provide sensing signals, switching means operative in response to said error signal indicating that said moveable member has substantially reached a commanded position or said sensing signals having substantially reached a predetermined value whichever event first occurs to switch control from said input data to said sensing signals, and thereafter to respond to said sensing signals to effect further relative positioning of said objects until said sensing signals have reached a given value, and utilization means responsive to said sensing signals at the instant of said switching and to said sensing signals having reached said given value.

Claim 10

Apparatus for controlling the relative position of two objects in response to input data wherein one of said objects is a machine moveable member adapted to perform operations on the other object, means responsive to said input data to direct the mode of operation desired, means responsive to said input data to move said machine moveable member toward a commanded position, means for providing an error signal indicating the difference between said commanded position and the actual position of said machine moveable member, probe means mounted on one of said objects for sensing the relative position of said objects to provide sensing signals, switching means operative in response to said error signal indicating that said moveable member has substantially reached a commanded position or said sensing signals having substantially reached a predetermined value whichever event first occurs to switch control from said input data to said sensing signals, and thereafter to respond to said sensing signals to effect further relative positioning of said objects until said sensing signals have reached a given value, and utilization means responsive to said sensing signals at the instant of said switching and to said sensing signals having reached said given value.

Claim 13

The method defined in claim 9, including the step of selectively comparing said data representing deviations with prescribed limits and storing the data representing said deviation only when it exceeds said limits.

Claim 14

The method defined in claim 9, wherein said sensing of deviation comprises driving the machine moveable member under control of said command data until the position represented by said command data is substantially attained, sensing the position of said part to provide a sensing signal and thereafter driving the machine under control of said sensing signal, and generating a signal representing the distance traversed by the machine moveable member while under control of said sensing signal.

Claim 15

The method defined in claim 9, wherein said sensing of deviation comprises driving the machine moveable member under control of said command data and sensing the position of said part, and thereafter generating a signal representing the deviation between the position represented by the command data and the actual position of the member as sensed.

Claim 16

Apparatus for controlling the machining of a part by a machine moveable member comprising means for moving said member for predetermined distances along desired coordinate axes, a positional transducer for indicating the position of said member along each of said coordinate axes from a reference position, a feeler transducer providing an output signal having a given value until a part is contacted thereby, and then an output signal which progressively changes to a different value as the transducer progressively engages said part, means for supporting said feeler transducer by said member, means responsive to applied commanded position data for positioning said member and supported transducer, means for producing an error signal indicating the difference between said commanded position and the actual position of said machine moveable member, means responsive to said error signal indicating that said member has reached said commanded position to effect further positioning of said member and transducer in response to said transducer output signal, until said transducer output signal attains said different value, means for storing data representing the deviation between the position indicated by said different positional transducers at the different value condition of said transducer output signal and the condition corresponding to said commanded position, and means for further machining said part under control of further applied commanded position data in combination with said stored deviation data.

Claim 17

Apparatus for controlling the machining of a part by a machine moveable member comprising means for moving said member for predetermined distances along desired coordinate axes, a positional transducer for indicating the position of said member along each of said coordinate axes from a reference position, a feeler transducer providing an output signal having a given value until a part is contacted thereby, and then an output signal which progressively changes to a different value as the transducer progressively engages said part, means for supporting said feeler transducer by said member, means responsive to applied commanded position data for positioning said member and supported transducer, means for producing an error signal indicating the difference between said commanded position and the actual position of said machine moveable member, means responsive to said error signal indicating that said member has reached said commanded position to effect further positioning of said member and transducer in response to said transducer output signal, until said transducer output signal attains said different value, means for storing data representing the deviation between the position indicated by said different positional transducers at the different value condition of said transducer output signal and the condition corresponding to said commanded position, and means for further machining said part under control of further applied commanded position data in combination with said stored deviation data.

Claim 18

Apparatus for controlling the machining of a part by a machine moveable member comprising means for moving said member for predetermined distances along desired coordinate axes, a positional transducer for indicating the position of said member along each of said coordinate axes from a reference position, a sensing transducer providing an output signal having a first value until a part is remotely detected thereby, and then an output signal which changes to a seCond value as a function of the distance separating said transducer and part, means for supporting said feeler transducer by said member, means responsive to applied commanded position data for positioning said member and supported transducer, means responsive to said positional transducers indicating said member has reached said commanded position or said sensing transducer providing an output signal having a value representing a predetermined distance between the distances represented by said first and second values, whichever event first occurs, to effect further positioning of said member and transducer in response to said transducer output signal, until said transducer output signal attains said second value, means for storing data representing the deviation between the position indicated by said different positional transducers at the different value condition of said transducer output signal and the condition corresponding to said commanded position, and means for further machining said part under control of further applied commanded position data in combination with said stored deviation data.

Claim 19

Apparatus for controlling the machining of a part by a machine moveable member comprising means for moving said member for predetermined distances along desired coordinate axes, a positional transducer for indicating the position of said member along each of said coordinate axes from a reference position, a sensing transducer providing an output signal having a first value until a part is remotely detected thereby, and then an output signal which changes to a seCond value as a function of the distance separating said transducer and part, means for supporting said feeler transducer by said member, means responsive to applied commanded position data for positioning said member and supported transducer, means responsive to said positional transducers indicating said member has reached said commanded position or said sensing transducer providing an output signal having a value representing a predetermined distance between the distances represented by said first and second values, whichever event first occurs, to effect further positioning of said member and transducer in response to said transducer output signal, until said transducer output signal attains said second value, means for storing data representing the deviation between the position indicated by said different positional transducers at the different value condition of said transducer output signal and the condition corresponding to said commanded position, and means for further machining said part under control of further applied commanded position data in combination with said stored deviation data.