US3659949A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser beam systems and apparatus for detecting and measuring parametric deviations between surfaces and the like
Assignee: Technidyne Inc
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Filing: 1970-04-20
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Granted: 1972-05-02
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Expires: 1990-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A deviation detection and measuring system and apparatus are provided for determining the proper generation of roadbed surfaces and the like in which a laser beam is projected from each side of an ambulatory road grader onto retro-reflective targets of predetermined configuration adjacent to the roadbed, said targets having a known orientation with respect to the ultimately desired dimensions and orientation of the roadbed. Detection devices on the grader detect the laser beams reflected from the target configurations and effectuate a readout such that the current dimensional parameters of the roadbed are determined and compared with the ultimately desired dimensional parameters thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert R Walsh
- 👤 Martin A Apostolico
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:17
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01C; E01C19/00; E01C19/004; E01C19/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
Measuring means determining the deviation of a line parameter of a given planar surface from a like line parameter of a desired planar surface proximate thereto, said means comprising: laser beam generating means projecting first and second laser beams in substantially opposed, predetermined, relative orientation at known given vertical displacements from said given surface; first and second retro-reflective target means mounted on either side of said given surface at a known orientation with a known line parameter of said desired surface for substantially simultaneous impingement, respectively, by said first and second laser beams; said target means having areas of retro-reflective material thereon in a predetermined pattern functionally related to the deviation between said like line parameters and effecting retro-reflections of a laser beaM impinged thereon and traversing same, modulated as a function of said deviation; ambulatory means mounting and moving said generating means across said given surface substantially orthogonally of said known line parameter of said desired surface and constraining said laser beams to sweep across said target means to produce retro-reflections therefrom modulated as a function of said deviation; detector means mounted on said ambulatory means immediately adjacent said generator means receiving said retro-reflections of said beams from said target means and providing an output signal indicative of the occurrence of said retro-reflections; reference generator means providing a reference signal having a value functionally related to the movement of said generator means and said laser beams across said given surface and said target means; and correlating means receiving said detector output signal and said reference signal and deriving an error signal therefrom having a value representative of said deviation between said line parameters.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
Measuring means determining the deviation of a line parameter of a given planar surface from a like line parameter of a desired planar surface proximate thereto, said means comprising: laser beam generating means projecting first and second laser beams in substantially opposed, predetermined, relative orientation at known given vertical displacements from said given surface; first and second retro-reflective target means mounted on either side of said given surface at a known orientation with a known line parameter of said desired surface for substantially simultaneous impingement, respectively, by said first and second laser beams; said target means having areas of retro-reflective material thereon in a predetermined pattern functionally related to the deviation between said like line parameters and effecting retro-reflections of a laser beaM impinged thereon and traversing same, modulated as a function of said deviation; ambulatory means mounting and moving said generating means across said given surface substantially orthogonally of said known line parameter of said desired surface and constraining said laser beams to sweep across said target means to produce retro-reflections therefrom modulated as a function of said deviation; detector means mounted on said ambulatory means immediately adjacent said generator means receiving said retro-reflections of said beams from said target means and providing an output signal indicative of the occurrence of said retro-reflections; reference generator means providing a reference signal having a value functionally related to the movement of said generator means and said laser beams across said given surface and said target means; and correlating means receiving said detector output signal and said reference signal and deriving an error signal therefrom having a value representative of said deviation between said line parameters.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said measuring means further comprises readout means receiving said error signal from said correllating means and providing a visual readout of the value of said deviation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said detector means comprises first and second detector devices receiving, respectively, said retro-reflections from said first and second target means and producing representative output signals; and wherein said correlating means comprises first and second correlating devices receiving, respectively, said representative output signals from said first and second detector devices and said reference signal, and deriving, respectively, first and second error signals having values respectively representative of the said deviation of said line parameters at the locations of said first and second target means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein each of said target means comprises a V-shaped retro-reflective pattern having its apex at a known vertical displacement from said desired line parameter, and having its axis of symmetry vertically disposed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein each of said target means comprises a V-shaped retro-reflective pattern having its apex at a known vertical displacement from said desired line parameter, and having its axis of symmetry vertically disposed; and wherein said retro-reflective pattern comprises first and second retro-reflective, rectilinear areas substantially defining the letter V.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said reference generator means includes means constraining said reference signal to define the distance traversed over said given surface by said laser beams during any given interval of time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein each of said target means comprises a V-shaped retro-reflective pattern having its apex at a known vertical displacement from said desired line parameter, and having its axis of symmetry vertically disposed; and wherein said retro-reflections from each said target means define the interval of impingement of said laser beams on the respectively associated ones of said target means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
87 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said reference signal defines the distance traversed over said given surface by said laser beams during any given interval of time; wherein each of said target means comprises a V-shaped retro-reflective pattern having its apex at a known vertical displacement from said desired line parameter, and having its axis of symmetry vertically disposed; and wherein said retro-reflections from each said target means define the interval of impingement of said laser beams on the respectively associated ones of said target means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein each of said target means comprises a V-shaped retro-reflective pattern having its apex at a known vertical displacement from said desired line paraMeter, and having its axis of symmetry vertically disposed; and wherein said retro-reflective pattern comprises first and second retro-reflective, rectilinear areas substantially defining the letter V; wherein said retro-reflections from each of said target means comprise first and second retro-reflected pulses applied to said detector means at the initiation and termination, respectively, of the interval of time each said beam is impinging said V-shaped pattern of its respectively associated target; and wherein said reference signal applied to said correlating means comprises a train of reference pulses in which each pulse is representative of a known increment of travel of said laser beams across said given surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
150 words
The invention defined in claim 9, wherein said detector means comprises first and second detector devices contrained by said first and second retro-reflected pulses to provide ON and OFF output signals defining said interval of time for each of said target means; and wherein said correlating means includes first and second gate means receiving said reference pulses and said ON and OFF output signals from said first and second detector devices, respectively, said gate means being contrained to transmit said reference pulses therethrough in response to said ON signal and preclude such transmission in response to said OFF signal, and first and second counting means, receiving said transmitted reference pulses from said first and second gate means, respectively, deriving pulse counts representative of said deviation of the line parameter of said given surface from the line parameter of said desired surface at the location of each of said target means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention defined in claim 10, wherein said counting means includes visual readout means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said ambulatory means comprises a road grader having a frame, drive wheels on said frame at one end thereof and dirigible wheels on said frame at the other end thereof riding on said given surface; and wherein said laser beam generating means is mounted on said frame in close proximity with said drive wheels such that said first and second laser beams are projected orthogonally of the path of travel of said drive wheels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said ambulatory means comprises a road grader having a frame, drive wheels on said frame at one end thereof and dirigible wheels on said frame at the other end thereof riding on said given surface; and wherein said laser beam generating means is mounted on said frame in close proximity with said drive wheels such that said first and second laser beams are projected orthogonally of the path of travel of said drive wheels; and further, wherein said reference generator means comprises a tachometer generator driven by said dirigible wheels.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said detector means comprises first and second photo-responsive means differentially receiving ambient illumination and said retro-reflections of said first and second laser beams, respectively, each said photo-responsive means including optical means transmitting a respectively associated one of said laser beams therethrough and having a photosensitive detecting device substantially surrounding the said associated one of said laser beams.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
The invention defined in claim 14, wherein each of said photo-responsive means further includes an additional photosensitive device out of the path of said associated one of said laser beams and receiving only ambient illumination; and wherein said photosensitive devices are connected in a differential detector circuit to provide said detector means with selective response to retro-reflections of said laser beams and preclude spurious response to ambient illumination.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-02 | 1975-11-01 | 1976-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-02 | 1979-11-01 | 1980-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-02 | 1983-11-01 | 1984-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |