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US3782833A
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Method and apparatus for measuring area
Assignee: LAMBDA INSTR CO
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Filing: 1972-05-25
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-05-25
Abstract
Abstract To nondestructively measure the area of a relatively flat object, a length increment encoder controls the signals generated by a width sensing array as a scanning section containing the width sensing array is moved relative to a fixed reference over the object to be measured in a manner dependent on increments of length moved by the scanner and independent of the velocity of the scanner so that the signals from the width sensing array are integrated with respect to length, with the signals being accumulated in a counter to represent the area of the object. In one embodiment, an optical system provides an image of a line of width on the object being scanned, which image is reduced and projected onto a sensing array to improve the resolution of the area measuring instrument and to reduce its bulk.
Inventors
- 👤 W Biggs
- 👤 M Clegg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:39
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; G01B11/04; G01B11/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
A method of measuring the area of a substantially stationary object with a portable instrument having at least first and second portions movable with respect to each other without moving the object to a new location comprising the steps of: bringing the portable measuring instrument to the location where the stationary object to be measured is located; establishing a reference location with respect to the object by placing at least one part of said first portion of the measuring instrument at a position that is stationary with respect to the object; moving at least one part of the second portion with respect to the object while the part of the first portion is stationary with respect to the object and said object remains substantially stationary; sensing the distance the part of the second portion moves with respect to the part of the first portion and a dimension of the object that is transverse to the direction of motion of the part of the second portion; generating at least a first signal related to the distance moved by the part of the second portion and the dimension transverse to the direction moved; and obtaining a second signal representing the area of said object from said first signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
206 words
A method of measuring the area of a substantially stationary object with a portable instrument having at least first and second portions movable with respect to each other without moving the object to a new location comprising the steps of: bringing the portable measuring instrument to the location where the stationary object to be measured is located; establishing a reference location with respect to the object by placing at least one part of said first portion of the measuring instrument at a position that is stationary with respect to the object; moving at least one part of the second portion with respect to the object while the part of the first portion is stationary with respect to the object and said object remains substantially stationary; sensing the distance the part of the second portion moves with respect to the part of the first portion and a dimension of the object that is transverse to the direction of motion of the part of the second portion; generating at least a first signal related to the distance moved by the part of the second portion and the dimension transverse to the direction moved; and obtaining a second signal representing the area of said object from said first signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
A method according to claim 1 in which: the step of generating said first signal includes the steps of generating a third signal which is independent of the rate of motion of said part of said second portion with respect to said part of said first portion and dependent on the distance said part of said second portion moves with respect to said part of said first portion, and generating a fourth signal representing said dimension transverse to the direction moved; and the step of obtaining said second signal includes the step of obtaining said second signal from said third and fourth signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method According to claim 2 in which the step of obtaining said second signal representing the area of said object includes the step of periodically multiplying increments of said third signal by said fourth signal to obtain the integral of one of said third and fourth signals with respect to the other of said third and fourth signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
189 words
A method according to claim 2 in which: said step of generating a third signal which is independent of the rate of scanning includes the step of generating a plurality of different first-dimension increment signals each representing one increment of said distance; said step of generating a fourth signal representing a dimension transverse to said direction of motion at a plurality of locations along the object includes the step of generating a plurality of different second-dimension sets of signals with each set of signals being proportional to said dimension transverse to said direction of motion at the location of a different one of said increments of said distance moved; and said step of obtaining the second signal includes the steps of adding each of the second-dimension sets of signals, with the first-dimension increment signals and second-dimension sets of signals being dimensionally adjusted so that when the second-dimension sets of signals are added, they represent the sum of the products of each increment in the direction of motion and the second-dimension set of signals corresponding to that increment, whereby said sum represents the area of the object that is scanned.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of: forming an image of said dimension transverse to said direction of motion as said part of said second portion is moved with respect to said part of said first portion; and reducing said image in size; said step of generating said fourth signal comprising the step of generating a signal that is proportional to the size of said reduced image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 2 in which the step of generating a fourth signal comprises the steps of: transmitting light through an elongated slit extending in the direction of said dimension transverse to said direction of motion, and aligned with said object to form a line image; and projecting said image upon a light sensing array.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 2 in which the step of generating a fourth signal comprises the steps of: scanning the object in a direction transverse to said direction of motion with a flying spot to form a modulated beam of light; and sensing said modulated beam of light with at least one light sensitive element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
191 words
Apparatus for measuring the area of a substantially stationary object, comprising: a portable measuring instrument; said portable measuring instrument including first and second portions movable with respect to each other; said first portion including a part adapted to be positioned at a fixed location with respect to said substantially stationary object, whereby a reference location on said object is established; said second portion including a signal generating means for generating at least a first signal when said second portion is moved with respect to said part of said first portion while said object is substantially stationary in such a manner that said first signal is independent of the rate of moving said second portion with respect to said part of said first portion and related to a function of the distance between said part of said first portion and said second portion and a dimension of said object in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of said second portion with respect to said part; and calculator means for obtaining a second signal from said first signal representing the area of said object across which said second portion has moved.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
191 words
Apparatus for measuring the area of a substantially stationary object, comprising: a portable measuring instrument; said portable measuring instrument including first and second portions movable with respect to each other; said first portion including a part adapted to be positioned at a fixed location with respect to said substantially stationary object, whereby a reference location on said object is established; said second portion including a signal generating means for generating at least a first signal when said second portion is moved with respect to said part of said first portion while said object is substantially stationary in such a manner that said first signal is independent of the rate of moving said second portion with respect to said part of said first portion and related to a function of the distance between said part of said first portion and said second portion and a dimension of said object in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of said second portion with respect to said part; and calculator means for obtaining a second signal from said first signal representing the area of said object across which said second portion has moved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 in which: said signal generating means includes first-dimension signal generating means for generating a third signal when said second Portion is at different locations with respect to said first portion in such a manner that said third signal is independent of the rate of moving said second portion with respect to said first portion and second-dimension signal generating means for generating a fourth signal representing said dimension of said object in said direction transverse to said direction of motion; and said calculator means includes means for obtaining a second signal representing the area of said object from said third and fourth signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 in which: one of said third and fourth signals is a length signal and the other is a width signal; said first-dimension signal generating means includes means for generating one of a different length signal and a different width signal at each of certain predetermined increments of motion; said second-dimension signal generating means includes means for generating the other of a different length signal and a different width signal at each of said certain predetermined increments; and said calculator means includes means for adding the product of the width and length signals at each of said increments to provide an integral of one of said dimensions with respect to the other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 in which: said means for generating one of a different length signal and different width signal includes means for generating one pulse at each dimensional unit of motion of said second portion with respect to said part of said first portion; said means for generating the other of a different length signal and different width signal includes means for generating a number of pulses equal to the dimension transverse to the direction of motion in the same dimensional system as said dimensional unit of motion; and said calculator means is an accumulator for adding the pulses from said means for generating the other of a different length signal and different width signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 in which: said first portion includes an elongated member; said part of said first portion comprises one end of said elongated member; and said first-dimension signal generating means includes at least a portion of said elongated member and means cooperating with said elongated member to generate pulses as said elongated member moves within the said second portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 in which said second-dimension signal generating means includes: a source of light; means for directing light from said source of light against said object; and light sensitive means for generating a number of electrical pulses proportional to the dimension transverse to the direction of motion at said dimensional units in response to the effect of said object of said light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 in which said means for directing light comprises a flying spot scanner.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 in which: said means for directing light comprises a surface which is opaque to at least one frequency of light positioned between said source of light and said light sensitive means; said surface having internal walls defining a slit that transmits said one frequency of light extending in the direction of said dimension transverse to said motion; said slit being sufficiently long to extend beyond the edges of the object; and said surface being connected for movement with said second portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 in which said source of light comprises light-emitting diodes.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |