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US3854822A
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US
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Electro-optical scanning system for dimensional gauging of parts
Assignee: Shared Technologies Fairchild Telecom Inc
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Filing: 1973-06-27
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Granted: 1974-12-17
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Expires: 1993-06-27
Abstract
Abstract An electro-optical system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part to determine whether the part meets predetermined standards. The system includes a scanner having a sensitive face onto which is projected an image of the outline of the part being measured. Scan voltages for the scanner are developed by a scan generator to create a scan whose shape, position and length are controllable to define a scan path which traverses those edges of the image of the part outline which constitute the terminal points of a dimension to be measured, thereby causing the scanner to yield a video signal representing this dimension. The video signal acts to gate a clock generating pulses at a constant rate, so that the clock produces a train of pulses in the time interval between these terminal points. The number of pulses in the train is counted to produce a test count representing this time interval and this count is compared with a reference count stored in a register, the reference count representing the nominal value of the dimension being measured, the comparison resulting in an output signal indicating the disparity between the dimension measured and the nominal value thereof. Calibration means are provided to modify the scan voltages to correct for the optical and electronic non-linearities of the system with respect to each dimension measured.
Inventors
- 👤 N Altman
- 👤 M Dreyfus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:34
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C3/00; G07C3/14; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; G01B11/022; G01B11/24; G01B11/2433
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
309 words
An electro-optical scanning system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part and other fabricated objects and assemblies to determine whether the part meets predetermined manufacturing standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a light sensitive face; B. optical means including a fixed high intensity light source illuminating a part to be measured to project an outline of said part to be measured onto said face; C. a scan generator operatively coupled to said scanner to produce scan voltages generating a scan whose position and length are controllable to define a scan path which traverses those edges of the image of the part outline that constitute the terminal points of a dimension to be measured, whereby the scanner yields a video signal representing said dimension; D. an electronic clock generating periodic pulses at a constant rate; E. means to apply said video signal to said clock to gate the operation thereof to produce a train of pulses in the time interval between said terminal points; F. a counter coupled to said gated clock to count the number of pulses in said train to produce a test count representing said time interval; G. a reference-value storage register; H. an input information matrix coupled to said controllable scan generator and to said register to supply, in regard to each of the several part dimensions to be measured, information to said scan generator for producing a scan along a scan path appropriate to each part dimension and to supply to said register information regarding the counts appropriate to the nominal dimensions of each part dimension; and I. means comparing the test count yielded by the counter for each measuring scan with the reference count in said register representing the related nominal dimension, to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part dimension measured and the nominal dimension.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
309 words
An electro-optical scanning system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part and other fabricated objects and assemblies to determine whether the part meets predetermined manufacturing standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a light sensitive face; B. optical means including a fixed high intensity light source illuminating a part to be measured to project an outline of said part to be measured onto said face; C. a scan generator operatively coupled to said scanner to produce scan voltages generating a scan whose position and length are controllable to define a scan path which traverses those edges of the image of the part outline that constitute the terminal points of a dimension to be measured, whereby the scanner yields a video signal representing said dimension; D. an electronic clock generating periodic pulses at a constant rate; E. means to apply said video signal to said clock to gate the operation thereof to produce a train of pulses in the time interval between said terminal points; F. a counter coupled to said gated clock to count the number of pulses in said train to produce a test count representing said time interval; G. a reference-value storage register; H. an input information matrix coupled to said controllable scan generator and to said register to supply, in regard to each of the several part dimensions to be measured, information to said scan generator for producing a scan along a scan path appropriate to each part dimension and to supply to said register information regarding the counts appropriate to the nominal dimensions of each part dimension; and I. means comparing the test count yielded by the counter for each measuring scan with the reference count in said register representing the related nominal dimension, to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part dimension measured and the nominal dimension.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, further including reference means to modify said scan voltages to correct for the optical and electronic non-linearities of said system with respect to each dimension measured.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, further including a calibration grid, means to project in place of said part outline an image of said grid onto said face to produce an image thereof covering the entire field of view, to define a reference dimension for each of the dimensions to be measured, and means to compare the dimension to be measured with the related reference dimension to determine the differential error introduced by the optical and electronic non-linearities of the system and to correct the voltage produced by said generator to compensate therefor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means to project an image of said calibration grid in place of said part outline, is constituted by a beam splitter, means to direct an illuminated outline of said part onto one side of said splitter whereby one of the resultant beams is projected onto said face, and means to direct an illuminated image calibration grid onto the other side of said splitter, whereby one of the resultant beams is projected onto said face.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said scanner is constituted by an image dissector tube whose face is formed by a photocathode, said tube including vertical and horizontal deflection means responsive to said scanning voltages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said information matrix is formed by a mini-computer dedicated to said system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said matrix supplies information to said register regarding the tolerances of said dimensions to be measured, and said comparison means provides an output signal which indicates whether the dimension measured is acceptable with respect to the related tolerance or is to be rejected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said matrix supplies information to said register with respect to various levels for sorting by dimension, and said comparison means provides a signal indicative of the sorting level to which the measured dimension is applicable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
272 words
An electro-optical scanning system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part or other fabricated objects or assemblies to determine whether the part meets predetermined manufacturing standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a sensitive face; B. a two-dimensional calibration grid; C. optical means to project either an outline of said part onto said face or an image of said grid thereon which covers the entire field of view; D. a scan generator operatively coupled to said scanner to produce scan voltages generating a scan whose shape, position and length are controllable to define, when the calibration grid image is present, a scan which travels a vectorial path set up to duplicate the vectorial path required to measure a dimension of interest, and when the part outline is present, a scan which travels a vectorial path, whereby the scanner output in the one instance represents a calibration path, and in the other a dimension path; E. an electronic clock generating periodic pulses at a constant rate; F. means to count the number of pulses generated by the clock during the time required to scan said calibration path to produce a calibration count; G. correction means coupled to scan generator and responsive to said calibration count to modify said scan voltages to correct for the optical and electronic non-linearities of said system with respect to the dimension measured; H. means for determining the number of pulses generated by said clock during the time required to scan said dimension path to produce a test count; and I. means responsive to said test count to determine whether said dimension satisfies a manufacturing standard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
272 words
An electro-optical scanning system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part or other fabricated objects or assemblies to determine whether the part meets predetermined manufacturing standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a sensitive face; B. a two-dimensional calibration grid; C. optical means to project either an outline of said part onto said face or an image of said grid thereon which covers the entire field of view; D. a scan generator operatively coupled to said scanner to produce scan voltages generating a scan whose shape, position and length are controllable to define, when the calibration grid image is present, a scan which travels a vectorial path set up to duplicate the vectorial path required to measure a dimension of interest, and when the part outline is present, a scan which travels a vectorial path, whereby the scanner output in the one instance represents a calibration path, and in the other a dimension path; E. an electronic clock generating periodic pulses at a constant rate; F. means to count the number of pulses generated by the clock during the time required to scan said calibration path to produce a calibration count; G. correction means coupled to scan generator and responsive to said calibration count to modify said scan voltages to correct for the optical and electronic non-linearities of said system with respect to the dimension measured; H. means for determining the number of pulses generated by said clock during the time required to scan said dimension path to produce a test count; and I. means responsive to said test count to determine whether said dimension satisfies a manufacturing standard.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said correction means includes means responsive to said calibration count to correct the time required to traverse the test vectorial path so that the time agrees with the known distance established by the calibration vectorial path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said correction means includes means for resetting the origin of the coordinates electrically established by said scanner and said scan generator to coincide with the reference origin established by said grid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as set forth in claim 11, further including means for establishing known distances from said origin in the image plane and for displacing said scan so that it rests on the nominal position so determined in the image plane.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as set forth in claim 12, further including means for establishing the actuaL position of the displaced scan with reference to the reference position in the image plane, and means for correcting any difference between the position required for calibration of this displacement of the scan.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
258 words
An electro-optical scanning system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part and other fabricated objects and assemblies to determine whether the part meets predetermined manufacturing standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a light sensitive face; B. optical means including a fixed light source illuminating a part to be measured to project an outline of said part to be measured onto said face; C. a scan generator operatively coupled to said scanner to produce scan voltages generating a scan whose position and length are controllable to define a scan path which traverses those edges of the image of the part outline that constitute the terminal points of a dimension to be measured, whereby the scanner yields a video signal representing said dimension; D. means to derive from said video signal a test value indicative of said dimension; E. a reference-value storage register; F. an input information matrix coupled to said controllable scan generator and to said register to supply, in regard to each of the several part dimensions to be measured, information to said scan generator for producing a scan along a scan path appropriate to each part dimension and to supply to said register information regarding the reference values appropriate to the nominal dimensions of each part dimension; and G. means comparing the test value derived from said video signal for each measuring scan with the reference value in said register representing the related nominal dimension, to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part dimension measured and the nominal dimension.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
258 words
An electro-optical scanning system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part and other fabricated objects and assemblies to determine whether the part meets predetermined manufacturing standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a light sensitive face; B. optical means including a fixed light source illuminating a part to be measured to project an outline of said part to be measured onto said face; C. a scan generator operatively coupled to said scanner to produce scan voltages generating a scan whose position and length are controllable to define a scan path which traverses those edges of the image of the part outline that constitute the terminal points of a dimension to be measured, whereby the scanner yields a video signal representing said dimension; D. means to derive from said video signal a test value indicative of said dimension; E. a reference-value storage register; F. an input information matrix coupled to said controllable scan generator and to said register to supply, in regard to each of the several part dimensions to be measured, information to said scan generator for producing a scan along a scan path appropriate to each part dimension and to supply to said register information regarding the reference values appropriate to the nominal dimensions of each part dimension; and G. means comparing the test value derived from said video signal for each measuring scan with the reference value in said register representing the related nominal dimension, to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part dimension measured and the nominal dimension.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3224322A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-16 | 1978-06-17 | 1978-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-16 | 1982-06-17 | 1982-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-16 | 1986-06-17 | 1986-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |