US3886372A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Producing signals denoting location of edges of a finished surface on a partly finished workpiece
Assignee: Saab Wood AB
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Filing: 1974-02-25
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1994-02-25
Abstract
Abstract An elongated workpiece having unfinished side surfaces inclined laterally downwardly and outwardly from a finished top surface is scanned to produce signals denoting location of the longitudinal edges of the top surface at numerous points along them. An elongated scanning zone, extending across the workpiece, is translated all along the workpiece. In synchronism with scanning zone translation the workpiece is alternately illuminated from opposite sides at a low angle of incidence to the top surface to shadow first one side surface, than the other. Scanning lengthwise along the scanning zone is synchronized with translation of that zone and lighting alternation.
Inventors
- 👤 Benkt Sanglert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/24; B; B27; B27B; B27B31/00; B27B31/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
12 words
horizontal, spaced above said supporting means, and transverse to said direction, and
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
12 words
horizontal, spaced above said supporting means, and transverse to said direction, and
Claim 3
Independent Claim
309 words
The method of obtaining information about an unfinished elongated workpiece that has a substantially flat top surface and has opposite lengthwise extending side surfaces, each of which extends downwardly from said top surface and at its junction therewith defines a side edge thereof, said information being in the form of signals which are related to the shape and orientation of said side edges and their spacing from one another and which can be utilized for determining the trimming that will convert the unfinished workpiece to a regularly-shaped finished one that is of optimum size in relation to the area of said top surface, said method being characterized by: A. in a reflector spaced above the top surface of the workpiece, and with the workpiece stationary, imaging a portion of the workpiece comprising a narrow, elongated scanning zone which has its length transverse to that of the workpiece and which extends entirely across the workpiece; B. rotating said reflector about a horizontal axis which is spaced above the top surface of the workpiece and which extends transversely to the length of the workpiece, to translate the imaged scanning zone of the workpiece along the length thereof; C. as the reflector rotates, repeatedly scanning the image of said zone to detect variations in the level of illumination along the length of said zone at each of a plurality of locations thereof along the length of the workpiece, to produce signals corresponding to said variations and which contain said information; and D. in synchronism with scanning, alternately from opposite sides of the workpiece illuminating at least that portion of the workpiece which the scanning zone is crossing, with such illumination at a low angle of incidence to the top surface of the workpiece so that illumination from each side of the workpiece cannot fall upon the opposite side surface of the workpiece.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
309 words
The method of obtaining information about an unfinished elongated workpiece that has a substantially flat top surface and has opposite lengthwise extending side surfaces, each of which extends downwardly from said top surface and at its junction therewith defines a side edge thereof, said information being in the form of signals which are related to the shape and orientation of said side edges and their spacing from one another and which can be utilized for determining the trimming that will convert the unfinished workpiece to a regularly-shaped finished one that is of optimum size in relation to the area of said top surface, said method being characterized by: A. in a reflector spaced above the top surface of the workpiece, and with the workpiece stationary, imaging a portion of the workpiece comprising a narrow, elongated scanning zone which has its length transverse to that of the workpiece and which extends entirely across the workpiece; B. rotating said reflector about a horizontal axis which is spaced above the top surface of the workpiece and which extends transversely to the length of the workpiece, to translate the imaged scanning zone of the workpiece along the length thereof; C. as the reflector rotates, repeatedly scanning the image of said zone to detect variations in the level of illumination along the length of said zone at each of a plurality of locations thereof along the length of the workpiece, to produce signals corresponding to said variations and which contain said information; and D. in synchronism with scanning, alternately from opposite sides of the workpiece illuminating at least that portion of the workpiece which the scanning zone is crossing, with such illumination at a low angle of incidence to the top surface of the workpiece so that illumination from each side of the workpiece cannot fall upon the opposite side surface of the workpiece.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
330 words
Apparatus for scanning an unfinished elongated workpiece that has a substantially flat top surface which terminates at a pair of opposite longitudinally extending edges, to produce signals which are related to the orientation and configuration of said side edges and their spacing from one another, said apparatus comprising: A. supporting means for holding a workpiece stationary with its top surface horizontal and its length extending in a predetermined direction; B. photoresponsive detectoR means mounted in upwardly spaced relation to the supporting means and facing substantially in said direction; C. means connected with said detector means for causing the same to scan repeatedly along a horizontal path transverse to said direction; D. reflector means having a reflecting surface; E. means mounting the reflector means for rotation about an axis which is parallel to said reflecting surface, said axis being 1. horizontal, spaced above said supporting means, and transverse to said direction, and 2. so spaced from the detector in said direction that the reflector means can reflect to the detector means, for scanning thereby, an image of a zone which extends entirely across a workpiece on the supporting means, and which zone moves lengthwise along the workpiece, from one end to the other thereof, as the reflector rotates; F. means for rotating the reflector at a rate so related to the rate of repetitive scanning that the imaged zone of the workpiece that is scanned by the detector means advances lengthwise along the workpiece from scan to scan; and G. means comprising at least a pair of light sources located at opposite sides of said supporting means for illuminating at least that zone of a workpiece which is imaged by the reflector means, at a low angle of incidence to the top surface of the workpiece and alternately from opposite sides thereof in synchronism with scanning by the detector means, so that illumination does not extend beyond each of said edges of the workpiece when the scan reaches the vicinity thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
330 words
Apparatus for scanning an unfinished elongated workpiece that has a substantially flat top surface which terminates at a pair of opposite longitudinally extending edges, to produce signals which are related to the orientation and configuration of said side edges and their spacing from one another, said apparatus comprising: A. supporting means for holding a workpiece stationary with its top surface horizontal and its length extending in a predetermined direction; B. photoresponsive detectoR means mounted in upwardly spaced relation to the supporting means and facing substantially in said direction; C. means connected with said detector means for causing the same to scan repeatedly along a horizontal path transverse to said direction; D. reflector means having a reflecting surface; E. means mounting the reflector means for rotation about an axis which is parallel to said reflecting surface, said axis being 1. horizontal, spaced above said supporting means, and transverse to said direction, and 2. so spaced from the detector in said direction that the reflector means can reflect to the detector means, for scanning thereby, an image of a zone which extends entirely across a workpiece on the supporting means, and which zone moves lengthwise along the workpiece, from one end to the other thereof, as the reflector rotates; F. means for rotating the reflector at a rate so related to the rate of repetitive scanning that the imaged zone of the workpiece that is scanned by the detector means advances lengthwise along the workpiece from scan to scan; and G. means comprising at least a pair of light sources located at opposite sides of said supporting means for illuminating at least that zone of a workpiece which is imaged by the reflector means, at a low angle of incidence to the top surface of the workpiece and alternately from opposite sides thereof in synchronism with scanning by the detector means, so that illumination does not extend beyond each of said edges of the workpiece when the scan reaches the vicinity thereof.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
336 words
The method of employing a photosensitive detector device that is capable of producing outputs corresponding to variations in level of illumination along an elongated narrow scanning zone, to obtain information about an unfinished workpiece that has a substantially flat top surface and has lengthwise extending side surfaces, each of which side surfaces extends downwardly from said top surface and at its juntion therewith defines a side edge thereof, said information being in the form of outputs from the detector device which are related to the shape and orientation of said side surfaces and their spacing from one another and being adapted for use in calculating the trimming of the unfinished workpiece that will convert it to a regularly-shaped finished one of optimum size in relation to the area of said top surface, said method being characterized by: A. establishing the detector device and a reflector having a reflecting surface in such upwardly spaced relation to the workpiece and such horizontally spaced relation to one another that the scanning zone of the detector device in its cooperation with the reflector has its length transverse to the length of the workpiece and extends entirely across the workpiece; B. with the workpiece stationary, so rotating the reflector during operation of the detector device as to advance said scanning zone, transversely to its length, from one end of the workpiece to the other; C. in timed relation to rotation of the reflector, alternately from opposite sides of the workpiece illuminating at least that portion of the workpiece across which the scanning zone extends, with such illumination at a low angle of incidence to the top surface of the workpiece so that illumination from each side of the workpiece cannot fall upon the opposite side surface of the workpiece; and D. causing the detector device to produce outputs at intervals during rotation of the reflector so that said outputs denote the position of each of said side edges at each of a succession of points along the length of the workpiece.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
336 words
The method of employing a photosensitive detector device that is capable of producing outputs corresponding to variations in level of illumination along an elongated narrow scanning zone, to obtain information about an unfinished workpiece that has a substantially flat top surface and has lengthwise extending side surfaces, each of which side surfaces extends downwardly from said top surface and at its juntion therewith defines a side edge thereof, said information being in the form of outputs from the detector device which are related to the shape and orientation of said side surfaces and their spacing from one another and being adapted for use in calculating the trimming of the unfinished workpiece that will convert it to a regularly-shaped finished one of optimum size in relation to the area of said top surface, said method being characterized by: A. establishing the detector device and a reflector having a reflecting surface in such upwardly spaced relation to the workpiece and such horizontally spaced relation to one another that the scanning zone of the detector device in its cooperation with the reflector has its length transverse to the length of the workpiece and extends entirely across the workpiece; B. with the workpiece stationary, so rotating the reflector during operation of the detector device as to advance said scanning zone, transversely to its length, from one end of the workpiece to the other; C. in timed relation to rotation of the reflector, alternately from opposite sides of the workpiece illuminating at least that portion of the workpiece across which the scanning zone extends, with such illumination at a low angle of incidence to the top surface of the workpiece so that illumination from each side of the workpiece cannot fall upon the opposite side surface of the workpiece; and D. causing the detector device to produce outputs at intervals during rotation of the reflector so that said outputs denote the position of each of said side edges at each of a succession of points along the length of the workpiece.
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) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |