US3902811A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electro-optical scanning system for dimensional gauging of parts
Assignee: Bai Corp
•
Filing: 1974-09-09
•
Granted: 1975-09-02
•
Expires: 1994-09-09
Abstract
Abstract An electro-optical system for gauging the dimensions of a machined part by measuring coordinates of critical portions thereof 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 path which traverses those edges of the image of the part outline whose coordinates are to be determined, thereby causing the scanner to yield a video signal from which coordinate information can be derived. The relationship between the scan command and the coordinates of the image plane being scanned is known and controlled whereby the coordinates of any edge in the image plane can be determined simply by comparing the time of occurrence of that video edge and the command to the scanner. This coordinate information is then used to determined dimensions on the image plane. Each such dimension is then compared with a stored number representing the nominal value of the dimension being measured to produce an output signal indicating the disparity between the dimension measured and the nominal value thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman G Altman
- 👤 Marc G Dreyfus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:47
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
298 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 to project an outline of a 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 whose coordinates are to be found, whereby the scanner yields a video signal from which said coordinates can be determined by examination of the scan drive command; D. a reference value storage register; E. an input information matrix coupled to said controllable scan generator and to said register to supply, in regard to each of the several coordinates to be determined information to said scan generator for producing a scan along a scan path appropriate to each coordinate and to supply to said register information regarding the coordinate values appropriate to the nominal dimensions of each part dimension; F. means comparing the measured coordinate yielded by the system for each measuring scan with the reference value in said register representing the related nominal coordinate, to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part coordinate measured and the nominal coordinate; and G. means for computing the distance between two sets of measured coordinates to determine the measured dimension between said coordinates, and H. means for comparing this computed dimension with a reference value for this dimension in a reference register representing the related nominal dimension, thereby producing an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part dimension computed and the nominal dimension.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
298 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 to project an outline of a 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 whose coordinates are to be found, whereby the scanner yields a video signal from which said coordinates can be determined by examination of the scan drive command; D. a reference value storage register; E. an input information matrix coupled to said controllable scan generator and to said register to supply, in regard to each of the several coordinates to be determined information to said scan generator for producing a scan along a scan path appropriate to each coordinate and to supply to said register information regarding the coordinate values appropriate to the nominal dimensions of each part dimension; F. means comparing the measured coordinate yielded by the system for each measuring scan with the reference value in said register representing the related nominal coordinate, to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part coordinate measured and the nominal coordinate; and G. means for computing the distance between two sets of measured coordinates to determine the measured dimension between said coordinates, and H. means for comparing this computed dimension with a reference value for this dimension in a reference register representing the related nominal dimension, thereby producing an output signal indicative of the disparity between the part dimension computed 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
96 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, further including a calibration pattern, means to project in place of said part outline an image of said calibration pattern onto said face to produce an image thereof covering the entire field of view, to define a reference coordinate for each of the coordinates to be measured, and means to compare the coordinate to be measured with the related reference coordinate 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
86 words
A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means to project an image of said calibration pattern 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 of the calibration pattern 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
24 words
A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said information matrix is formed by a mini-computer and associated memory 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 coordinates to be measured, and said comparison means provides an output signal which indicates whether the coordinates measured is acceptable with respect to the related tolerance or is to be rejected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 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 coordinate variation and said comparison means provides a signal indicative of the sorting level to which the measured coordinate variation is applicable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
225 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 pattern; C. optical means to project either an outline of said part onto said face or an image of said calibration pattern 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 pattern image is present, a scan which travels a vectorial path set up to duplicate the vectorial path required to measure a coordinate of interest, and when the part outline is present, a scan which travels a test vectorial path, whereby the scanner output in the one instance represents a calibration path, and in the other a coordinate measuring path; E. correction means coupled to scan generator and responsive to said calibration to modify said scan vOltages to correct for the optical and electronic non-linearities of said system with respect to the coordinate measured; and F. means responsive to said coordinate measurements or computations based on said coordinates to compute dimensional values; said means to determine whether said coordinates or dimensions satisfy the manufacturing standard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
225 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 pattern; C. optical means to project either an outline of said part onto said face or an image of said calibration pattern 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 pattern image is present, a scan which travels a vectorial path set up to duplicate the vectorial path required to measure a coordinate of interest, and when the part outline is present, a scan which travels a test vectorial path, whereby the scanner output in the one instance represents a calibration path, and in the other a coordinate measuring path; E. correction means coupled to scan generator and responsive to said calibration to modify said scan vOltages to correct for the optical and electronic non-linearities of said system with respect to the coordinate measured; and F. means responsive to said coordinate measurements or computations based on said coordinates to compute dimensional values; said means to determine whether said coordinates or dimensions satisfy the manufacturing standard.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said correction means includes means responsive to said calibration count to correct the scan such that the coordinates commanded by the scan generator voltage agree with the actual coordinate position of the scanning aperture projected onto the object plane as measured by a ''''zero error'''' calibration pattern.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 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 calibration pattern.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as set forth in claim 11, further including means for establishing known distances from said origin in the object plane and for displacing said scan so that it rests on the nominal position so determined as projected onto the object 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 object plane, and means for correcting any difference between the position required for calibration of this displacement of the scan.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
143 words
An electro-optical system for testing manufactured pieces by measuring coordinates of critical portions thereof to determine whether the pieces meet predetermined standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a light sensitive face; B. optical means to project an outline of the piece to be measured onto said face to produce an image thereon; C. a scan generator operatively coupled to the scanner to produce scan voltages creating a scan path which traverses those edges of the image on the face whose coordinates are to be determined, thereby causing the scanner to yield a video signal from which said coordinate information can be determined; and D. means coupled to said scanner to compare said coordinate information with stored information providing for each measured coordinate value a nominal coordinate value to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the two values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
143 words
An electro-optical system for testing manufactured pieces by measuring coordinates of critical portions thereof to determine whether the pieces meet predetermined standards, said system comprising: A. an electro-optical scanner having a light sensitive face; B. optical means to project an outline of the piece to be measured onto said face to produce an image thereon; C. a scan generator operatively coupled to the scanner to produce scan voltages creating a scan path which traverses those edges of the image on the face whose coordinates are to be determined, thereby causing the scanner to yield a video signal from which said coordinate information can be determined; and D. means coupled to said scanner to compare said coordinate information with stored information providing for each measured coordinate value a nominal coordinate value to produce an output signal indicative of the disparity between the two values.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3222979A
Cited
US3739091A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-01 | 1979-03-03 | 1979-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-01 | 1983-03-03 | 1983-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-01 | 1987-03-03 | 1987-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |