US4261107A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Coordinate locating device
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1980-03-06
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Granted: 1981-04-14
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Expires: 2000-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A coordinate locating device (8) includes an apparatus (10) having first, second, and third members (21,22,23) such that the first member (21) is movable on a base (14), the second member (22) is movable on the first member (21) and the third member (23) has a positionable element (30) and is movable on the second member (22). The device (8) also includes a laser transducer system (16) for establishing the locations of a starting point (52) and a first plane (54) through the starting point (52) which is associated with the first members (21), a second plane (58) having a second reference point (59) which is associated with the second member (22), and a third plane (62) having a third reference point (63) which is associated with the third member (23), and establishing the precise three dimensional location of the positionable element (30). Preferably, a plurality of laser beam reflectors are arranged in a preselected pattern on each of the first, second and third members (21,22,23) for reflecting a corresponding plurality of laser beams back toward the associated elements mounted on the base, first and second members (14,21,22) respectively, so that yaw, pitch and roll movements can be measured in addition to simple X, Y and Z linear displacement between the various moving stages thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold K. Coleman
- 👤 Kenneth F. Rossman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B9/00; G01B9/02; G01B9/02001; G01B9/02007; G01B11/00; G01B11/002; G01B11/005; G01B9/02002; G01B9/02015; G01B9/02017; G01B9/02021; G01B9/02027; G01B2290/00; G01B2290/15; G01B2290/45; G01B2290/70; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S33/00; Y10S33/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A coordinate locating device (8) for measuring relative movement between first and second members (21,22/22,23), comprising: laser transducer means (19/20) for measuring four parameters of the six parameters including X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement between the members (21,22/22,23) and obtaining the X, Y, Z coordinates of a point (59,51) on the second member (22,23), said laser transducer means (19/20) providing a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization, each of the selected four parameters being individually measured by laser interferometric techniques.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A coordinate locating device (8) for measuring relative movement between first and second members (21,22/22,23), comprising: laser transducer means (19/20) for measuring four parameters of the six parameters including X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement between the members (21,22/22,23) and obtaining the X, Y, Z coordinates of a point (59,51) on the second member (22,23), said laser transducer means (19/20) providing a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization, each of the selected four parameters being individually measured by laser interferometric techniques.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 1 wherein the laser transducer means (19/20) includes two reflectors (162,163/188,189) connected to one of the members (21,22/22,23), each of the reflectors (162,163/188,189) being of a construction sufficient for receiving one frequency of the beam of light and returning it back to the other one of the members (21,22/22,23).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 2 wherein the reflectors (162,163/188,189) are cube corner retroreflectors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 2 wherein the laser transducer means (19/20) includes two two plane mirror reflectors (164,165/190,191) individually having a mirror axis (126), and wherein the mirror axes (126) are normal to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 2 wherein the laser transducer means (19/20) includes two linear interferometers (150,152/177,180) connected to the other one of the members (21,22/22,23) and facing the two reflectors (162,163/188,189).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 5 including two receivers (156,159/182,185) connected to the other one of the members (21,22/22,23).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
120 words
A coordinate locating device (8) comprising: first and second members (14,21), said second member (21) being controllably movable relative to said first member (14); and laser transducer means (18) for precisely and individually measuring X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement of said second member (21) relative to said first member (14), said laser transducer means (18) including a plurality of laser beam reflectors (81-86) located on one of said members (14,21) in a preselected pattern and obtaining the X, Y, Z coordinates of a point (52,59,61) on the second member (21), said laser transducer means (18) providing a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
120 words
A coordinate locating device (8) comprising: first and second members (14,21), said second member (21) being controllably movable relative to said first member (14); and laser transducer means (18) for precisely and individually measuring X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement of said second member (21) relative to said first member (14), said laser transducer means (18) including a plurality of laser beam reflectors (81-86) located on one of said members (14,21) in a preselected pattern and obtaining the X, Y, Z coordinates of a point (52,59,61) on the second member (21), said laser transducer means (18) providing a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 7 wherein said first member (14) is a table (14), said second member (21) includes a base (24) and an upright standard (25) connected to said base (24), said base (24) being mounted on said table (14), and said reflectors (81-86) being mounted on said second member (21) adjacent the intersection of said standard (25) and said base (24).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 8 including a third member (22) controllably elevatable on said standard (25), and including second laser transducer means (19) for individually measuring four parameters of the six parameters including X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement of said third member (22) on said standard (25), said second laser transducer means (19) providing a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 9 including a fourth member (23) controllably guided on said third member (22) and including third laser transducer means (20) for individually measuring four parameters of the six parameters including X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement of said fourth member (23) on said third member (22), said third laser transducer means (20) providing a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 7 wherein said reflectors (81-86) include three cube corner retroreflectors (81,82,83).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 7 wherein said plurality of laser beam reflectors (81-86) includes two two plane mirror reflectors (84,85) and two cube corner retroreflectors (81,83) mounted on said second member (21).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 12 wherein each of said two plane mirror reflectors (84,85) has a mirror axis of intersection (126), said mirror axes (126) being disposed substantially normal to each other and defining an intersection point (52).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 13 wherein said cube corner retroreflectors (81,83) are located diagonally opposite one another substantially equally spaced away from said intersection point (52).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
150 words
In a coordinate locating device (8) of the type having a reference base (12) and first, second, and third members (21,22,23), the first member (21) being movable with respect to the reference base (12), the second member (22) being movable with respect to the first member (21), and the third member (23) being movable with respect to the second member (22), the improvement comprising: first measuring stage means (18) for individually measuring X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement of said first member (21) on said base (12), said first measuring stage means (18) including means (64-86) for generating a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization, directing, and reflecting a plurality of laser beams between said first member (21) and said base (12), said first measuring stage means (18) including three cube corner retroreflectors (81,82,83).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
150 words
In a coordinate locating device (8) of the type having a reference base (12) and first, second, and third members (21,22,23), the first member (21) being movable with respect to the reference base (12), the second member (22) being movable with respect to the first member (21), and the third member (23) being movable with respect to the second member (22), the improvement comprising: first measuring stage means (18) for individually measuring X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement of said first member (21) on said base (12), said first measuring stage means (18) including means (64-86) for generating a plurality of coherent beams of light individually having two different optical frequencies of opposite circular polarization, directing, and reflecting a plurality of laser beams between said first member (21) and said base (12), said first measuring stage means (18) including three cube corner retroreflectors (81,82,83).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
92 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 15 including second measuring stage means (19) for individually measuring four parameters of the six parameters including X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement between said second member (22) and said first member (21) by laser interferometric techniques, said second measuring stage means (19) including means (140-153, 162-165) for generating, directing, and reflecting a plurality of laser beams between said second member (22) and said first member (21), said second measuring stage means (19) including two cube corner retroreflectors (162,163).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
92 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 16 including third measuring stage means (20) for individually measuring four parameters of the six parameters including X, Y and Z linear displacement and yaw, pitch and roll movement between said third member (23) and said second member (22) by laser interferometric techniques, said third measuring stage means (20) including means (168-180, 188-191) for generating, directing and reflecting a plurality of laser beams between said third member (23) and said second member (22), said third measuring stage means (20) including two cube corner retroreflectors (188,189).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The coordinate locating device (8) of claim 17 wherein each of the first, second and third measuring stage means (18,19,20) includes two two plane mirror reflectors (84, 85, 164, 165, 190, 191).
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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) | 1984-04-13 | 1984-10-13 | 1985-04-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-04-13 | 1988-10-13 | 1989-04-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-04-13 | 1992-10-13 | 1993-04-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |