Dual hidden point bars

• US 10,421,191 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Dorsey-Palmateer, John Willard, Kennedy, Michael Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad K
• Application Number:
  US15/496,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20170291304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/142 Aerospace structures
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 15/28 Control devices specially adapted to riveting machines not restricted to one of the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/007 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/089 Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/042 Calibration or calibration artifacts G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45088 Riveting robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A system is provided including a first elongated object proximate a first surface on a first side of a structure and a second elongated object proximate a second surface on a second side of the structure, the second surface and the second side opposite the structure relative to the first surface and the first side, the first object aligned with the second object at a first point on the first surface. The system also includes a first plurality of corner cubes affixed to the first object at first known distances from each other and from the first point, wherein the first object abuts the first surface at the first point. The system also includes a second plurality of corner cubes affixed to the second object at second known distances from each other and from the first point, wherein the second object abuts second surface at second point opposite first point.

Claims

1. A method of establishing and utilizing a coordinate measurement reference on surface at predetermined locations, comprising:

receiving, by a computer, first, third, and fifth reference coordinates of a first point, a third point, and a fifth point, respectively, on an interior surface, wherein the first point, the third point, and the fifth point need not be in a first line of sight of a first measurement device;

receiving, by a computer, second, fourth, and sixth reference coordinates of a second point, a fourth point, and a sixth point, respectively, on an exterior surface, wherein the second point, the fourth point, and the sixth point need not be in a second line of sight of a second measurement device;

wherein the interior surface and the exterior surface comprise opposite sides of a structure and wherein the first point, the third point, and the fifth point and the second point, the fourth-point, and the sixth point are about collocated, respectively, opposite each other on the opposite sides;

mapping, by the computer, the second, fourth, and sixth reference coordinates to the first, third, and fifth reference coordinates, respectively, in an internal coordinate system of the interior surface; and

adapting, by the computer, an external coordinate system of the exterior surface to the internal coordinate system according to the mapping of the reference coordinates, wherein an adaptation is formed, and wherein the first, third, and fifth reference coordinates and the second, fourth, and sixth reference coordinates are determined using measurements directed at targets positioned at known distances from the first point, the third point, and fifth point, respectively;

moving and positioning, by the computer, a first robot on the interior surface according to the internal coordinate system;

moving and positioning, by the computer, a second robot on the exterior surface according to the external coordinate system; and

coordinating, by the computer, movements and positions of the first robot and the second robot according to the adaptation of the external coordinate system to the internal coordinate system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interior surface is on an interior of an aircraft fuselage and the exterior surface is on an exterior of the aircraft fuselage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the targets comprise a first, a third, and a fifth plurality of corner cubes affixed to a first bar, a third bar, and a fifth bar respectively, abutting the interior surface at the first point, the third point, and the fifth point, respectively, wherein the targets further comprise a second, a fourth, and a sixth plurality of corner cubes affixed to a second bar, a fourth bar, and a sixth bar abutting the exterior surface at the second point, fourth, and sixth point, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first, the third, and the fifth plurality of corner cubes on the first bar, the third bar, and the fifth bar, respectively, and the second plurality, the fourth plurality, and the sixth plurality of corner cubes on the second, fourth, and sixth bar, respectively, are affixed at known distances from each other and are affixed at known distances from the first point, the third point, and the fifth point, respectively.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first bar attaches to the second bar through a first hole in the structure, wherein the third bar attaches to the fourth bar through a third hole in the structure, and wherein the fifth bar attaches to the sixth bar through a fifth hole in the structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein shanks protruding from ends of the first bar, the third bar, and the fifth bar abutting the interior surface pass through the first hole, the third hole, and the fifth hole, respectively, are inserted into a second hole, a fourth hole, and a sixth hole, respectively, in the ends of the second bar, the fourth bar, and the sixth bar abutting the exterior surface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein insertion of the shanks through the first hole, the third hole, and the fifth hole in the structure and into the second hole, the fourth hole, and the sixth hole of the second bar, the fourth bar, and the sixth bar, respectively, enables the first bar and the second bar, the third bar and the fourth bar, and the fifth bar and the sixth bar, respectively, to abut the interior surface and the exterior surface, respectively, in a flush manner.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the measurements comprise laser lights and wherein the first measurement device and the second measurement device are situated at the interior of the aircraft fuselage and at the exterior of the fuselage project lasers from known distances to a first plurality, a third plurality, and a fifth plurality of corner cubes and a second plurality, a fourth plurality, and a sixth plurality of corner cubes, respectively, to determine the first reference coordinates and the second reference coordinates, respectively.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurements are taken at least using a first measurement device directed at the first, third, and fifth corner cubes.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first measurement device is disposed proximate the internal surface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein first measurement device receives reflected measurements from the first, third, and fifth corner cubes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the measurements are also taken using a second measurement device directed at the second, fourth, and sixth corner cubes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second measurement device is disposed proximate the external surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein second measurement device receives reflected measurements from the second, fourth, and sixth corner cubes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first measurement device comprises a first laser and wherein the second measurement device comprises a second laser.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth corner cubes comprise mirrors.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

determining coordinate positions for points on the first bar and the second bar that are hidden by the structure or by a first hole.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

performing a manufacturing operation using the first robot and the second robot.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the manufacturing operation comprises riveting a structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the structure comprises an aircraft.