High resolution sheet metal scanner with independent tracking light source
First Claim
1. High-resolution sheet metal scanner using machine vision for checking the accuracy of openings drilled or punched into a mechanical part, comprising:
- a lower assembly which includes a housing which is environmentally sealed sufficiently to exclude dust and contaminates;
a planar scanning camera carriage assembly within said housing and capable of producing controlled movement of a camera carriage member in two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane;
a flat transparent support plate disposed on an upper side of said housing on which said part is to be supported for viewing; and
a camera assembly mounted on said carriage member and oriented upwards including an imager for producing at least one line of pixels and focussing means for focussing said imager upon an upper surface of said support plate;
a generally linear illuminator mounted above said lower assembly and providing a substantially uniform light along a line in one of said orthogonal directions, and being linearly movable in the other of said orthogonal directions across said support plate;
camera carrier control means coupled with said camera carriage assembly and with said camera assembly for guiding said camera assembly in a controlled scanning pattern within said lower assembly housing and processing image data of said part based on pixels produced by said camera assembly imager; and
illuminator control means for linearly moving said illuminator in the other of said orthogonal directions to track motion of said camera carriage member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high resolution sheet metal scanner employs machine vision to check a sheet metal part or the like for accuracy of punched or drilled holes or other structure. A high-resolution line-scanning camera mounted to an X-Y table, located in an environmentally sealed lower assembly. The sheet metal part is placed upon a transparent support plate. The line-scan camera is precision focused on the top surface of the glass support plate. An elongated linear illuminator is situated above the glass plate. The illuminator extends in the X direction and moves in the Y direction. The camera is transported in the X and Y directions on a carriage of the X-Y table. A computer control may be used for controlling the camera and the X-Y table. The drive for the camera and for the illuminator are mechanically independent.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. High-resolution sheet metal scanner using machine vision for checking the accuracy of openings drilled or punched into a mechanical part, comprising:
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a lower assembly which includes a housing which is environmentally sealed sufficiently to exclude dust and contaminates;
a planar scanning camera carriage assembly within said housing and capable of producing controlled movement of a camera carriage member in two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane;
a flat transparent support plate disposed on an upper side of said housing on which said part is to be supported for viewing; and
a camera assembly mounted on said carriage member and oriented upwards including an imager for producing at least one line of pixels and focussing means for focussing said imager upon an upper surface of said support plate;
a generally linear illuminator mounted above said lower assembly and providing a substantially uniform light along a line in one of said orthogonal directions, and being linearly movable in the other of said orthogonal directions across said support plate;
camera carrier control means coupled with said camera carriage assembly and with said camera assembly for guiding said camera assembly in a controlled scanning pattern within said lower assembly housing and processing image data of said part based on pixels produced by said camera assembly imager; and
illuminator control means for linearly moving said illuminator in the other of said orthogonal directions to track motion of said camera carriage member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification