SPHERE BAR PROBE

• US 20110176145A1
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Steffey, Kenneth, Edmonds, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include a sphere bar probe apparatus, including a holder, a retroreflector disposed in the holder, a member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the holder and an end plate attached to the second end of the member.

Claims

1. A sphere bar probe apparatus, comprising:

a holder;

a retroreflector disposed in the holder;

a member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the holder and the second end has a radius of curvature, R, and wherein the distance from the center of the retroreflector to the second end is equal to the radius of curvature R.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retroreflector is spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having a center.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the holder is an SMR nest.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second is provide by an end plate that includes a rounded outer surface.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the member is an elongate bar.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the member is an angled bar.

7. A sphere bar probe apparatus comprising:

a spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR);

a nest configured to hold the SMR;

a bar having a first end attached to the nest; and

a second end of the bar that has a radius of curvature R,

wherein the distance from the center of the SMR to the second end of the bar is R.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the bar is an elongate bar.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the bar is an angled bar defined by an angle between two segments.

10. A method for measuring points with a laser tracker, the method comprising:

identifying points of interest hidden from a direct line of sight from the laser tracker;

providing a sphere bar probe apparatus at the points of interest, the apparatus including;

a holder;

a retroreflector disposed in the holder;

a member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the holder and the second end has a radius of curvature R and wherein the distance from the center of the retroreflector to the second end is equal to R;

measuring points with the laser tracker; and

subtracting an offset from each of the measured points.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the retroreflector is spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having a center.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the holder is an SMR nest.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the member is an elongate bar.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the member is an angled bar.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second end has an electrical switch that detects tilting of the sphere bar probe beyond a predefined limit.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the second end has a flat surface that provides tactile feedback to a user when the sphere bar probe is tilted beyond a predefined limit.