Light scanning system for measurement of orientation and physical features of a workpiece
First Claim
1. A wheel rim/tire assembly parameter measurement apparatus for a dynamic wheel balancer having a spindle for mounting the wheel rim/tire assembly for rotation thereon, comprisinglight beam projection means mounted on the wheel balancer providing a light beam directed along a path toward a wheel rim/tire assembly on the spindle,optical means for converting said light beam to a beam contained in substantially a single plane,light sensing means exposed to light reflected from the area on the rim/tire assembly impinged by the converted light beam for providing signals responsive thereto, andmeans receiving said signals provided by said light sensing means for providing data relating to wheel rim/tire assembly feature locations, dimensions and physical configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A structured light scanning system observes, interprets and provides structural feature size, position and movement data in automotive service equipment applications where such feature characteristics must be determined either preliminary to or ultimately for measurement of quantities affecting automotive performance, such as tire/rim assembly balance, runout and alignment or brake surface planarity and smoothness.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A wheel rim/tire assembly parameter measurement apparatus for a dynamic wheel balancer having a spindle for mounting the wheel rim/tire assembly for rotation thereon, comprising
light beam projection means mounted on the wheel balancer providing a light beam directed along a path toward a wheel rim/tire assembly on the spindle, optical means for converting said light beam to a beam contained in substantially a single plane, light sensing means exposed to light reflected from the area on the rim/tire assembly impinged by the converted light beam for providing signals responsive thereto, and means receiving said signals provided by said light sensing means for providing data relating to wheel rim/tire assembly feature locations, dimensions and physical configuration.
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14. Runout measurement apparatus for detecting runout in a rotatable member relative to a spin axis for the rotating member, comprising
light beam projection means for projecting a light beam along a path toward the rotatable member, optical means for converting said light beam into a substantially planar beam, light sensing means disposed to receive light from said substantially planar beam which is reflected from the rotatable member, said light sensing means providing an output signal indicative of said planar beam reflection, and signal processing means coupled to said output signal for producing data representing a measurement of change in peripheral position of the rotatable member as it is rotated about the spin axis.
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26. Apparatus for determining the physical configuration of a body mounted for rotating motion on a spindle, comprising
light beam projection means for projecting a light beam along a path directed toward the body on the spindle, optical means for converting said light beam into a beam contained substantially in a single plane and therefore called a planar light beam, light sensing means exposed to light reflected from the portion of the mounted body impinged by the planar light beam for providing output signals responsive thereto, and means coupled to said light sensing means for processing said signals to provide data related to the body configuration.
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43. A method of determining specific physical characteristics and features of a body which has some known general body characteristics and features, the body being mounted for rotational motion on a spindle having a known body coordinate system, comprising the steps of
directing a planar light array toward the body from a known direction relative to the body coordinate system, detecting the impingement of said light array on the body from a known direction relative to said planar light array known direction, calibrating the detecting impingement of said light array for distances and locations in the known body coordinate system, and transforming the calibrated detected impingement into discrete distances and positions in the known body coordinate system, wherein the positions of the specific physical characteristics and features of the body are established in the body coordinate system.
Specification