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Method and apparatus for non-contact measurement of object surfaces

  • US 5,251,156 A
  • Filed: 07/11/1991
  • Issued: 10/05/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of using a camera and a coordinate-measuring machine for non-contact measurement of coordinates on object surfaces, wherein the coordinate-measuring machine has a movable measurement arm (3) and associated measurement scales (4, 5, 6) for measuring measurement-arm movement in three directions in space, and wherein articulating-head means (8) mounts a camera and is carried by said measurement arm (3), said articulating-head means (8) having (i) two orthogonally related axes of independent action for controlled roatary and pivotal angular orientation of the mounted camera, and (ii) associated angle-measurement means providing angle-measurement values (a, b) of the articulating-head means (8), said method comprising:

  • moving the measurement arm (3) into two different positions that are spaced apart;

    using the articulating-head means (8) to target the object to be measured, by rotating or pivoting the camera, and using the camera to take object-targeted pictures at each of the two positions;

    storing and evaluating pictures taken by the camera in the two positions, the evaluating being with respect to the coordinates of characteristic points on the surface of the object, by known photogrammetric methods of evaluation; and

    calculating object coordinates (xi, yi, zi) from picture coordinates (Uij, Vij) of the camera, using position and angle measurement values (xoj, yoj, zoj;

    aoj, boj) obtained from the scales of the coordinating-measuring machine and angle-measurement values obtained from the articulating-head means (8).

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