Optical inspection probe
First Claim
1. An optical inspection probe for use on a movable arm of a coordinate positioning machine to determine a position of a feature of a surface, the probe comprising:
- a sensing device having a light sensitive array which includes a plurality of discrete light sensitive cells, each of which outputs a signal corresponding to the intensity of light incident thereon;
an imaging device having one or more optical components for imaging said feature on said array;
processing means fora) analysing said image by, inter alia, sequentially scanning each cell of said array to determine the value of each said signal, a single scan of said array constituting an image frame; and
b) determining in advance, from two or more said image frames, an instant of time at which the image of said feature will reach a predetermined cell of said array, and for generating at said instant a trigger signal for instructing a control system of said machine to determine a position of the movable arm relative to said feature of said surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical inspection probe, used on a coordinate measuring machine, includes a sensing module having a CCD array and an imaging module releasably mountable thereon. The position of a feature on the surface is measured using the probe by calculating the instant of time at which an image of the feature will pass across a predesignated pixel Qc of the array. The calculation is performed on the basis of the relative velocity of the probe and the surface as determined from two consecutively scanned image frames of the CCD array. The probe may be used to determine, for example, the position of an edge of a surface by moving the probe laterally with respect to the surface or, may be used to measure the position of a predetermined height of a surface by projecting a light beam onto the surface at an angle to the optical axis and measuring the position of the resulting spot on the surface.
18 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An optical inspection probe for use on a movable arm of a coordinate positioning machine to determine a position of a feature of a surface, the probe comprising:
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a sensing device having a light sensitive array which includes a plurality of discrete light sensitive cells, each of which outputs a signal corresponding to the intensity of light incident thereon; an imaging device having one or more optical components for imaging said feature on said array; processing means for a) analysing said image by, inter alia, sequentially scanning each cell of said array to determine the value of each said signal, a single scan of said array constituting an image frame; and b) determining in advance, from two or more said image frames, an instant of time at which the image of said feature will reach a predetermined cell of said array, and for generating at said instant a trigger signal for instructing a control system of said machine to determine a position of the movable arm relative to said feature of said surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of inspecting a surface to determine a position of a feature thereon, using a coordinate positioning machine having an optical inspection probe connected to a movable arm of the machine, the optical inspection probe including an array of light sensitive elements each of which outputs a signal corresponding to an intensity of light incident thereon, and one or more optical elements for imaging said feature on said array, the method comprising the steps of:
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analysing said image by, inter alia, sequentially scanning each light sensitive element of said array to determine a value of each said signal, a single scan of said array constituting an image frame; determining in advance, from two or more said image frames, an instant of time at which an image of said feature will reach a predetermined cell of said array, and generating at said instant a trigger signal for instructing a control system of said machine to determine a position of the movable arm relative to said feature of said surface. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method of operating an optical inspection probe for use on a movable arm of a coordinate positioning machine in determining a position of a feature of a surface, the probe comprising:
- a light sensitive array including a plurality of discrete light sensitive cells, each cell outputting a signal corresponding to an intensity of light incident thereon, and an imaging device having at least one optical component for imaging said feature on said array, the method comprising the steps of;
analysing said image by sequentially scanning each cell of said array to determine a value of each said signal, a single scan of said array constituting an image frame; and determining in advance, from two or more of said image frames, an instant of time at which an image of said feature will reach a predetermined cell of said array, and generating at said instant a trigger signal for instructing a control system of said coordinate positioning machine to determine a position of the movable arm relative to said feature of said surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
- a light sensitive array including a plurality of discrete light sensitive cells, each cell outputting a signal corresponding to an intensity of light incident thereon, and an imaging device having at least one optical component for imaging said feature on said array, the method comprising the steps of;
Specification