In-motion dimensioning system for cuboidal objects
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring the length and width of a linearly-moving cuboidal object traveling at a substantially constant rate along a predetermined path, comprising:
- beam emitters for emitting first, second, third and fourth light beams across said path of said linearly-moving object so as to be interrupted by the passage thereof, wherein said beam emitters for emitting said first and second light beams are paired in orthogonal relative orientation, and said beam emitters for emitting said third and fourth light beams are paired in orthogonal relative orientation;
a timing mechanism for determining first, second, third and fourth times during which each of said respective first, second, third and fourth light beams is interrupted by the passage of said object;
a speed sensing mechanism for determining the magnitude of said substantially constant rate; and
a processor for calculating said length and said width of said cuboidal object using said determined first, second, third and fourth times and said magnitude of said rate.
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Abstract
An in-motion measuring system for determining the length and width of linearly-moving cuboidal objects though the use of object speed, the times during which four light beams oriented across the path of the object are obstructed by the object, and the angles of the light beams with respect to the direction of object movement. The height of an object may also be determined through use of a vertically-extending light curtain with horizontally-oriented light beams, or via an ultrasonic sensor.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring the length and width of a linearly-moving cuboidal object traveling at a substantially constant rate along a predetermined path, comprising:
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beam emitters for emitting first, second, third and fourth light beams across said path of said linearly-moving object so as to be interrupted by the passage thereof, wherein said beam emitters for emitting said first and second light beams are paired in orthogonal relative orientation, and said beam emitters for emitting said third and fourth light beams are paired in orthogonal relative orientation; a timing mechanism for determining first, second, third and fourth times during which each of said respective first, second, third and fourth light beams is interrupted by the passage of said object; a speed sensing mechanism for determining the magnitude of said substantially constant rate; and a processor for calculating said length and said width of said cuboidal object using said determined first, second, third and fourth times and said magnitude of said rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for measuring the length and width of a linearly-moving cuboidal object traveling at a substantially constant rate along a predetermined path, comprising:
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emitting first, second, third and fourth light beams across the path of said linearly-moving object so as to be interrupted by the passage thereof, wherein said first and second light beams are paired in orthogonal relative orientation, and said third and fourth light beams are paired in orthogonal relative orientation; determining first, second, third and fourth times during which each of said respective first, second, third and fourth light beams is interrupted by the passage of said object; determining the magnitude of said substantially constant rate; and calculating said length and said width of said cuboidal object using said determined first, second, third and fourth times and said magnitude of said rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for measuring the length and width of a linearly-moving cuboidal object traveling at a substantially constant rate along a predetermined path, comprising:
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beam emitters for emitting first, second, third and fourth light beams across said path of said linearly-moving object so as to be interrupted by the passage thereof, wherein said beam emitters are oriented to emit four light beams in a mutually non-parallel orientation; a timing mechanism for determining first, second, third and fourth times during which each of said respective first, second, third and fourth light beams is interrupted by the passage of said object; a speed sensing mechanism for determining the magnitude of said substantially constant rate; and a processor for calculating said length and said width of said cuboidal object using said determined first, second, third and fourth times and said magnitude of said rate. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for measuring the length and width of a linearly-moving cuboidal object traveling at a substantially constant rate along a predetermined path, comprising:
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beam emitters for emitting first, second, third and fourth light beams across said path of said linearly-moving object so as to be interrupted by the passage thereof, wherein said beam emitters are oriented to emit said four light beams in different, non-perpendicular directions relative to said path; a timing mechanism for determining first, second, third and fourth times during which each of said respective first, second, third and fourth light beams is interrupted by the passage of said object; a speed sensing mechanism for determining the magnitude of said substantially constant rate; and a processor for calculating said length and said width of said cuboidal object using said determined first, second, third and fourth times and said magnitude of said rate.
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Specification