Volume measurement apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A volume measurement apparatus comprising a first leg hingedly attached to a second leg, a first sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a second sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a third sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg, a volume measurement means electrically connected to the sensors, a trackball rotatably attached to said second leg, and a track ball movement detection means electrically connected to said trackball and to said volume measurement means.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A volume measurement apparatus and method of use. The volume measurement apparatus comprises a vertical leg attached to a horizontal leg, and at least one sensor attached to the legs. A trackball is rotatably attached to the volume measurement apparatus, and is electrically connected to a trackball movement detection means. A volume measurement means is electrically connected to the trackball movement detection means and to the at least one sensor. The method of use includes the steps of rolling the volume measurement apparatus past an object whose volume is to be measured, such that the sensor(s) will scan cross sectional areas of an object embraced within the volume measurement apparatus vertical leg and horizontal leg at pre-set intervals, figuring only the area that the sensor(s) report as solid, which is the object cross section return, and summing the products of the object cross section returns multiplied by the increment. An alternative method of use involves swiveling the volume measurement apparatus such that an object being measured is encompassed within the sweep of the legs during the swiveling motion. An alternate embodiment apparatus comprises a first leg attached to a second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg. An alternate method comprises the final step of subtracting a volume of voids detected by the forward-looking or rearward-looking sensors from the total volume measured.
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Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A volume measurement apparatus comprising a first leg hingedly attached to a second leg, a first sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a second sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a third sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg, a volume measurement means electrically connected to the sensors, a trackball rotatably attached to said second leg, and a track ball movement detection means electrically connected to said trackball and to said volume measurement means.
- 7. A volume measurement apparatus comprising a first leg attached to a second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg, a volume measurement means electrically connected to the sensors, a trackball rotatably attached to said second leg, and a track ball movement detection means electrically connected to said trackball and to said volume measurement means.
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13. A method of volume measurement by swiveling a volume measurement apparatus, said volume measurement apparatus comprising a first leg attached to a second leg, a first sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a second sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a third sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg, a volume measurement means electrically connected to the sensors, a trackball rotatably attached to said second leg, and a track ball movement detection means electrically connected to said trackball and to said volume measurement means, said method comprising the steps of:
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A. Placing said volume measurement apparatus at a starting position where said trackball contacts a surface and said second leg is substantially perpendicular to said surface; B. Swiveling said volume measurement apparatus until said first leg passes completely over an object whose volume is to be measured, such that the sensors will scan volume increments of the object embraced within said volume measurement apparatus vertical leg and said volume measurement apparatus horizontal leg at pre-set angular increments; C. Figuring only volumes that all three said sensors report as solid; and D. Summing the volume increments recorded during the scan. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of volume measurement by rolling a volume measurement apparatus, said volume measurement apparatus comprising a first leg attached to a second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg, a volume measurement means electrically connected to the sensors, a trackball rotatably attached to said second leg, and a track ball movement detection means electrically connected to said trackball and to said volume measurement means, said method comprising the steps of:
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A. Placing said volume measurement apparatus at a starting position where said trackball contacts a rolling surface; B. Rolling said volume measurement apparatus past an object whose volume is to be measured, such that the sideward-looking sensors will scan cross sectional areas of the object embraced within said volume measurement apparatus vertical leg and said volume measurement apparatus horizontal leg at pre-set increments; C. Figuring only an area that all three said sensors report as solid, which is an object cross section return; D. Summing the products of the object cross section returns multiplied by said increment; and E. Subtracting a volume of voids scanned by said forward-looking sensors or by said rearward-looking sensors from said sum of products recorded during the scan. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification