Apparatus and method for dimensional weighing utilizing a rotating sensor

• US 5,841,541 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Dlugos, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, AMANDA H
• Application Number:
  US08/775,213
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 356/381, 356/383, 356/384, 356/387, 356/379, 356/380, 364/562-564
• US Class Current: 356/634
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/005 with electric or electronic computing means

Abstract

The invention is a method and apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a parcel. The invention begins by placing a parcel in the corner of a field of measurement upon a flat surface and against two adjacent walls. At the base of each wall, and along the angle where the adjacent walls meet, is a calibrated reflective strip. The calibration marks on each of the reflective strips are of known size and spacing. One or more sensors are activated and read the number of visible calibrated marks. The one or more sensors transmits this data to a processor which calculates the measurement for the length, width, and height of the parcel by subtracting the observed visible calibration marks from the number of possible calibration marks. If the flat surface, upon which the parcel has been placed is the weighing surface of a scale, then weight for the parcel can be determined. Each of the then calculated dimensions (length, width, height, and weight) can then be displayed and/or transmitted to a parcel processing system. Alternatively, the flat surface upon which the parcel is to be placed would require only one adjoining wall. Calibration marks are placed directly upon the flat surface and upon the one adjoining wall. The calibration marks on the flat surface appear as lines forming a chevron pattern progressing outwardly from a surface corner. The calibration marks on the adjoining wall are placed upon the wall from bottom to top.

Claims

1. A method for measuring the dimensions of a parcel, comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a parcel in a corner of a field of measurement;

said field of measurement comprising a flat surface;

said flat surface meeting at substantially right angles with two upright adjacent walls;

said adjacent walls having at their base a corresponding calibrated reflective strip;

said adjacent walls further having a reflective strip on at least one of said adjacent walls along the angle where said adjacent walls meet and running from the point where said adjacent walls meet said flat surface upward to a height less than, or equal to, the height of said at least one upright adjacent wall;

(b) activating a first sensor placed at a second corner of said field of measurement wherein said second corner is directly opposite said corner in which said parcel is placed;

(c) having said first sensor measure a length and a width of said placed parcel by counting a first visible set of calibration marks along said base of said adjacent upright walls, subtracting said first set of visible calibration marks from a first predetermined number of possible calibration marks and thereby calculating said length and width of said placed parcel; and

(d) activating a second sensor wherein said second sensor is in a position above said first sensor and high enough above said flat surface of said measurement field so as to measure a height of said placed parcel by counting a second visible set of calibration marks along said angle formed where said adjacent upright walls meet, subtracting said second set of visible calibration marks from a second predetermined number of possible calibration marks and thereby calculating said height of said placed parcel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said flat surface is the weighing surface of a scale capable of calculating a weight of said placed parcel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said calculated length, width and height are displayed on a display or monitor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said calculated length, width and height are transmitted to a parcel processing system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said calculated weight is displayed on said display or said monitor.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said calculated weight is transmitted to said parcel processing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor are in combination and placed at said second corner of said field of measurement and high enough above said flat surface of said measurement field so as to measure said length, said width, and said height of said placed parcel by counting said first visible set and said second visible set of calibration marks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said possible calibration marks are a series of lines spaced a known distance apart and corresponding to at least one measurement scale so that predetermined number of lines corresponds to a unit of said at least one known measurement scale.

9. An apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a parcel comprising:

(a) a supporting means for supporting a parcel placed thereupon for measurement;

(b) a first calibration means of a known number and dimension of calibration marks for determining a length and a width of a parcel placed upon said supporting means;

(c) a second calibration means of a known number and dimension of calibration marks for determining a height of a parcel placed upon said supporting means;

(d) a first sensor means for determining said length and said width of said placed parcel by sensing a first visible set of calibration marks on said first calibration means and subtracting said first visible set of calibration marks from a known number of calibration marks on said first calibration means and determining said length and said width thereby;

(e) a second sensor means for determining said height of said placed parcel by sensing a second visible set of calibration marks on said second calibration means and subtracting said second visible set of calibration marks from a known number of calibration marks on said second calibration means and determining said height thereby; and

(f) data processing means for;

controlling said first sensor means and said second sensor means;

receiving and processing data from said first and said second sensor means;

calculating said measurements for length, width and height;

transmitting said measurements to a display means or to a parcel processing system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said supporting means is the weighing surface of a scale capable of calculating a weight of said placed parcel.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said calculated length, width and height are displayed on a display means.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said calculated length, width and height are transmitted to a parcel processing system.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said calculated weight is displayed on said display means.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said calculated weight is transmitted to said parcel processing system.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first sensor means and said second sensor means are in combination and placed so as to measure said length, said width, and said height of said placed parcel by counting said first visible set and said second visible set of calibration marks.

16. A method for measuring the dimensions of a parcel, comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a parcel in a first corner of a field of measurement;

said field of measurement comprising;

(i) a flat surface with a first series of encoder lines of known dimension and spacing marked thereupon and wherein said first series of encoder lines forms a chevron pattern comprising an angle of 90 degrees progressing outwardly from a predetermined corner of said field of measurement; and

(ii) said flat surface meeting, at substantially right angles, with at least one upright adjacent wall tangent to said first corner;

said adjacent wall having a second series of lines of known dimension and spacing marked thereupon, wherein said second series of lines begin at, and are parallel to, said at least one upright adjacent wall'"'"'s base and continue upward to a height less than, or equal to, said at least one adjacent wall'"'"'s height;

(b) activating a scanner at a second corner of said field of measurement wherein said second corner is positioned directly opposite said first corner, and said scanner is further positioned at a height wherein said scanner can scan said first series and said second series of encoder lines;

(c) having said scanner measure a length, a width, and a height of said placed parcel by;

(i) counting a first set of visible encoder lines upon said flat surface of said measurement field;

(ii) counting a second series of visible encoder lines upon said at least one adjacent upright wall; and

(iii) subtracting said first set of visible encoder lines from a first predetermined number of possible encoder lines in said first series;

(iv) subtracting said second set of visible encoder lines from a second predetermined number of possible encoder lines in said second series; and

;

(v) calculating said length, width and height of said placed parcel.