Computer scanner for three-dimensional objects

• US 6,633,416 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Benson, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARSONS, CHARLES E
• Application Number:
  US09/480,554
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 358/471, 358/474, 358/478, 358/477, 348/46
• US Class Current: 358/478
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/207 using a plurality of fixed, simultaneously operating transducers G01B5/213 - G01B5/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49008 Making 3-D object with model in computer memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49025 By positioning plurality of rods, pins to form together a mold, maquette
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A personal computer scanner for scanning the three-dimensional (3D) objects has a frame with an axis, and a front plate. The front plate has a large array of axial pinholes that each contain a slidably movable pin to form a bed of pins. A detection device is slidably mounted near the rear of the frame. A stepper motor is used to move the detection device relative to frame. The detection device has a sensor plate on its front surface with an array of sensors that correspond one-to-one with the pins. The user selects an object to be scanned and inserts it into the bed of pins to form an impression. The pins readily move and comply to the contours of the object. After the impression is made, the detection device is slowly incremented by the stepper motor toward the pins. The individual sensors are monitored by a host computer until they have been contacted by their respective pins. When a sensor has been touched by its pin, the sensor is scanned by the computer to record the displacement of the pin. This step is repeated until each paired sensor and pin make contact. With this information, the host computer digitally reconstructs the surface of the object scanned based on the displacements of the pins.

Claims

1. A computer scanning device for scanning three-dimensional objects, comprising:

a frame having an axis and a wall with an array of axial pinholes;

a pin slidably mounted in each of the pinholes in the wall of the frame to form an array of pins extending from the wall, the array of pins being adapted to form a three-dimensional impression of an object when the object is embedded in the array of pins;

a detection device mounted to the frame and having a sensor plate opposite the wall of the frame, wherein the detection device and the wall of the frame are movable relative to each other;

an array of sensors mounted to the sensor plate of the detection device, each of the sensors corresponding to and aligning with one of the pins for detecting axial displacement thereof, and the array of sensors having an engaged position wherein at least some of the sensors physically contact associated ones of the pins and a disengaged position wherein the sensors are axially spaced apart from and free of contact with the pins; and

a computer interface interconnected with the array of sensors and adapted to be interconnected with a computer, such that the three-dimensional impression of the object maybe represented within the computer in response to axial displacement of at least some of the pins.

2. The computer scanning device of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve mounted in each of the pinholes in the wall of the frame for frictionally engaging and limiting movement of the pins.

3. The computer scanning device of claim 1, further comprising:

a sheet mounted adjacent to the wall; and

a latching mechanism mounted to the frame for moving the sheet to selectively restrain and release the pins when the impression of the object is made.

4. The computer scaning device of claim 1 wherein the detection device is moved relative to the frame.

5. The computer scanning device of claim 1 wherein each of the sensors comprises a pair of electrical contacts that forms an electrical circuit when contacted by an associated one of the pins.

6. The computer scanning device of claim 1 wherein each of the sensors comprises a latching logic sensor.

7. The computer scanning device of claim 1 wherein each of the sensors comprises a set-reset flip-flop sensor.

8. The computer scanning device of claim 1, further comprising a motor coupled to the detection device and the frame, wherein when the motor moves one of the detection device and the frame relative to the other, the sensors detect the axial displacement of their respective pins and are adapted to enable the computer to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the object.

9. The computer scanning device of claim 8 wherein the motor is a stepper motor for incrementally moving said one of the detection device and the frame relative to the other.

10. A computer scanning device for scanning three-dimensional objects, comprising:

a frame having an axis and a wall with an array of axial pinholes, a front side, and a back side;

an elongated straight pin slidably mounted in each of the pinholes in the wall of the frame to form an array of pins extending from both sides of the wall, each of the pins having a front end and a back end, wherein the front ends of the array of pins are adapted to be axially displaced by a three-dimensional object to form a three-dimensional impression thereof on the front side of the wall, and a complementary three-dimensional embossment of the object on the back side of the wall when the object is embedded in the array of pins;

a sleeve mounted in each of the pinholes in the wall of the frame for frictionally engaging and limiting movement the pins;

a sheet mounted adjacent to the wall;

latching mechanism mounted to the frame for moving the sheet to selectively restrain and release the pins when the impression of the object is made;

a detection device movably mounted to the frame and having a sensor plate that is parallel to the wall of the frame and facing the rear ends of the pins;

a motor coupled to the detection device and the frame;

an array of sensors mounted to the sensor plate of the detection device, each of the sensors corresponding to and aligning with one of the pins for detecting axial displacement thereof and the array of sensors having an engage position wherein at least some of the sensors physically contact the back ends of associated ones of the pins, and a disengaged position wherein the sensors are axially spaced apart from and free of contact with the back ends of the pins;

a computer interface including a sensor circuit board with a microcontroller interconnected with the detection device and adapted to be interconnected with a computer, and wherein

when the motor moves the detection device toward the wall, the sensors individually detect the axial position of their respective pins and are adapted to enable the computer to reconstruct a graphical, three-dimensional representation of the object in response to the axial displacement of at least some of the pins.

11. The computer scanning device of claim 10 wherein each of the sensors comprises a pair of electrical contacts that forms an electrical circuit when contacted by an associated one of the pins.

12. The computer scanning device of claim 10 wherein each of the sensors comprises a latching logic sensor.

13. The computer scanning device of claim 10 wherein each of the sensors comprises a set-reset flip-flop sensor.

14. A method for scanning a three-dimensional object to create a three-dimensional representation of the object by a computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a scanner with a frame having a wall with an array of axial pinholes, a pin mounted in each of the pinholes to form an array of pins, and a detection device mounted to the frame and having an array of sensors that individually correspond to and align with one of the pins, the array of sensors being axially spaced apart from and free of contact with the pins;

(b) embedding a three-dimensional object in the array of pins to axially displace at least some of the pins to form a three-dimensional impression of the object in the array of pins;

(c) moving one of the wall and the detection device toward the other;

(d) physically contacting each of the pins with respective ones of the sensors to detect the axial position of each of the pins; and

then

(e) constructing a graphical, three-dimensional representation of the object on a computer that is interconnected with the scanner in response to the axial displacement of said at least some of the pins.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of frictionally engaging the pins to prevent their incidental movement after the impression is made.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein step (c) comprises moving the detection device toward the wall with a motor.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein step (d) comprises forming an electrical circuit whenever one of the sensors contacts a respective one of the pins.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein step (d) comprises actuating a microswitch whenever one of the sensors contacts a respective one of the pins.