Modular non-contact measurement device for quickly and accurately obtaining dimensional measurement data

• US 6,858,857 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Perceptron Incorporated (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Perceptron Incorporated (Atlas Copco AB)
• Inventors: Ewald, Tim, Pease, Alfred A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US10/429,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 25055901-55949, 250/206.2, 250/208.6, 250/239, 356/485, 356/492, 356/496, 356/141.5, 356/355, 356/357, 356/625, 356614-615, 356621-623, 356/603, 356/630, 356634- 63
• US Class Current: 250/559.19
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/002 for the position of the saw blade mounting for swiveling or tilting a circular saw blade B27B5/36; portable power-driven circular saws with adjustment for cutting depth or amount of tilting B27B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/24 using optics or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 27/02 arranged laterally and parallel with respect to the plane of the saw blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light

Abstract

A modular measurement device is provided for quickly and accurately performing non-contact measurements of various objects at different locations within a commercial or residential work area. The modular measurement device generally includes a laser base that is operable to project light onto a measured object; and a portable measurement module adapted to receive light reflected from a surface of the measured object and operable to determine dimensional measurement data for the measured object, where the portable measurement module is configured to releasably couple to the laser base. The operational components of the measurement device are partitioned between the portable measurement module and the laser base. In this way, a single portable measurement module having more expensive operational components may be used with different, less expensive laser bases, where each laser base may be adapted for a different application.

Claims

1. A modular non-contact measurement device, comprising:

a laser base adapted to couple to a power tool and operable to project light onto a measured object; and

a portable measurement module adapted to receive light reflected from a surface of the measured object and operable to determine dimensional measurement data for the measured object, wherein the portable measurement module is configured to releasably couple to the laser base.

2. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 1 wherein the portable measurement module is magnetically coupled to the laser base.

3. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 1 wherein the portable measurement module includes:

a housing assembly;

an user input element integrated with the housing assembly and operable to generate a trigger signal to initiate measurement of the measured object;

a sensing element mounted in the housing assembly, the sensing element adapted to receive the trigger signal and operable to collect image data; and

an image processor mounted in the housing assembly, the image processor adapted to retrieve the image data from the sensing element and operable to convert the image data into dimensional measurement data for the measured object.

4. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 3 wherein the laser base includes one or more laser diodes.

5. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 3 wherein the portable measurement module further includes a power source and the laser base is adapted to receive electrical power from the power source residing in the portable measurement module.

6. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 3 wherein the portable measurement module electrically connects via an electrical mating contact with the laser base when the portable measurement module is coupled to the laser base.

7. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 1 wherein the measured object is selected from the group consisting of a workpiece, an active member of the power tool, and a guide member associated with the power tool.

8. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 1 wherein the power tool is selected from the group comprising a table saw, a miter saw, a radial arm saw, a band saw, a drill press, a router, a planar, a joiner, and a lathe.

9. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 1 wherein the power tool is further defined as a table saw having a work surface, a saw blade extending through the work surface, and a movable guide fence disposed on the work surface, such that the measurement data is selected from the group consisting of an angle of the saw blade relative to the measurement module, height of the saw blade, saw blade run out, an angle of the guide fence relative to the saw blade, distance between the guide fence and the saw blade, and height of a workpiece on the work surface.

10. A modular non-contact measurement device, comprising:

a laser base adapted to couple to a power tool; and

a portable measurement module operable to project light onto a measured object, the portable measurement module adapted to receive light reflected from a surface of the measured object and operable to determine dimensional measurement data for the measured object, wherein the portable measurement module is configured to releasably couple to the laser base and includes a first housing assembly releasably coupled to a second housing assembly;

the first housing assembly including an user input element integrated with the housing assembly and operable to generate a trigger signal to initiate measurement of the measured object and a wireless transceiver device operable to communicate the trigger signal via a wireless connection to the second housing assembly; and

the second housing assembly including a wireless transceiver device adapted to receive the trigger signal from the first housing assembly, a sensing element adapted to receive the trigger signal and operable to collect image data and an image processor adapted to retrieve the image data from the sensing element and operable to convert the image data into dimensional measurement data for the measured object.

11. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 10 wherein the portable measurement module is magnetically coupled to the laser base.

12. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 10 wherein the portable measurement module includes one or more laser diodes.

13. The modular non-contact measurement device of claim 10 wherein the portable measurement module further includes:

a housing assembly;

an user input element integrated with the housing assembly and operable to generate a trigger signal to initiate measurement of the measured object;

a sensing element mounted in the housing assembly, the sensing element adapted to receive the trigger signal and operable to collect image data; and

an image processor mounted in the housing assembly, the image processor adapted to retrieve the image data from the sensing element and operable to convert the image data into dimensional measurement data for the measured object.

14. A method for acquiring non-contact measurement data at two different power tools, comprising:

providing a first laser base positioned proximate to a first power tool, the laser base being operable to project light onto a first measured object associated with the first power tool;

coupling a portable measurement module to the first laser base to form a first non-contact measurement device, the portable measurement module being adapted to receive light reflected from a measured object and operable to determine measurement data for the measured object;

determining measurement data for the first measured object using the first non-contact measurement device;

providing a second laser base positioned proximate to a second power tool, the second laser base being operable to project light onto a second measured object associated with the second power tool;

uncoupling the portable measurement module from the first laser base and coupling the portable measurement module to the second laser base to form a second non-contact measurement device; and

determining measurement data for the second measured object using the second non-contact measurement device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of coupling a portable measurement module further comprises configuring at least one of the portable measurement module and the first laser base with one or more magnetic contact areas and positioning the portable measurement module and the first laser base in surface contact with each other, thereby magnetically coupling the portable measurement module to the first laser base.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of determining measurement data further comprises:

triggering a measurement of the first measured object;

projecting light onto a surface of the first measured object;

capturing light reflected from the surface of the first measured object;

generating image data from the captured light, the image data being representative of the surface of the measured object; and

converting the image data into dimensional measurement data for the measured object.