Optical coordinate measuring machines and optical touch probes
First Claim
1. A coordinate measuring machine comprising:
- A) a video based coordinate measuring system comprising;
a) a video camera producing a video signal having a first optical axis and a focal plane where an image of a part to be measured is focused, said camera being mounted to move with respect to said part to be measured and generating an image in the form of a plurality of pixels; and
b) a video monitor responsive to said video signal connected to said video camera for displaying an image of said part being on said focal plane; and
,B) a touch probe mounted on support structure which allows it to be imaged by said video camera in said focal plane, said touch probe being adapted for mounting to said video camera and comprising;
a) a contact tip;
b) a target mounted to said contact tip in the field of view of said video camera, said video signal including an image of said target, said target being adapted to be imaged on said focal plane, the image of said target changing position in said focal plane in response to movement of said touch probe relative to said video camera from a central pixel having a first set of x and v coordinates; and
c) an electronic circuit for analyzing said video signal to determine changes in the coordinates of the position of said target relative to said video camera.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The optical touch probe has a first target at the distal end thereof on the contact element in a standard probe. The probe is mounted to a video camera of an optical coordinate measuring machine to image the target on the camera. Movement and position of the target in the X and Y coordinates is indicated by the machine'"'"'s computer image processing system. A second target is mounted to the proximal end of the probe and indicates movement and position in the Z coordinate. The second target may obscure a photodetector, but preferably is parfocused on the camera by light beam parallel to the X,Y plane. Preferably there are two second targets illuminated by orthogonal beams parallel to the X,Y plane. Rotation around the Z axis then may be calculated by the computer when star probes are used. Auto changing racks are also disclosed for holding multiple probes, a probe holder, and lenses for selective mounting on the camera.
158 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A coordinate measuring machine comprising:
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A) a video based coordinate measuring system comprising; a) a video camera producing a video signal having a first optical axis and a focal plane where an image of a part to be measured is focused, said camera being mounted to move with respect to said part to be measured and generating an image in the form of a plurality of pixels; and b) a video monitor responsive to said video signal connected to said video camera for displaying an image of said part being on said focal plane; and
,B) a touch probe mounted on support structure which allows it to be imaged by said video camera in said focal plane, said touch probe being adapted for mounting to said video camera and comprising; a) a contact tip; b) a target mounted to said contact tip in the field of view of said video camera, said video signal including an image of said target, said target being adapted to be imaged on said focal plane, the image of said target changing position in said focal plane in response to movement of said touch probe relative to said video camera from a central pixel having a first set of x and v coordinates; and c) an electronic circuit for analyzing said video signal to determine changes in the coordinates of the position of said target relative to said video camera. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A coordinate measuring machine comprising:
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A) an optical image to electronic signal converter comprising a focal plane and outputting a video signal; B) first imaging optics having a first optical axis for focusing an object plane on said focal plane; C) an optical touch probe mounted on support structure which allows said probe to be imaged by said electronic signal converter, said touch probe being adapted for mounting to said machine and comprising; a) a first target located within the field of view of said focusing optics and substantially in said object plane, b) a second target mounted to said probe, and c) second imaging optics having a second optical axis transverse to said first optical axis for parfocal imaging of said second target on said focal plane, said video signal including an image of said first and second targets; and D) an electronic circuit analyzing said video signal to determine changes in the coordinates of the position of said second target. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. The method of utilizing a touch probe with a video based measuring machine comprising the steps of:
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A) mounting a touch probe on said machine with its distal end located substantially on the optical axis of said machine; B) focusing the image of said distal end on the focal plane of said machine; C) measuring motion along Cartesian coordinates X and Y orthogonal to said optical axis by analyzing the video signal produced by motion of the image of said distal end; D) parfocusing an image of a first target mounted on said probe that moves proportionally to movement of said probe along said optical axis such that the image of said first target also moves proportionally to said movement; and
,E) measuring motion along Cartesian coordinate Z along said optical axis by analyzing the video signal produced by motion of the image of said first target. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. An optical coordinate machine comprising:
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(a) a touch probe having a distal end; (b) an imaging device having a focal plane and outputting a signal containing image information; (c) a support structure holding said touch probe with said distal end in a nominal zero position while allowing said distal end to be displaced from said nominal zero position upon the application of force to said distal end; (d) first imaging optics imaging said distal end in said focal plane; (e) a computer for receiving said signal containing image position information from said imaging device having a focal plane and generating in response thereto indications of changes in the coordinates of said image of said distal end in said focal plane; (f) a target mounted on said probe; and
,(g) optics for imaging said target in said focal plane, wherein said computer indicates changes in the vertical coordinate of said target. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. The method of measuring a workpiece using a video based coordinate measuring machine comprising a video camera, monitor and computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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A) mounting a touch probe to said video camera with its contact tip imaged on said video camera and monitor; and B) using said video camera and computer to determine the X, Y coordinates of the contact tip when it is in contact with a workpiece mounted in the machine. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. Apparatus for determining the position of a point in space comprising:
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(a) a movable support system outputting information with indicates the position of said movable support system; (b) a touch probe comprising; i) a contacting portion; and ii) an optical pattern including first and second imagable characteristics; (c) probe supporting structure mounted on said moveable support system, said probe being mounted on said probe supporting structure, allowing said probe to be moved by said movable support system, said probe supporting structure supporting said probe while allowing said contacting portion and said optical pattern to be displaced along a path determined by said probe supporting structure upon the application of force to a contacting point on said contacting portion, the displacement of said optical pattern causing changes in said characteristics; (d) an image generating system for receiving an image and outputting an image signal; (e) first imaging optics imaging said first and second imagable characteristics on said image generating system to cause said image generating system to generate a signal containing an image of said first and second imagable characteristics, the changes in said characteristics caused in response to movement of said contacting portion indicating the position of said point of contact; and (f) a computer for receiving said signal containing said images of said first and second imagable characteristics and the output of said movable support system, and calculating the position in three dimensional space of said point of contact. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. Apparatus for determining the position of a point in space comprising:
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(a) a movable support system outputting information with indicates the position of said movable support system; (b) a touch probe comprising; i) a contacting portion; and ii) an optical pattern including first and second imagable characteristics; (c) a flexible probe supporting structure mounted on said moveable support system, said probe being mounted on said probe supporting structure, allowing said probe to be moved by said movable support system, said probe supporting structure supporting said probe while allowing said contacting portion and said optical pattern to be displaced along a path determined by said probe supporting structure upon the application of force to a contacting point on said contacting portion, the displacement of said optical pattern causing changes in said characteristics; (d) an image generating system for receiving an image and outputting an image signal; (e) first imaging optics imaging said first and second imagable characteristics on said image generating system to cause said image generating system to generate a signal containing an image of said first and second imagable characteristics, the changes in said characteristics caused in response to movement of said contacting portion indicating the position of said point of contact; and (f) a computer for receiving said signal containing said images of said first and second imagable characteristics and the output of said movable support system, and detecting change in the position in three dimensional space of said point of contact.
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Specification