Three-dimensional gap measurement systems and methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMorteza Safai, Melissa McQueen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic feeler gauge comprises a sensor blade, a transmitting system, and a receiving system. The sensor blade comprises transmission induction coils, reception induction coils, and measurement sites, spaced in two dimensions about the sensor blade. Each of the measurement sites is associated with at least one of the transmission induction coils and at least one of the reception induction coils. The transmitting system is configured to drive direct electrical current across the transmission induction coils to produce transmitted probe signals from the transmission induction coils. The receiving system is configured to receive response signals from the reception induction coils due to the transmitted probe signals.
Claims67
An electronic feeler gauge, comprising:
- a sensor blade, comprising transmission induction coils, reception induction coils, and measurement sites spaced in two dimensions about the sensor blade, wherein each of the measurement sites is associated with at least one of the transmission induction coils and at least one of the reception induction coils;
- a transmitting system, configured to drive direct electrical current across the transmission induction coils to produce transmitted probe signals from the transmission induction coils;
- and
- a receiving system, configured to receive response signals from the reception induction coils due to the transmitted probe signals.
A method of measuring separation distances within a gap, the method comprising:
- inserting a sensor blade into the gap, defined by a first surface and a second surface, wherein:
- the sensor blade comprises transmission induction coils, reception induction coils, and measurement sites, spaced in two dimensions about the sensor blade, and
- each of the measurement sites is associated with at least one of the transmission induction coils and at least one of the reception induction coils;
- generating transmitted probe signals from the transmission induction coils by driving direct electrical current across the transmission induction coils;
- receiving response signals with the reception induction coils in response to the transmitted probe signals;
- and
- determining, by at least a processor of a computing system, the separation distances between the first surface and the second surface at the measurement sites based upon the response signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.