# US 11,307,014 B2 · System and method to digitize cylinder head combustion chambers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,014 B2 - Document ID: US11307014B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/786,326 - Filed: 2020-02-10 - Published: 2020-07-23 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-08 - Assignees: Paradyne Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Paradyne Technologies Inc. - Inventors: Michael J. Stevens; Andrew K. Jenkins; Milton T. McDonald - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307014B2 ## CPC - G01B 5/20: for measuring contours or curvatures - G05B 19/401: characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes (G05B19/19 takes precedence) - G01B 5/008: using coordinate measuring machines - G05B 19/4207: {in which a model is traced or scanned and corresponding data recorded} - F02F 1/24: Cylinder heads - G05B 2219/37043: Touch probe, store position of touch point on surface - G05B 2219/37198: Machine as measuring station, use tool or probe, in process incycle - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - F02F: CYLINDERS, PISTONS OR CASINGS, FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES; ARRANGEMENTS OF SEALINGS IN COMBUSTION ENGINES ## Abstract In one embodiment there is a computer numerical control machine implementing a method for measuring and digitizing a cylinder head combustion chamber using a touch probe, wherein the cylinder head combustion chamber includes an intake valve and an exhaust valve. The method includes receiving combustion chamber characteristics of the cylinder head combustion chamber. The method includes receiving probe measurement variables that describe how the touch probe measures the cylinder head combustion chamber. The method includes generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber using the combustion chamber characteristics and the probe measurement variables. The method includes measuring, using the touch probe, probe measurement planes for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber using the probe measurement lines to generate probe measurements. The method includes digitizing the probe measurement planes for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber using the probe measurements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer numerical control machine comprising: a probe; one or more memory units each operable to store at least one program; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the one or more memory units, in which the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the steps of: receiving combustion chamber characteristics of the cylinder head combustion chamber; receiving probe measurement variables that are used by the probe to measure the cylinder head combustion chamber; and generating probe measurement lines and probe measurement planes for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber using the combustion chamber characteristics and the probe measurement variables. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer numerical control machine of claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber characteristics includes a top plane, an intake valve plane and an exhaust valve plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer numerical control machine of claim 2, wherein the digitizing variables include step angle and step over distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer numerical control machine of claim 3, wherein measuring positions along the probe measurement lines includes: traversing the probe along each probe measurement line for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber while the probe meets probe measurement criteria; periodically measuring a series of probe points along each probe measurement line for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber to generate the positions for each probe measurement line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer numerical control machine of claim 4, wherein probe measurement criteria includes a criterion that is met when a height of the probe is less than the top plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer numerical control machine of claim 5, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a first portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane; and generating a series of probe measurement lines extending from the center point of the exhaust valve, wherein each probe measurement line extends in a direction parallel to, or away from, the center point of the intake valve, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer numerical control machine of claim 6, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a second portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane and defining a center line that is parallel to a line that intersects the center point of the intake valve and the center point of the exhaust valve; and generating a series of probe measurement lines extending perpendicular from the center line in a first direction, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step over distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer numerical control machine of claim 7, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a third portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane; and generating a series of probe measurement lines extending from the center point of the intake valve, wherein each probe measurement line extends in a direction parallel to, or away from, the center point of the exhaust valve, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step angle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer numerical control machine of claim 8, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a fourth portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: generating a series of probe measurement lines extending perpendicular from the center line in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step over distance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer numerical control machine of claim 9, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a fifth portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane and defining a center line that is parallel to a line that intersects the center point of the intake valve and the center point of the exhaust valve; and generating a series of probe measurement lines parallel to the center line, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step over distance. ### Claim 11 A method for operating a computer numerical control machine comprising: receiving combustion chamber characteristics of a cylinder head combustion chamber; receiving probe measurement variables that are used by a probe to measure the cylinder head combustion chamber; generating probe measurement lines and probe measurement planes for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber using the combustion chamber characteristics and the probe measurement variables. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the combustion chamber characteristics includes a top plane, an intake valve plane and an exhaust valve plane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the digitizing variables include step angle and step over distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein measuring positions along the probe measurement lines includes: traversing the probe along each probe measurement line for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber while the probe meets probe measurement criteria; periodically measuring a series of probe points along each probe measurement line for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber to generate the positions for each probe measurement line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein probe measurement criteria includes a criterion that is met when a height of the probe is less than the top plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a first portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane; and generating a series of probe measurement lines extending from the center point of the exhaust valve, wherein each probe measurement line extends in a direction parallel to, or away from, the center point of the intake valve, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step angle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a second portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane and defining a center line that is parallel to a line that intersects the center point of the intake valve and the center point of the exhaust valve; and generating a series of probe measurement lines extending perpendicular from the center line in a first direction, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step over distance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a third portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane; and generating a series of probe measurement lines extending from the center point of the intake valve, wherein each probe measurement line extends in a direction parallel to, or away from, the center point of the exhaust valve, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step angle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a fourth portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: generating a series of probe measurement lines extending perpendicular from the center line in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step over distance. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein generating probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber includes: for a fifth portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber: projecting a center point of the intake valve and a center point of the exhaust valve onto the top plane and defining a center line that is parallel to a line that intersects the center point of the intake valve and the center point of the exhaust valve; and generating a series of probe measurement lines parallel to the center line, wherein each probe measurement line is separated by the step over distance. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The computer numerical control machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to further perform the step of: digitizing probe measurement planes for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber by measuring, using the probe, positions along the probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: digitizing probe measurement planes for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber by measuring, using the probe, positions along the probe measurement lines for each portion of the cylinder head combustion chamber.