Apparatuses and methods for inspecting a surface
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorAmir Afrasiabi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for inspecting a surface comprises a light source and a camera. When a light beam is generated by the light source, a centerline of the light beam is coincident with a line of sight of the camera when viewed in a direction, perpendicular to a first plane that contains one of the centerline of the light beam or the line of sight of the camera. The centerline of the light beam is parallel to the line of sight of the camera when viewed in a direction, perpendicular to a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane and that contains the centerline of the light beam and the line of sight of the camera.
Claims20
An apparatus (100) for inspecting a surface (120), the apparatus (100) comprising:
- a light source (106), configured to generate a light beam (112), having a centerline (142);
- a camera (114), having a line of sight (144);
- and
- a microprocessor (118), communicatively coupled with the camera (114),
- wherein, when the light beam (112) is generated by the light source (106):
- the centerline (142) of the light beam (112) is coincident with the line of sight (144) of the camera (114) when viewed in a direction, perpendicular to a first plane (150) that contains one of the centerline (142) of the light beam (112) or the line of sight (144) of the camera (114);
- and
- the centerline (142) of the light beam (112) is parallel to the line of sight (144) of the camera (114) when viewed in a direction, perpendicular to a second plane (152) that is perpendicular to the first plane (150) and that contains the centerline (142) of the light beam (112) and the line of sight (144) of the camera (114).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.