# US 12,000,689 B2 · Environmental scanning and image reconstruction thereof

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- Number: US 12,000,689 B2
- Document ID: US12000689B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/395,748
- Filed: 2021-08-06
- Published: 2022-02-17
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-08-17
- Assignees: Faro Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: FARO Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Evelyn Schmitz; Heiko Bauer; Steffen Kappes; Denis Wohlfeld
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000689B2

## CPC

- G01B 11/04: specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving
- G01B 5/0002: {Arrangements for supporting, fixing or guiding the measuring instrument or the object to be measured}
- G01B 11/24: for measuring contours or curvatures
- G01B 11/2518: {Projection by scanning of the object}
- G01S 7/4812: {transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path}
- G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging
- G02B 26/101: {with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners (colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129)}
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

Scanning systems and methods for measuring shafts are described. The scanning systems include a support structure and a scanner mounted to the support structure, at least one fixed guide arranged such that the support structure is configured to move along the at least one fixed guide, at least one positional guide arranged such that at least one positional guide is connected to the support structure to guide movement of the scanner along the at least one fixed guide, and an encoder operably coupled to the at least one positional guide and configured to measure, at least, a distance from the encoder to the support structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A scanning system for measuring a shaft, the scanning system comprising:
a support structure;
a scanner mounted to the support structure;
at least one fixed guide, wherein the support structure is configured to move along the at least one fixed guide;
at least one positional guide, wherein the at least one positional guide is connected to the support structure to guide movement of the scanner along the at least one fixed guide;
an encoder operably coupled to the at least one positional guide and configured to measure, at least, a distance from the encoder to the support structure; and
at least one stabilizer arranged between the scanner and the support structure, wherein the at least one stabilizer is configured to minimize relative tilt between the scanner and the support structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, further comprising an inertial measurement unit configured to measure a tilt of at least one of the support structure and the scanner.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one fixed guide is one of a rope, a cable, a rod, a pole, and a wire.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one positional guide is one of a rope, a cable, a rod, a pole, and a wire.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, wherein the scanner is a laser scanner.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to receive encoding data from the encoder and scanning data from the scanner, the controller configured to correlate the encoding data and the scanning data to determine a location of the scanning data based on a location of the scanner.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, further comprising at least one buffer extending from the support structure and configured to prevent contact of the scanner with an external structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The scanning system of claim 7, wherein the buffer comprises a biasing element and a roller, the roller configured to contact the external structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The scanning system of claim 8, wherein the buffer includes an extension rod, wherein the extension rod is attached to the support structure, with the biasing element and the roller arranged at an end of the extension rod.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The met scanning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one fixed guide is configured to be secured to an end of a shaft.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, further comprising one or more targets configured to be arranged along a shaft and detected by the scanner.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, further comprising a machine configured to play out the positional guide.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The scanning system of claim 12, wherein the machine includes the encoder, and the machine comprises a motor to drive movement of the scanner arranged at an end of the positional guide.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The scanning system of claim 1, wherein the scanner includes a rotating mirror and the scanner is configured to rotate about an axis that is perpendicular to a rotational axis of the mirror of the scanner.

### Claim 15

A method of measuring a shaft, the method comprising:
disposing a scanning system within the shaft, the scanning system comprising a support structure, a scanner mounted to the support structure, at least one fixed guide, wherein the support structure is configured to move along the at least one fixed guide, at least one positional guide, wherein the at least one positional guide is connected to the support structure to guide movement of the scanner along the at least one fixed guide, and an encoder operably coupled to the at least one positional guide and configured to measure, at least, a distance from the encoder to the support structure;
moving the scanner along the shaft;
obtaining measurements of the shaft using the scanner as the scanner moves along the shaft; and
minimizing a relative tilt between the scanner and the support structure using at least one stabilizer arranged between the scanner and the support structure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising measuring a tilt of at least one of the support structure and the scanner using an inertial measurement unit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
receiving encoding data from the encoder and scanning data from the scanner at a controller; and
correlating the encoding data and the scanning data to determine a location of the scanning data based on a location of the scanner using the controller.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising installing at least one buffer to extend from the support structure that is configured to prevent contact of the scanner with an external structure.

### Claim 19

A scanning system, comprising:
a support structure;
a scanner mounted to the support structure;
a buffer extending from the support structure to prevent contact of the scanner with an external structure, the buffer comprising an extension rod attached to the support structure, a biasing element, and a roller configured to contact the external structure, the biasing element and the roller arranged at an end of the extension rod;
a fixed guide along which the support structure moves;
a positional guide connected to the support structure to guide movement of the scanner along the fixed guide; and
an encoder coupled to the positional guide for measuring a distance from the encoder to the support structure.