Internal vehicle mount for portable coordinate-measuring machine base

A portable apparatus for measuring a vehicle frame, comprising:

• a movable arm having opposed first and second ends, a support base attached to the first end of the movable arm, a head attached to the second end of the movable arm, a plurality of joints with each joint corresponding to a degree of freedom such that said arm is movable within a selected volume, a plurality of position sensors, each position sensor configured to produce a position signal, and a controller for receiving the position signals from the position signals and providing a digital coordinate corresponding to a position of the head in the selected volume;
• and
• a vehicle mount configured to support the movable arm, the vehicle mount including:
• a first support rail including a first attachment feature for mounting the vehicle mount to the vehicle frame;
• a second support rail including a second attachment feature for mounting the vehicle mount to the vehicle frame;
• a first guide rail supported by the first support rail and the second support rail;
• a second guide rail supported by the first support rail and the second support rail, the second guide rail is oriented in parallel with, and spaced apart from, the first guide rail;
• and
• a mounting plate configured to receive the support base of the movable arm, the mounting plate extending between and to the first guide rail and the second guide rail, the mounting plate is configurable between an unlocked state, wherein the mounting plate is moveable with respect to the first guide rail and the second guide rail, and a locked state, wherein the mounting plate is locked in position with respect to the first guide rail and the second guide rail.

A method for measuring a vehicle frame comprising:

• mounting a vehicle mount to the vehicle frame using existing seat mounts of the vehicle frame;
• mounting a movable arm to the vehicle mount, the movable arm having opposed first and second ends, a support base attached to the first end of the movable arm and configured to be mounted to a mounting plate of the vehicle mount, a head attached to the second end of the movable arm, a plurality of joints with each joint corresponding to a degree of freedom such that said arm is movable within a selected volume, a plurality of position sensors, each position sensor configured to produce a position signal, and a controller for receiving the position signals from the position signals and providing a digital coordinate corresponding to a position of the head in the selected volume;
• moving the head to a first known feature of the vehicle frame;
• logging a first digital coordinate of the first known feature;
• moving the head to a second known feature of the vehicle frame;
• and
• logging a second digital coordinate of the second known feature.