Methods and systems for contactless object measurement

A method for contactless measurement of an object, the method comprising:

• constructing a system comprising a workpiece, at least one low-profile assembly, and a central control unit;
• wherein the control unit comprises a power source and an image processor;
• the low-profile assembly and the control unit are attached on a surface of the workpiece;
• the assembly comprises:
• a main axis directed to a first direction and approximately parallel to the surface of the workpiece to intersect the inner surface of a nearby object;
• a projector for projecting an electromagnetic beam onto an object;
• wherein the beam is configured to intersect with the main axis at a reference plane;
• the projection of the beam produces a beam spot on a surface of an object;
• the separation between the spot and the main axis along a second direction is proportional to the distance from the surface of the object to the reference plane;
• a focusing means centered on the main axis for focusing the reflected beam of the spot from the object surface, and to form an image of the spot on an image plane;
• and
• an imaging sensor array placed at the image plane and coupled with an image processor in the control unit for determining the position of the image of the spot on the image plane;
• determining, by the image processor in the control unit, the distance, dobj, from the object surface to the reference plane, according to the distance of the image spot from the main axis intersect with the image plane in the second direction.

A system comprising:

• a workpiece, at least one low-profile assembly, and a central control unit;
• wherein the control unit comprises a power source and an image processor;
• the low-profile assembly and the control unit are attached on a surface of the workpiece;
• the assembly comprises:
• a main axis directed to a first direction and approximately parallel to the surface of the workpiece to intersect the inner surface of a nearby object;
• a first and a second projector for projecting a first and a second electromagnetic beam onto an object;
• wherein the first and the second beam are configured to be symmetrical about the main axis and to intersect with each other at a reference plane;
• the projections of the first and second beam produce a first and second beam spots on a surface of an object;
• the separation between the first and second spot along a second direction is proportional to the distance from the surface of the object to the reference plane;
• a focusing means centered on the main axis for focusing the reflected beams of the first and the second spots from the object surface, and forming images of the spots on an image plane;
• and
• an imaging sensor array placed at the image plane and coupled with image processor in the control unit for determining the position of the images of the spots on the image plane.

A method for contactless measurement of an object, the method comprising:

• constructing a system comprising a workpiece, at least one low-profile assembly, and a central control unit;
• wherein the control unit comprises a power source and an image processor;
• the low-profile assembly and the control unit are attached on a surface of the workpiece;
• the assembly comprises:
• a main axis directed to a first direction and approximately parallel to the surface of the workpiece to intersect the inner surface of a nearby object;
• a first and a second projector for projecting a first and a second electromagnetic beam onto an object;
• wherein the first and the second beam are configured to be symmetrical about the main axis and to intersect with each other at a reference plane;
• the projections of the first and second beam produce a first and second beam spots on a surface of an object;
• the separation between the first and second spot along a second direction is proportional to the distance from the surface of the object to the reference plane;
• a focusing means centered on the main axis for focusing the reflected beams of the first and the second spots from the object surface, and forming images of the spots on an image plane;
• and
• an imaging sensor array placed at the image plane and coupled with an image processor in the control unit for determining the position of the image of the spot on the image plane;
• determining, by the processor in the control unit, the distance, dobj, from the object surface to the reference plane, according to the distance between the first and the second image spot on the image plane in the second direction.