Single motor data collection scanners

A scanner system comprising:

• a motor comprising a shaft;
• a body comprising a first gear having a first plurality of teeth;
• a stand;
• an assembly rotatably coupled to the stand, the assembly comprising a sensor and a second gear having a second plurality of teeth;
• a third gear having a third plurality of teeth, the third gear coupled to the shaft and the third plurality of teeth meshing with the second plurality of teeth;
• a fourth gear having a fourth plurality of teeth, the fourth plurality of teeth meshing with the first plurality of teeth;
• and
• a friction member biased between the stand and the fourth gear,
• wherein the motor is a stepper motor and is configured to apply a plurality of torque values to the third gear via the shaft.

A method of performing a plurality of scans in a three-dimensional space, the method comprising the steps of:

• operating a motor at a first torque value in a first rotational direction to thereby rotate a sensor about a first axis in a first φ rotational direction, wherein the sensor performs a predetermined number N of scans during the rotation about the first axis in the first φ rotational direction;
• operating the motor at a second torque value in the first rotational direction to thereby rotate the sensor about a second axis in a first θ rotational direction;
• operating the motor at the first torque value in a second rotational direction to thereby rotate the sensor about the first axis in a second φ0 rotational direction, wherein the sensor performs a predetermined number M of scans during the rotation about the first axis in the second φ rotational direction;
• and
• operating the motor at the second torque value in the second rotational direction to thereby rotate the sensor about the second axis in a second θ rotational direction.