Back to results
US 4,734,572 AGranted
Dual light source locating and tracking system
AssigneeUnimation, Inc.
InventorRobert R. Gorman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Dual light beams directed onto adjacent surface elements defining a seam therebetween produce reflected light images which contact an electro-optic linear array sensor which in turn generates light spot position information for determining seam location via triangulation calculations.
Claims7
In an automation system, the combination of,
- a manipulator apparatus having an end effector means and a control means for positioning said end effector means,
- a seam locating and tracking means coupled to said end effector means for transmitting information to said control means to locate the position of a seam defined by first and second surface elements,
- said seam locating and tracking means including,
- a light source means for simultaneously directing first and second elongated light spots onto said first and second surface elements respectively on either side of said seam,
- a light sensing means including a one dimensional linear array sensor means and optical means for simultaneously directing the reflected images of said elongated light spots from said surfaces onto said linear array sensor means such that the longitudinal axes of the reflected images are essentially perpendicular to said one dimensional linear array sensor means, and
- processing means for transmitting informtion indicating the simultaneous position of said reflected images on said one dimensional linear array sensor means to said control means,
- said control means responding to said information by determining the location of the seam on the basis of ranging on said first and second surface elements simultaneously and deriving essentially two dimensional information from said one dimensional linear array sensor.
4 more elements
Apparatus for locating and tracking a seam defined by first and second surface elements comprising,
- a light source means for simultaneously directing first and second elongated light spots onto said first and second surface elements respectively on either side of said seam,
- a light sensing means including a one dimensional linear array sensor means and optical means for simultaneously directing the reflected images of said elongated light spots from said surfaces onto said linear array sensor means such that the longitudinal axes of the reflected images are essentially perpendicular to said one dimensional linear array sensor means, and
- processing means for transmitting information indicating the simultaneous position of said reflected images on said one dimensional linear array sensor means to said control means,
- said control means responding to said information by determining the location of the seam on the basis of ranging on said first and second surface elements simultaneously and deriving essentially two dimensional information from said one dimensional linear array sensor.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.