US 4,794,262 A · Method and apparatus for measuring profile of three-dimensional object

Abstract

A method of measuring the profile of a three-dimensional object including the steps of scanning the surface of the object to be measured with a slit-ray, forming an optical image of the surface of the object on an imaging plane of a nonscanning type two-dimensional image sensor which is composed of a plurality of mutually independent photosensors, measuring each time interval between a time when the slit-ray passes a predetermined point and a time when reflected rays are received by any of each of the plurality of mutually independent photosensors, storing each of the time intervals measured in separate memory means with a one to one correspondence between the position of each of the plurality of photosensors and each of the plurality of separate memory means and determining the profile from the time interval stored.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of measuring the profile of three-dimensional object comprising the steps of:

scanning the surface of an object to be measured with a measuring slit-ray;
forming an optical image of the surface of said object by means of said measuring slit-ray on an imaging plane of a non-scanning type two-dimensional image sensor which is composed of a plurality of mutually independent arrayed photosensors;
measuring each time interval between a first time when said slit-ray passes a predetermined point and a second time when reflected rays from said slit-ray scanning said object are received by any of each of said plurality of mutually independent arrayed photosensors;
storing each of said time intervals measured in predetermined ones of a plurality of separate memory means with a one to one correspondence between the position of each of said plurality of photosensors and each of said predetermined ones of said plurality of separate memory means;
and
determining the profile from the time intervals stored in each of said predetermined ones of a plurality of separate memory means.

3 more elements

An apparatus for measuring the profile of three-dimensional object comprising:

a means for scanning a surface of an object to be measured with a measuring slit-ray;
a non-scanning type two-dimensional image sensor which is composed of a plurality of mutually independent arrayed photosensors and which form an imaging plane onto which an optical image on the surface of said object is formed by reflected rays from said slit-ray scanning of said object;
means for measuring each time interval between a first time when said slit-ray passes a predetermined point and a second time when reflected rays from said slit-ray scanning said object are received by any of each of said plurality of mutually independent arrayed photosensors;
storing means for storing each of said time intervals measured in predetermined ones of a plurality of separate memory means with a one to one correspondence between the position of each of said plurality of photosensors and each of said predetermined ones of said plurality of separate memory means;
and
a means for determining the profile of the object from the time intervals stored in each of said predetermined ones of a plurality of separate memory means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for measuring profile of three-dimensional object

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for measuring profile of three-dimensional object

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13