Three-dimensional form measuring apparatus and method

Abstract

A three-dimensional form measuring apparatus of the present invention comprises (i) an optical distance measuring equipment for irradiating an object to be measured with slit-like irradiation light and for receiving, on a two-dimensional light receiving sensor, reflected light from the object; (ii) a position setting mechanism for setting a relative positional relationship between the optical distance measuring equipment and the object; (iii) a signal selecting section which detects whether or not the width and maximum luminance of an optical image reflected by the object are within a predetermined range and thereby selects, as an output signal for preparing data, an output signal of the two-dimensional light receiving sensor concerning the relative positional relationship between the optical distance measuring equipment and the object set by the position setting mechanism; and (iv) a form data preparing section which prepares a three-dimensional form data of the object based on the output signal of the two-dimensional light receiving sensor selected by the signal selecting section. Accordingly, errors in measurement caused by the inclination of the measuring surface are reduced, whereby the three-dimensional form of the object can be stably measured with a high accuracy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.