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AssigneeAmerican Research Corporation of Virginbia
InventorsBruce L. Thomas, Henry M. Bass, Lloyd K. Loftus, Russell J. Churchill
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A laser-based multi-axis position measurement unit measures position deviations in 5 axes while traversing a 6th linear axis. The apparatus includes three components: 1) a laser-beam unit which emits two parallel laser beams; 2) a sensor unit including at least three laser-position sensors, one of them being transparent; and 3) a microprocessor or computer unit which converts X,Y laser position data from the three sensors to displacements in 5 axes: X (horizontal), Y (vertical), Pitch (angular motion about the X axis), Yaw (angular motion about the Y axis), and Roll (angular motion about the line of travel). Readout of the 6th axis, the line of travel, is provided by means of a separate linear transducer or laser-based ranging system. The device includes an arrangement of three digital sensors on two parallel laser beams to deduce position in 5 axes. Applications for the measurement unit exist in machine tool measurement and calibration, robotics, coordinate measurement machines, optical alignment and other areas where position in multiple axes must be determined. The position information may be directly displayed or used as input for a closed-loop positioning system.
A position measurement apparatus for measuring position deviations in five axes when a moveable platform traverses a workpiece comprising an emitter unit mounted on the platform for generating source beams in directions generally parallel to a line of travel of the platform, a sensor unit positioned on the workpiece and aligned with the emitter unit for sensing the source beams and for providing position alignment data and a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for converting the position alignment data to displacements in five axes.
A position measurement apparatus for measuring position deviations in five axes when a moveable platform traverses a workpiece comprising an emitter unit mounted on the workpiece for generating source beams in directions generally parallel to a line of travel of the platform, a sensor unit positioned on the moveable platform and aligned with the emitter unit for sensing the source beams and for providing position alignment data and a processing unit connected to the sensor unit for converting the position alignment data to displacements in five axes.
A method for measuring position deviations in five axes comprising the steps of positioning an emitter unit having multiple beam emitters on a moveable platform, positioning a sensor unit having multiple detectors on a stationary workpiece, propagating at least two beams from the multiple beam emitters, orienting the emitters such that the at least two laser beams are generally parallel to each other and substantially parallel to a direction of travel of the moveable platform, aligning the multiple detectors such that one of the at least two laser beams impinges at least one detector, transversing the stationary workpiece with the moveable platform, continuously impinging the detectors with the at least two laser beams, generating position data from the at least two laser beams impinging on the detectors, and converting the position data to position-error data.
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