Five-axis/six-axis laser measuring system
AssigneeCam C. Lau
InventorsKam C. Lau, Yuan-Qen Liu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A 6-axis laser measurement system includes a novel 5-D measurement apparatus and a precision laser roll detector. The 5-D system measures pitch, yaw, X, Y, and Z displacements with a single setup of a laser head and detection housing. The laser roll detector uses a polarizing prism, such as a Glan-Thompson prism, and at least two photodetectors. A linearly polarized laser beam enters the prism, and the beam is split into two polarized components, the intensities of which vary with roll orientation of the detector relative to the polarized laser beam. The outputs of the two photodetectors are connected to the positive and negative inputs, respectively, of a high gain differential amplifier which provides a roll output.
Claims24
A laser roll detection system comprising:
- a laser which generates a laser beam;
- polarizing means associated with the laser for polarizing the laser beam into at least a first and a second component;
- and
- a roll measurement sensor including:
- polarization beamsplitting means for separating the first polarized beam component from the second polarized beam component;
- first intensity sensing means for sensing an intensity of the first component of the beam and providing an intensity output;
- second intensity sensing means for sensing an intensity of the second component of the beam and providing an intensity output;
- and
- differential amplifying means having positive and negative inputs connected to the outputs of the first and second intensity sensing means, respectively, for providing an output indicating a roll orientation of the roll measurement sensor relative to the laser and polarizing means.
A multi-axis measuring system, comprising:
- a laser producing a laser beam;
- a polarizer arranged to polarize the laser beam;
- a first beam splitter disposed within a housing and arranged to split the polarized laser beam into first and second components;
- a first sensor which detects the first component and measures displacement in y and z dimensions between the housing and the laser;
- a reflector for reflecting the second component back through the first beam splitter, the first beam splitter separating the second component into a reflected signal and a passing signal;
- a second sensor which detects the passing signal of the second component and measures angular pitch and yaw displacement between the housing and the laser beam;
- and
- a third sensor which detects the reflected signal of the second component and measures displacement in an x dimension between the laser and the housing.
A method for determining the position of an object, comprising the steps of:
- generating a polarized laser beam from a laser generator;
- splitting the polarized laser beam into first and second components in a first beam splitter;
- measuring object position in first and second dimensions by detecting the first component;
- reflecting the second component through the first beam splitter to reflect a portion of the second component and pass a remaining portion of the second component;
- measuring object position in a third dimension by detecting the reflected portion of the second component;
- and
- measuring object position in fourth and fifth dimensions by detecting the remaining portion of the second component.
A method for detecting roll displacement, comprising the steps of:
- generating, in a laser source, a laser beam polarized in at least two directions;
- splitting, in a roll measurement sensor, the laser beam into first and second portions, each portion corresponding to a polarization direction;
- sensing an intensity of each portion and providing first and second intensity outputs;
- and
- differentially amplifying the first and second intensity outputs to provide an output indicative of a roll displacement between the roll measurement sensor and the laser source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.