US 6,205,240 B1 · Optical profile sensor

Abstract

An apparatus for determining the profile of an object provides a sensor having at least one light source which projects a sheet of light that is intersected by the object, whereby a stripe of points on the object are illuminated. The light source projects the sheet from multiple angles, so that the resulting stripe represents a continuous profile. The profile is collectively viewed by at least two optical detectors, which each have a different view than the others and provide an output signal representing its particular view of the profile. The output signals are received by an image processor, which digitizes the signals, provides filtering, and identifies (extracts) the points in each view that represent the profile. The image processor uses a predetermined set of calibration parameters to transform the coordinates of the extracted points to corresponding coordinates in a common reference system that collectively represent the profile of the object. Methods for evaluating a profile of a blade edge are also provided, including methods for locating the tip of a profile, comparing the profile to a tolerance band, and finding a width (thickness) of the profile. These methods provide quick and accurate evaluations and are not prone to errors during data manipulation. Nor do they require measurements of other profile portions not of primary concern.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An apparatus for evaluating a profile of a blade edge in a system having a processor for such evaluation, the edge comprising an edge tip and two edge sides, the apparatus comprising:

means for illuminating the blade edge, at a location along the blade, with a light stripe;
means for capturing an image of each illuminated edge side;
means for combining the image data, using calibration parameters, to represent the profile of the entire edge, including the tip, said profile being represented by a plurality of data points in a coordinate system,
means for providing a profile tolerance band, said profile tolerance band including data points corresponding to the edge tip and two sides;
means for aligning the profile and said profile tolerance band, said profile including data points from edge sides and an outermost portion of said blade;
means for providing a plurality of memory locations for storing values, each of said memory locations being associated with a point in the coordinate system;
means for setting said value stored in each of said memory locations, where those not associated with points of said tolerance band are set to a first value, and those associated with points of said tolerance band are set to a second value;
and
means for determining whether the points of the profile are within said tolerance band by evaluating said value of said memory locations which are associated with points of the profile.

6 more elements

A method for evaluating a profile of a blade edge in a system having a processor for such evaluation, the edge comprising an edge tip and two edge sides, the method comprising the steps of:

illuminating the blade edge, at a location along the blade, with a light stripe;
capturing an image of each illuminated edge side;
combining the image data, using calibration parameters, to represent the profile of the entire edge, including the tip, said profile being represented by a plurality of data points in a coordinate system,
providing a profile tolerance band, said profile tolerance band including data points corresponding to the edge tip and two sides;
aligning the profile and said profile tolerance band, said profile including data points from edge sides and an outermost portion of said blade;
providing a plurality of memory locations for storing values, each of said memory locations being associated with a point in the coordinate system;
setting said value stored in each of said memory locations, where those not associate with points of said tolerance band are set to a first value, and those associated with points of said tolerance band are set to a second value;
and
determining whether the points of the profile are within said tolerance band by evaluating said value of said memory locations which are associated with points of the profile.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical profile sensor

Life of this patent

Optical profile sensor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11