Optical method and system for rapidly measuring relative angular alignment of flat surfaces
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsStephen B. Segall, Juris Upatnieks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reconfigurable optical method and system for rapidly measuring relative angular alignment of flat surfaces are provided. The method and system can be used to rapidly and simultaneously measure the relative angular alignment of machined flat surfaces of a manufactured part. The system can measure parallelism, perpendicularity or angular alignment of multiple flat surfaces. The system can also be used to set up a range of reference angles to which machined surfaces can be compared.
Claims26
An optical method for measuring angular alignment of a first surface relative to a second surface, said method comprising:
- providing a reference surface;
- directing a first light beam at said reference surface to define a reference signal;
- directing a second light beam at the first surface to define a first reflected signal;
- directing a third light beam at the second surface to define a second reflected signal;
- receiving said reference signal to define a reference spot;
- receiving said first reflected signal and said second reflected signal to define first and second measuring spots, respectively;
- and
- measuring a relative position of said reference spot and said first measuring spot and further measuring a relative position of said reference spot and said second measuring spot to produce a surface measurement signal representing angular alignment of the first surface relative to the second surface.
An optical system for measuring angular alignment of a pair of surfaces on a part, said system comprising:
- a reference surface;
- a laser directing a beam at said reference surface to produce a reference light signal, said laser being operable to direct said beam at each of the pair of surfaces to produce a pair of reflected light signals;
- an optical component receiving said reference light signal and said pair of reflected light signals, said optical component being operable to output a reference spot in response to said reference light signal and a pair of measuring spots in response to said pair of reflected light signals;
- and
- a photodetector detecting said reference spot and said pair of measuring spots, said photodetector being operable to determine a relative position of said reference spot and each of said pair of measuring spots and outputting surface measurement signals that represent an angular alignment of the.pair of surfaces.
The method of 1 wherein said measuring a relative position of said reference spot and said first measuring spot and said measuring a relative position of said reference Spot and said second measuring spot is performed separately for improved resolution.
An optical method for rapidly measuring angular alignment of a pair of flat surfaces on at least one part, the method comprising:
- providing at least one flat reference surface;
- directing at least one beam of controlled light at the at least one reference surface to generate at least one corresponding reflected reference light signal;
- directing a measuring beam of controlled light at each of the pair of surfaces on the at least one part to generate a corresponding pair of reflected light signals;
- receiving the at least one reference light signal and the pair of reflected light signals with at least one optical component for creating at least one reference spot from the at least one reference light signal and a pair of measuring spots of light from the pair of reflected light signals in at least one detector plane;
- and
- measuring position of radiant energy in the at least one reference spot and the measuring spots in the at least one detector plane to produce surface measurement signals which represent angular alignment of the pair of surfaces.
An optical system for rapidly measuring angular alignment of a pair of flat surfaces on at least one part, the system comprising:
- at least one flat reference surface;
- first means for directing at least one beam of controlled light at the at least one reference surface to generate at least one reflected reference light signal;
- second means for directing a measuring beam of controlled light at each of the pair of surfaces on the at least one part to generate a corresponding pair of reflected light signals;
- at least one optical component for receiving the at least one reflected reference light signal and the pair of reflected light signals for creating at least one reference spot from the at least one reference light signal and a pair of measuring spots from the pair of reflected light signals in at least one detector plane;
- and
- at least one photodetector for measuring position of radiant energy in the at least one reference spot and the pair of measuring spots in the at least one detector plane to produce surface measurement signals which represent angular alignment of the pair of, surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.