Three-dimensional coordinate measuring device

A Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM) for use with objects to be measured comprising:

• a spherical or cylindrical shaped geometric target of known dimensions to be placed in contact with the object to be measured at different points along the object to be measured;
• at least one or more light emitting diode (LED) light source located at a point of symmetry on the spherical or cylindrical shaped geometric target;
• at least two photosensitive cameras located at different and known coordinate locations for receiving light from the light emitting diode (LED) light source from different optical perspectives;
• a processor for computing the position in three dimensional coordinates of the object to be measured from images of the light emitting diode (LED) light source recorded on the cameras, from the known positions of the cameras, from the known dimensions of the spherical or cylindrical shaped geometric target, and from the known position of the light emitting source located in the spherical or cylindrical geometric target;
• wherein the at least two cameras each include at least one or more photosensitive arrays which are used to determine coordinates of the object to be measured from the recorded images of the light emitting diode (LED) light source on the photosensitive arrays that the light from light emitting diode (LED) light source is incident upon.

An optical camera three-dimensional coordinate measuring method for measuring objects comprising:

• placing a compact, easily moveable, and rotatable, target of known dimensions comprising a spherical surface in direct contact with the object to be measured at different points along the object to be measured thereby eliminating the necessity of using a larger extended probe contact tip extending from the target to the object to be measured;
• emitting light from the target from at least one or more light emitting source located in a known position in the target;
• recording images of the light source at least two cameras located at different and known coordinate locations for receiving light from the light emitting source from different optical perspectives;
• and
• computing the position in three dimensional coordinates of the object to be measured from images of the light emitting source on the cameras, from the known positions of the cameras, from the known dimensions of the target, and from the known position of the light emitting source in the target.

An optical camera three-dimensional coordinate measuring system for use with objects to be measured comprising:

• a compact, easily moveable, and rotatable target of known dimensions comprising a cylindrical surface to be placed in at least one or more holes in the object to be measured thereby eliminating the necessity of using a larger extended probe contact tip extending from the target to the object to be measured;
• at least one or more light emitting sources wherein the light emitting source is located at a known position on the target along an axis of cylindrical symmetry;
• at least two cameras located at different and known coordinate locations for receiving light from the light emitting source from different optical perspectives;
• and
• a processor for computing the position in three dimensional coordinates of the object to be measured from images of the light emitting source on the cameras, from the known positions of the cameras, from the known dimensions of the target, and from the known position of the light emitting source in the target.