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US 9,430,849 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for performing at least one geometric dimension of an object
AssigneeGevis Srl
InventorGiovanni Agazzi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Device and method for performing a measurement of at least one geometrical dimension of an object, where: a reference model of the object is acquired; the object is gripped by gripping elements (5) and a first image of the object is taken via optical elements (2); the object is translated and rotated in the three dimension by the gripping elements while images of the object are taken by the optical elements (2) until reaching a condition representative of the superimposition of the perimeter of the image of the object or of a portion of it with those of the reference model; then the measurement of the geometrical dimension is performed.
Claims20
A method for automatically executing the measurement of at least one geometric dimension of an object having arrangement, with respect to the dimension to be measured, that is unknown beforehand, the method comprising:
- acquiring a reference model of a sample of the object positioned in a first condition, the reference model having a plurality of predetermined reference points;
- using a gripping means (5), gripping the object and moving the object within 3-dimensional space to attain the object being positioned in said first condition, the gripping means (5) providing movement of the object i) translatable along any one spatial direction and ii) rotatable around any one spatial rotation axis, wherein in moving the object to be positioned in the first condition, the gripping means being operatively controlled by an electronic control means (7) to repeatedly move the object from a current position to a new position using translation and rotation until the object is determined to be positioned in the first condition;
- with the object gripped by the gripping means (5) in the new position, using an optical means (2) to acquire an image of the object;
- using a comparison means (4) to compare i) the plurality of predetermined reference points of the reference model with ii) a plurality of corresponding predetermined reference points of the image of the object taken with the object in the new position, to determine whether the object is positioned in the first condition;
- and
- upon the comparison means (4) determining that the object is positioned in the first condition, using the electronic control means to make a geometric measurement of the object.
3 more elements
A device (1) for automatically measuring at least one geometric dimension of an object with arrangement, with respect to the dimension to be measured, that is unknown beforehand;
- the device comprising:
- an electronic control means (7);
- a first memory zone (3) storing a reference model of a sample of the object positioned in a first condition, the reference model having a plurality of predetermined reference points, the first memory zone (3) being operatively connected to the electronic control means (7);
- a gripping means (5) that grips the object and moves the object within 3-dimensional space to attain said object being positioned in said first condition, said gripping means (5) being at least one of the group consisting of i) translatable along any one spatial direction and ii) rotatable around any one spatial rotation axis, said gripping means being operatively controlled by the electronic control means (7) from a current position to a new position;
- an optical means (2) that acquires at least one image of the object with the object having been positioned in the new position by the gripping means (5), the optical means (2) being operatively connected to electronic control means (7);
- a comparison means (4) that compares i) the plurality of predetermined reference points of the reference model with ii) a plurality of corresponding predetermined reference points of the at least one image of the object taken with the object having been positioned in the new position, to determine whether the object is positioned in the first condition,
- wherein upon the comparison means (4) determining the object is positioned in the first condition, the electronic control means makes a geometric measurement of the object.
4 more elements
A method for automatically measuring an geometric dimension of an object, the method comprising:
- acquiring a reference model of a sample of the object positioned in a first condition, the reference model having a plurality of predetermined reference points;
- using a gripping means (5), self-aligning the object to be positioned in the first condition by gripping the object and repeatedly moving the object within 3-dimensional space until the object is determined to be positioned in the first condition, the gripping means (5) i) translating the object along any one spatial direction and ii) rotating the object around any one spatial rotation axis, wherein in moving the object to be positioned in the first condition, the gripping means is operatively controlled by an electronic control means (7) to repeatedly move the object from a current position to a new position using translation and rotation until the object is determined to be positioned in the first condition;
- with the object gripped by the gripping means (5) in the new position, using an optical means (2) to acquire three images of the object, said optical means (2) being comprised of first, second, and third cameras or telecameras arranged to image the object from three directions, the first camera or telecamera taking a first of the three images and being oriented along a first direction in a first plane containing the object, the second camera or telecamera taking a second of the three images and being oriented along a second direct in the first plane, and the third camera or telecamera taking a third of the three images and being oriented above the first and second cameras along a second plane contains the object;
- using a comparison means (4) to superimpose i) the plurality of predetermined reference points of the reference model with ii) a plurality of corresponding predetermined reference points of each of the three images of the object taken with the object in the new position, to determine whether the object is positioned in the first condition;
- and
- upon the comparison means (4) determining that the object is positioned in the first condition, making a geometric measurement of the object using one of the three images of the object taken by the optical means with the object positioned in the first condition.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.