Geometrical instruments – Straight-line light ray type – Alignment device
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-13
2004-07-20
Fulton, Christopher W. (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Straight-line light ray type
Alignment device
C033S227000, C033SDIG002, C033S412000, C356S153000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06763597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an arrangement and a process for determining the alignment of marked axes of a first and a second body, for example two rollers, shafts or pulleys.
2. Description of Related Art
WO 01/50082A1 and corresponding published U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2000/005134A1 disclose a device and a process for determining the alignment of two pulleys relative to one another. To do so, there are two measurement means which correspond to one another and which each can be attached to the running surface of one of the two pulleys. Each measurement means comprises a laser light source which delivers a fan-shaped laser beam, which lies in a plane which is parallel to the end face of the respective pulley. On either side of each laser light source, there is a respective light sensor, the laser light source and the two light sensors each lying on one line. When the axes of rotation of the pulleys are parallel to one another and the pulleys do not have any parallel offset, the laser light fan delivered by the opposing measurement means runs through the two light sensors. Correct alignment of the two pulleys relative to one another will be recognized using the corresponding signals of two sensors of the two measurement means at a time. Furthermore, the use of the system for determining the alignment of two rollers relative to one another is also described.
The disadvantage, in this system is the poor accuracy with respect to determining twisting of the shaft axes or pulley axles relative to one another, i.e., skewing of the two axles relative to one another can only be ascertained with relatively poor accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to devise an arrangement and a process for determining the alignment of the marked axes of two bodies relative to one another, and determination of the skew of the marked axes will be enabled with relative accuracy.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by an arrangement for determining the alignment of marked axes of a first and a second body relative to one another, with a first and a second measurement means which can be attached to the first body or to the second body in a fixed spatial relation to the respective marked axis, the first measurement means having a first light source for delivering a light beam and a second and a third optoelectronic sensor, and the second measurement means having a second and a third light source for a light beam and a first optoelectronic sensor, the optoelectronic sensors being made such that they can determine the impact point of a light beam on the sensor, and the first light source being assigned to the first sensor and the second and the third light source being assigned to the second and third sensor.
This object is also achieved in accordance with the invention by a process for determining the alignment of the alignment of marked axes of a first and a second body relative to one another, in which a first and a second measurement means are attached to the first body and to the second body in a fixed relation to the respective marked axis, a first light beam is delivered by the first measurement means by means of a first light source to a first optoelectronic sensor provided on the second measurement means, and a second and a third light beam are delivered by the second measurement means, by means of a second and third light source, to a second and third optoelectronic sensor provided on the first measurement means, the impact point of the assigned light beam on the sensor surface being determined by the optoelectronic sensors, and the relative alignment of the two measurement means being computed from the determined impact points of the first, second and third light beam.
In the approach in accordance with the invention, it is advantageous that skewing of the marked axes of the two bodies relative to one another can be determined with relative accuracy.
The invention is explained in detail below by way of example using the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3901604 (1975-08-01), Butler
patent: 4249294 (1981-02-01), Belfiore
patent: 4698491 (1987-10-01), Lysen
patent: 4709485 (1987-12-01), Bowman
patent: 5531030 (1996-07-01), Dale, Jr.
patent: 5987762 (1999-11-01), Toth et al.
patent: 6098297 (2000-08-01), Belfiore
patent: 6374507 (2002-04-01), Lehto
patent: 6434841 (2002-08-01), Stahl et al.
patent: 2003/0051354 (2003-03-01), Segerstrom et al.
Fulton Christopher W.
Gonzalez Madeline
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Pruftechnik Dieter Busch AG
Safran David S.
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