Position and orientation measurement device

Details Position and orientation measurement device Position and orientation measurement device

1992-09-28

1993-11-30

Buczinski, Stephen C.

Optics: measuring and testing

Angle measuring or angular axial alignment

With photodetection remote from measured angle

358107, 359212, G01B 1126, G01C 100, H04N 718

Patent

active

052670147

ABSTRACT:
A device for non-contacting measurement of the orientation in space of a movable measuring object, such as the end-effector of a robot, uses a retro-reflector having three mutually orthogonal reflecting surfaces. This retro-reflector is rigidly attached to the measuring object. Reference marks are provided on the retro-reflector. A laser emits a laser beam. A beam expander optical system in the path of the laser beam provides a collimated light beam of larger diameter than that of said laser beam. The light beam passes through a stationary section, where the path of rays of the light beam is stationary, to a beam directing device. The beam directing device directs collimated light beam onto the retro-reflector. The light beam is returned by the retro-reflector substantially into itself. The beam directing means has movable reflecting surfaces for tracking, with said light beam, the movable measuring object. A semi-transparent mirror is arranged in the stationary section of the returned light beam for deflecting part of this returned light beam to a plane where a picture with a pattern caused by the reference mark is formed. A picture detector is arranged in this plane, and detects the picture of the reference mark and provides corresponding picture information. A processor derives, from this picture information, output data representing the orientation in space of the retro-reflector and thereby the orientation in space of the measuring object.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3990796 (1976-11-01), Foltz
patent: 4134681 (1979-01-01), Elmer
patent: 4227807 (1980-10-01), Pond et al.
patent: 4401886 (1983-08-01), Pond et al.
patent: 4472054 (1984-09-01), Pouit
patent: 4652917 (1987-03-01), Miller
patent: 4798461 (1989-01-01), Pavlin et al.
"Robot Performance Measurements Using Automatic Laser Tracking Techniques", K. Lau et al., Robotics & Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, vol. 2, No. 3/4, pp. 227-236, 1985.

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