Apparatus and method for measuring structural parts

Abstract

This present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring structural parts which comprises a measuring system having at least two sensors for optoelectronic scanning of such a structural part wherein said part and said sensors are movable relatively to each other along a shifting path and wherein said sensors are provided with a radiation source directed to a surface of the structural part and with a receiver means, characterized by the fact that at least one sensor is an area sensor adapted to scan one surface section of the structural part (2) in each measuring time interval and/or that at least one sensor is a line sensor adapted to detect one profile line of said structural part in each measuring interval.

Description

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for measuring structural parts according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through such an apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of such an apparatus according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus according to FIG. 3 in X direction;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of such an apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the apparatus according to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the measuring apparatus showing how the structural part is in shifting direction along an equidistant shifting interval;

FIG. 8 is a speed/time diagram of a belt conveyor carrying the structural part; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the differently oriented sensors of the apparatus a seen under an angle from above.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring structural parts which comprises a measuring system having at least two sensors for optoelectronic scanning of such a structural part wherein said part and said sensors are movable relatively to each other along a shifting path and wherein said sensors are provided with a radiation source directed to a surface of the structural part and with a receiver means, characterized by the fact that at least one sensor is an area sensor adapted to scan one surface section (33′″, 33IV, 33V) of the structural part (2) in each measuring time interval tM and/or that at least one sensor is a line sensor (9, 21, 21′, 21″) adapted to detect one profile line of said structural part in each measuring interval.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the sensors (9, 21, 21′, 21″) are attached to one common support means (11) and that said sensors (9, 21, 231′, 21″) are disposed in one common sensor plane in a spaced apart relation.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the fact that an adjusting device (40) is associated with the sensors (9, 21, 21′, 21″) such that the sensors (9) are independently pivotable about two swivel axes which are in an orthogonal relation to each other.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the sensor (9, 21, 21′, 21″) is arranged in a space guided robot arm which is three-dimensionally movable.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the area sensor is an interference sensor and/or a LIDAR sensor.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the line sensor is a triangulation sensor.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least two sensors (70, 71, 72, 73) are disposed under opposed tilt angles (x′, x″, y′, y″) with respect to a first centerline (x-centerline) and/or to a second centerline (y-centerline) thereof wherein the shifting path (6) extends ortho-gonally to said first centerline (x-centerline) and said second centerline (y-centerline) of the sensors (70, 71, 72, 73).

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that four sensors (70, 71, 72, 73) are provided of which two first sensors (70, 71) are arranged under a reflected first tilt angle (x′) and/or second tilt angle (x″) referred to the first centerline (x-centerline) thereof and under an identical third tilt angle (y′) referred to the second centerline (y-centerline) thereof on the one hand and of which two second sensors (72, 73) are arranged under said reflected first tilt angle (x′) and/or second tilt angle (x″) referred to the first centerline (x-centerline) thereof and under an identical fourth tilt angle (y″) referred to the second centerline (y-centerline) thereof on the other hand, wherein the fourth tilt angle (y″) is disposed in reflected image arrangement to said third tilt angle (y′).

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the sensors (70, 71, 72, 73) are oriented to different corner areas (75, 76, 77, 78) of the structural part 74 which extend in a horizontal plane.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the triangulation sensors (9) are serially arranged in one common measuring plane and preferably cross to the horizontal shifting direction (6) and/or the triangulation sensors thus serially arranged are offset relatively to one another in shifting direction (6).

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the triangulation sensors (21, 21′, 21″) serially arranged in one measuring plane and/or that the triangulation sensors of a first measuring plane are disposed under a fixed or a variable acute angle () relatively to triangulation sensors of an adjacent measuring plane.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, characterized by the fact that an intermediate triangulation sensor (21′) is disposed in the area of a transversal centerline plane (22) of a support plane (18) above said latter wherein the optical axes (23) of said triangulation sensor (21′) extend perpendicularly or with a different relative orientation to said support plane (18).

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, characterized by the fact that on either side of said intermediate triangulation sensor (21′) there is one adjacent triangulation sensor (21″) provided whose optical axis (24) on the one hand covers a preferably vertical measuring plane (13) in coaction with the optical axis (23) of said intermediate triangulation sensor (21′) and on the other hand extends under a preferably variable acute angle () to the optical axis (23) of said intermediate triangulation sensor (21′).

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, characterized by the fact that the intermediate triangulation sensor (21′) is offset in a vertically upward sense or variable in position relative to said outer triangulation sensors (21″).

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the support plane (18) is retractable and adapted to be repositioned by means of a precision type guide means (17).

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the triangulation sensors (9) are mounted to one common stationary support means (11).

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that an adjusting device (40) is provided such that the triangulation sensors (9) are each separately movable and/or are all movable in synchronism relatively to a support means (41) carrying said sensors (9).

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized by the fact that the adjusting device (40) is provided with a support plate (44) which is mounted to the cross member (43) of a support means (41) and pivotable about a longitudinal axis (42) thereof and which carries the triangulation sensors (9) either in a stationary arrangement or pivotably about a swivel axis (45) extending in an orthogonal direction relative to the longitudinal axis (42) of the cross member (42).

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized by the fact that the adjusting device (4) is provided with adjusting means in such a way as to enable the triangulation sensors (9) to be oriented or adjusted to the structural part (2) in a continuous or discrete mode, preferably in equal steps.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized by the fact that the adjusting device (40) is provided with adjusting means adapted to automatically set the sensors (9) to positions that correspond to scheduled data given by a reference model of the structural part (2) and/or to retain the triangulation sensors in predetermined positions.

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized by the fact that the adjusting device (40) is provided with adjusting means such that the position of the structural part (2) is assessed in a first general information scan performed by the triangulation sensors (9) while these are in a fixed initial position and that in a subsequent second main run said triangulation sensors are then automatically adjusted in compliance with the scheduled data of the structural part (2) to assess the actual data of said part (2).

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized by the fact that the adjusting device (40) is provided with adjusting means such that in said first general information scan only the position and the dimensions of the structural part (2) are determined while neglecting its scheduled data and that in said second main scan the actual data of the structural part (2) are assessed with the triangulation sensors (9) either at standstill or in movement.

23. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the support means (41) and/or the cross member (43) are movable in horizontal shifting direction (6).

24. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the triangulation sensors (9) are video sensors.

25. Method for measuring a structural part wherein at least two sensors of a measuring apparatus scan the surface of a structural part and are moved relatively to said structural part during a measuring operation, characterized by the fact that the sensors (9) simultaneously detect a plurality of measuring signals which are representative of different surface sections (33′″, 33IV, 33V) of the structural part (2) and wherein detection of said measuring signals is accomplished in synchronism with a shifting time interval (T) of a shifting stroke through which said structural part (2) is intermittently advanced relatively to the sensors (9) during the measuring operation.

26. Method as set forth in claim 25, characterized by the fact that the sensors (9) are activated during a measuring time interval (tM) in which said sensors (9) are at standstill relative to the structural part.

27. Method as set forth in claim 25 or 26, characterized by the fact that the shifting speed (vF) and/or the shifting time interval (T) are constant values such that the complete surface section of the structural part (2) may be detected.