Patent ID: 6583869
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: G01S,G05B

Abstract:
Non-contact apparatus for positioning a surface working, testing or inspection device relative to a surface to be worked, tested or inspected at a desired position and orientation relative thereto, said apparatus comprising:a baseplate locatable at a distance away from the surface, means for mounting the surface working, testing or inspection device on the baseplate, at least three range finder units removably mounted in spaced array on the baseplate, each of said units includes a source for impinging a beam of electromagnetic radiation on the surface, and a detector for imaging the impinging radiation and for calculating a distance measurement from a datum location on the respective source to a point corresponding to the surface beam impingement, transformation means for translating each of said range finder distance measurements into a common baseplate co-ordinate frame of reference, a processor for receiving and processing the distance measurements to establish therefrom a first orientation and position of the surface relative to the baseplate, and thus to the surface working, testing or inspection device when mounted thereon, and indexing means in operative association with the processor for positioning the baseplate and surface working, testing or inspection device when mounted thereon at the desired position and orientation relative to the surface.