METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE SHAPE OF OBJECTS

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the shape of an object such as an exhaust pipe comprises a carriage (11) which carries a scanning unit (10) and is movable by a motor (22) along a base (12) having supports (17) for the object. The scanning unit comprises two laser units (37) the light beams of which are directed by rotating mirrors (42) towards two parabolic mir­ rors (35), the beams being reflected by the latter so as to traverse the object at right angles to one another and in a common plane at right angles to the movement of the car­ riage. The beams are interrupted by the object, and light-­ responsive means (38) detect such interruption to determine the shape of the object. In a modification, the apparatus has two or three rotating laser units (50).

Description: Title: "Method and apparatus for determining the shape of objects" Description of Invention This invention is concerned with a method of and an apparatus for determining the shape of an object, specifically the external shape of an object or a portion of an object. The invention has been developed in connection with the manufacture of vehicle exhaust pipes and for convenience the following description will be confined to this application. However, it is to be understood that there is no limitation in this regard as the method and apparatus of the invention may be used for determining the shape of other objects, including other elongate objects, but with the exclusion of any objects which have re-entrant shapes. Exhaust pipes are made with a wide variety of different shapes, including straight sections of different lengths and bends which are curved on different radii and in different directions. It is important in the manufacture of pipes of a particular shape that they are all accurately formed to the same required shape, and one problem which arises is that of accurately determining the shape of a pipe which is required to be reproduced. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for determining the shape of an object. According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus for determining the shape of an object, which comprises means adapted to generate at least two beams of electromagnetic radiation each of a wavelength such that it is capable of interruption by the object, means for causing relative movement between the beams and the object so that the beams traverse a portion of the object in respective planes which are coincident or parallel to one another with the beams at an angle to one another, whereby each beam during its traverse scans said portion of the object and is interrupted thereby, means for detecting interrupt ion of each beam during its traverse and hence the locations of opposite edges of the portion of the object scanned by the beam, the said locations detected by the detecting means constituting information representing the shape of the scanned portion of the object, and means for causing relative movement between the beams and the object along an axis at right angles to said plane or planes whereby the beams may effect a number of traverses at different positions along said axis to determine the shape of successive portions of the object. The invention also provides a method for determining the shape of an object, which comprises causing at least two beams of electromagnetic radiation each of a wavelength such that it is capable of interruption by the object, to traverse a portion of the object in respective planes which are coincident or parallel to one another with the beams at an angle to one another, whereby each beam during its traverse scans said portion of the object and is interrupted thereby, detecting such interruption of each beam during its traverse and hence the locations of opposite edges of the portion of the object scanned by the beam, the said detected locations constituting information representing the shape of the scanned portion of the object, and causing relative movement between the beams and the object along an axis at right angles to said plane or planes whereby the beams effect a number of traverses at different positions along said axis to determine the shape of successive portions of the object. One form of apparatus embodying the invention has means adapted to generate two beams of electromagnetic radiation arranged to traverse the object at an angle to one another. Another form of apparatus has means adapted to generate three beams of electromagnetic radiation which traverse the object at an angle to one another. Preferably, the beam-generating means are adapted to produce beams of light. Each beam of light is preferably generated by a laser unit, i.e. a unit which effects light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one form of apparatus embodying the invention; FIGURE 2 is an end view of the apparatus; FIGURE 3 is an end view of the scanning unit of the apparatus; FIGURE 4 is a section on the line A-A in Figure 3; FIGURE 5 is a section on the line B-B in Figure 3; FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of another form of apparatus embodying the invention; and FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a further form of apparatus embodying the invention. The apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings comprises a scanning unit 10 mounted on a carriage 11 which is movable along a first scanning axis X on a base 12 between two end stops. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the base 12 comprises two longitudinal members 13 interconnected by a number of cross members 14. Two posts 15 at the ends of the base carry a longitudinal beam 16 provided with adjustable Yshaped supports 17 for supporting an exhaust pipe P whose shape is to be determined. The carriage 11 is in the form of a table of T-shape in plan provided on its underside with a roller 18 arranged to run on a longitudinal track 19 and with two guides 20 in sliding engagement with a longitudinal rail 21. The carriage is driven along the axis X by a reversible electric motor 22 mounted on the carriage, the drive shaft of the motor extending downwardly and carrying a gearwheel 23 which meshes with a rack 24 extending longitudinally of the base. Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the scanning unit 10 comprises a housing 25 having a central square opening 26 through which the exhaust pipe P extends, and a cut-away part 27 for the passage of the beam 16 carrying the pipe. The housing has end walls 28 and an outer wall 29 and its interior opens inwardly into the central opening 26. Mounted inside the housing along the respective sides of the opening 26 are four rectangular frames 30, each comprising two longitudinal members 31 and two cross members 31, each member being of hollow rectangular shape. Each frame is secured to one of the side walls 28 by two mounting plates 33 and carries a support plate 34. The frames 30 carry two pairs of parabolic mirrors 35, 36, two laser units 37 associated with the respective mirrors 35 and two light detectors 38 associated with the respective mirrors 36. Each mirror is held at its centre by an adjustable retainer 39 mounted on a support block secured to the support plate 34 of the associated frame 30, and adjacent its ends by two further adjustable retainers 40 mounted on support blocks secured to the frame. Each laser unit 37 is mounted on a support plate 41 secured to the associated frame 30 and is arranged to direct the beam of light generated thereby towards a mirror 42 disposed at 450to the beam and carried by the drive shaft of an electric motor 43. This motor is mounted on a base plate 44 secured by a keeper plate 45 to the support plate 34 of the associated frame. The rotatable mirrors 42 are disposed at the focal centres of the respective parabolic mirrors 35 and are arranged to divert the beams of light issuing from the laser units 37 so that each beam impinges on the associated mirror 35 and is reflected thereby over a part of each revolution of the motor 43, whereby the reflected beam is traversed through an infinite number of successive parallel positions. These positions of the reflected beam of one of the parabolic mirrors are parallel to a second scanning axis Y and the positions of the reflected beam of the other mirror are parallel to a third scanning axis Z, the axes Y and Z being disposed at right angles to one another and in a common plane at right angles to the first scanning axis X. The light detectors 38 are disposed at the focal centres of the respective parabolic mirrors 36. Each detector comprises a strip of photodiodes 116 mounted on a part-circular face of a support 47 (Figure 5) mounted on a base plate 118 which is secured by a keeper plate 49 to the support plate 34 of the associated frame 30. The apparatus is connected to computer and data storage means and operates as follows. The scanning unit 10 is moved along the pipe P by the drive motor 22 and the two motors 43 are rotated in synchronism with one another so that the light beams from the laser units 37 scan the pipe at regularly spaced locations along the axis of movement of the carriage. Thus, the light beams effect one traverse of the scanning zone in each of a number of successive, regularly spaced parallel planes containing the scanning axes Z and Y and at right angles to the scanning axis X. On each traverse, each light beam is interrupted by the pipe between two points at opposite sides of the pipe. Such interruption of the beam and hence the location of said points on the Z or Y axis, as the case may be, is detected by the associated detector 38. This information is transmitted in the form of electrical signals to the computer and data storage means. These means therefore store information as to the location of the said two points on each of the Z and Y axes for each scanned position along the X axis. From this information the centre of the pipe at each scanned position along the X axis can be determined, and the shape of the pipe can be determined by comparing the positions of the centres. Figure 6 of the drawings shows an apparatus comprising three laser units 50 mounted on a carriage 51 for rotation about parallel axes disposed at the respective apices of an equilateral triangle, each unit being driven by a synchronous electric motor (not shown) so that it rotates at a constant-angular velocity. The carriage has a central opening 52 through which extends an exhaust pipe P whose shape is to be determined. The units 50 are each arranged to emit a beam of light radially with respect to its axis of rotation so that as the units rotate, the beams traverse the exhaust pipe in a common plane. The carriage 51 is guided for movement along an axis at right angles to the said plane and is movable along this axis by a synchronous electric motor (not shown). The apparatus also has support means (not shown) for supporting the exhaust pipe so that the carriage moves along the length of the pipe. Thus as each light beam is traversed across the scanning zone, it is interrupted by the pipe. The laser units have associated light detectors 53 mounted on the carriage so that as the light beams from the units are traversed across the scanning zone, they strike the detectors except during that part of their traverse in which they are interrupted by the pipe. Each detector may comprise a series of photodiodes in a continuous strip of a width slightly greater than the light beams. Alternatively, each detector may be a glass or plastics rod with a covering of glass or plastics but having a different index of refraction, the covering being cut away along the length of the rod to enable the light beam to enter the rod. A photocell is mounted at one end of the rod and a mirror is provided at the other end so that all the light entering the rod is reflected towards the photocell. The apparatus is connected to a computer and data storage means and operates as follows. With a pipe supported by the support means, the carriage is moved along the pipe by its drive motor and the laser units are rotated in synchronism with one another so that their light beams scan the pipe at regularly spaced locations along the axis of movement of the carriage. Thus, the beams effect one traverse of the scanning zone in each of a number of successive, regularly spaced parallel planes at right angles to the axis of movement of the carriage. On each traverse, each light beam is interrupted by the pipe between two points on opposite sides of the pipe. The interruption of the beam and hence the location of the two points is detected by the associated detector and this information, in the form of electrical signals, is transmitted to the computer. The location of each point may be determined from the time differential between the moment the beam first strikes the detector on its traverse, which provides a reference point, and the moment the beam is interrupted by the pipe or the interruption ceases, as the case may be, the computer interpreting this information to establish the location of the two points. The data storage means stores the information obtained on the scanning traverse of the three light beams, such information being expressed in three axis terms. The location of the centre of the pipe P in each scanning plane can be determined mathematically from the stored information and the shape of the pipe can be determined by comparing the positions of the centres. The portion of the pipe scanned on each traverse will always be an ellipse (except when its axis is at right angles to the plane of scan), the two points detected by each detector means being on opposed tangents to this ellipse. Of the six tangents applicable to each scan, at least five have to be used to determine the form of the ellipse and hence the location of its centre. The laser units 50 may each comprise a synchronous electric motor having an end flange for mounting it on one side of the carriage and a drive shaft which extends through, and projects from the opposite side of the carriage. A laser is mounted on anti-vibration mountings on the inner end of the motor remote from the end flange, and the drive shaft has an axial bore so that the light beam emitted by the laser can pass through the shaft to impinge on a mirror mounted on the outer end of the shaft. The mirror is arranged to deflect the light beam through 900 so that it passes through a radial bore in the shaft towards the scanning zone. Other forms of laser unit may be used, which in particular climinate the need for the beam to pass through a hollow shaft. The apparatus shown in Figure 7 is similar to that shown in Figure 6 (and the same reference numerals are used to identify like parts) except that it has only two laser units 50. In all the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the shape of the pipe is determined in the following manner. The computer reads the data storage memories in which the information is stored, and computes the centre point of the pipe for a first scanning position and the centre point for the next (second) scanning position. The position at which the centre point of the third scanning position would be located if the scanned section of the pipe is straight, can then be predicted. If, when the third centre point is computed, it. is in the predicted position, the centre point for the next (fourth) scanning position is compared with the position predicted for it by comparing the first and third centre points, the information regarding the second centre point not being utilised. The process is repeated for each successive scanning position, comparing the first centre point with the centre point determined for the last preceding scanning position, until a centre point is found not to be in its predicted position. This indicates that a bend in the pipe has been reached. The first and last centre points are then stored. The process is then repeated until a straight section of pipe is detected whereupon the first and last centre points of this section are stored. The angle of the bend between the two straight pipe sections can then be determined by computing the angle between, in effect, a line between the stored first and last centre points of the first section and a line between the first and last centre points of the second section. The information thus obtained representing straight sections of the pipe and the angle and direction of intermediate bends, is then stored. The information may be used in a number of ways. For example, it may be fed to a computer-controlled machine for automatically forming pipes so that the machine reproduces the pipe exactly. Various modifications may be made within the soope of the invention. A single laser could be used with means for splitting its light beam to provide the two beams for scanning the pipe. The beams need not be in a common plane but in parallel planes at a small fixed distance apart. The pipe could be moved relative to the lasers to cause their light beams to traverse it on each scan and/or to cause the beams to effect a succession of scans along the pipe. The apparatus may have, instead of lasers, means for producing electromagnetic radiation of other appropriate wavelengths provided that the pipe will interrupt the beams in a manner such that the interruption can be detected by appropriate detector means.

Claims: CLAIMS: l 1. An apparatus for determining the shape of an object, which comprises means adapted to generate at least two beams of electromagnetic radiation each of a wavelength such that it is capable of interruption by the object, means for causing relative movement between the beams and the object so that the beams traverse a portion of the object in respective planes which are coincident or parallel to one another with the beams at an angle to one another, whereby each beam during its traverse scans said portion of the object and is interrupted thereby, means for detecting interruption. of each beam during its traverse and hence the locations of opposite edges of the portion of the object scanned by the beam, the said locations detected by the detecting means constituting information representing the shape of the scanned portion of the object, and means for causing relative movement between the beams and the object along an axis at right angles to said plane or planes whereby the beams may effect a number of traverses at different positions along said axis to determine the shape of successive portions of the object. 2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which has means adapted to produce three beams of electromagnetic radiation arranged to traverse the object at an angle to one another. 3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which has means adapted to produce two beams of electromagnetic radiation arranged to traverse the object at an angle to one another. 11. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the beam-generating means are adapted to produce beams of light. 5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein each beam is produced by a laser unit. 6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the beamgenerating means comprise two laser units each associated with a parabolic mirror which is arranged to reflect the beam from the unit and to traverse it through successive parallel positions, the said positions of the reflected beam of one unit being parallel to a first scanning axis and the said positions of the reflected beam of the other unit being parallel to a second scanning axis at right angles to the first axis. 7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein each laser unit has an associated rotatable mirror arranged to direct the beam from the unit towards the associated parabolic mirror. 8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 or 7 wherein the detecting means comprise two light-responsive means associated with two parabolic mirrors arranged to direct the beams reflected by the mirrors associated with the laser units towards the light-responsive means. 9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 wherein the beam-generating means comprise rotating laser units. 10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the beam-generating means and the detecting means are mounted on a carriage which is movable by drive means relative to a base carrying means for supporting the object. 11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is connected to a computer and data storage means so as to transmit the information representing the shape of the scanned object to said means. 12. A method for determining the shape of an object, which comprises causing at least two beams of electromagnetic radiation each of a wavelength such that it is capable of interruption by the object, to traverse a portion of the object in respective planes which are coincident or parallel to one another with the beams at an angle to one another, whereby each beam during its traverse scans said portion of the object and is interrupted thereby, detecting such interruption of each beam during its traverse and hence the locations of opposite edges of the portion of the object scanned by the beam, the said detected locations constituting information representing the shape of the scanned portion of the object, and causing relative movement between the beams and the object along an axis at right angles to said plane or planes whereby the beams effect a number of traverses at different positions along said axis to determine the shape of successive portions of the object. 13. An apparatus for determining the shape of an object substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 or Figure 6 or Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings. 111. Any novel feature or novel combination of features herein described and/or shown in the accompanying draw ings.

Inventors: EDWARDS, CHRISTOPHER SANDERS, GHAZIZADEHS, FEREIDOON, HON, BERNARD, LIM, KAH-HOOI, POOLE, MICHAEL
Applicants: HARMO INDUSTRIES LIMITED, THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Application year: 1981
Main classification: G01B11
IPC codes: G01B11