METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE DETECTION, BY MEANS OF ULTRASONIC PULSES, OF THE COORDINATES OF POINTS OF OBJECTS WITH RESPECT TO A REFERENCE SYSTEM

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system. The method is based on the transmission of pulses (15) from two senders (2), provided on a testing device (1) at the measuring position, and are received by three sensors (4), arranged with mutual known geometry, and located fixed with respect to the object, for example a car to check. The delays of the pulses transmitted as they are received are measured for determining the position of the two senders (2) and then of a probe (3) to which they are integral. The apparatus allows to detect the distances between points, their symmetries, and, after a calibration step, to determine the position in the space of the measured points, according to a chosen reference system X, Y, Z. The appatus has a software which, by means of a database, allows to compare the measures of the object with the theoretical ones, in order to determine the deformation thereof. The amount of the deformation is indicated both in a numerical and graphical way.

Description: TTTLE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE DETECTION, BY MEANS OF ULTRASONIC PULSES, OF THE COORDINATES OF POINTS OF OBJECTS WITH RESPECT TO A REFERENCE SYSTEM. DESCRIPTION Field of the invent- i on The present invention generally relates to a method for the detection of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system. Moreover, it relates to an apparatus that carries out such a method. Precisely, the invention regards an apparatus for the detection of the position of points of objects, even complex, for making from a remote position an electronic mapping thereof or checking the correct location of some relevant points . In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an apparatus for the detection of the position of points of cars, their comparison with the theoretical positions, as well as the verification of diagonals lengths and of the symmetries of points for checking the integrity of cars or the amount of the deformation resulting from crashes . Description of he prior art The problem is felt in measuring the coordinates of points of objects, even complex, with respect to a fixed reference system in order to carry out an electronic mapping thereof and, then, for calculating, measuring and editing purposes . Exemplifying objects are models of buildings, prototypes of machines, positive or negative of moulds, etc. Presently, no known manual tools can be used for determining directly the coordinates of points of objects. A particular case is that of crashed cars, which are GONRRMOTON COPT - 2 - deformed in a three-dimensional way w.r.t. the designed shapes. The measure of the deformations is always difficult to carry out. Presently, crashed cars are repaired at body shops, by means of equipment consisting in diagnostic benches, or "templates", which do not allow a three dimensional control of the correct location of chosen key points of the body. The key points are normally located at the car under-body, where the main mechanical parts are connected to the frame. Other key points are the connections to the body of the front and rear bumpers and of the shock absorbers . Diagnostic benches have been improved with respect to the existing fixed structures, one for each type of car, as adjustable structures, so called universal, which provide a position and/or force measuring terminal at each key point . Universal benches are of at least two categories : a first type allows operations of "stretching" or repairing the car separately from the measuring step, whereas a second type allows at the same time the measuring and the repairing steps . Presently, different methods are known, for arranging the cars to check with the benches, of which some are the following: - benches are equipped with measuring rulers on three orthogonal axis; - laser emitting means produce orthogonal light beams that are directed onto suitable targets located at the theoretical points of the vehicle; - mobile portions are provided with arms equipped with many spatial degrees of freedom, having probes located at the points to measure; - a parallelepiped bar or beam is used equipped with a - 3 - plurality of sensors of ultrasonic pulses and a plurality of probes is located at the points to measure, whose position is measured by triangulation on the basis of the bar geometry and of the sensors position. Each of these methods has advantages and drawbacks with respect to one another and in any case their efficiency and their use on the global market are such that enough space is left to more sophisticated systems easier to use and having wider measuring ranges. In particular, these systems usually do not allow a control of the upper-body (bonnet, roof, doors etc.) since they are designed for repairing the car under-body as well as the structures that support the motor and the shock absorbers . Furthermore, all these systems provide that the car in the diagnostic step is arranged on an equipment (bench), and this requires a long time. This is not a problem when the car has to be repaired, because the repair requires in any case the use of the bench, but is too expensive when a non complex diagnosis has to be made such as a preliminary check or a final check of the repairs . Summary of the invention It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a method for the detection of the coordinates of points of objects with respect to a reference system and for making an electronic mapping thereof, which is not complex and provides a satisfactory precision. In particular, the present invention has as its main object to improve methods presently existing for measuring the points of cars, allowing a measure and control of coordinates, distances, diagonals and symmetries in an accurate way and in a short time, both of the car upper- body and under-body, as well as of all other parts of the - 4 - body, for checking the integrity or the amount of the deformation further to crash. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus that carries out a method for the detection of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system. The method, for the detection of the spatial positions of a probe of a testing device that touches said object, comprises the steps of: - transmission of ultrasonic pulses starting from at least two sender points at a known and fixed position with respect to said probe; - reception of said ultrasonic pulses by at least three receiver points, located at known and fixed position with respect to one another; - correlation between a) the delays between the instant of transmission of signals by said senders and the instant of reception of said signals by said receivers, and b) the spatial position of said senders with respect to said receivers . Preferably, according to the method, the receivers are kept integral to a reference object and said testing device measures the coordinates with respect to a reference system correlated to said reference object. Another aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for the detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system, comprising: - a testing device, suitable for touching said objects to measure, said testing device having at least two senders of ultrasonic pulses, - a probe, provided on said testing device and in position known and fixed with respect to said senders; - a reference block comprising at least three receivers, arranged at known and fixed mutual positions; - 5 - - correlation means of a) the delays between the instant of transmission of signals by said senders and the instant of reception of said signals by said receivers, and b) the spatial position of said testing device with respect to said receivers. Said correlating means advantageously comprises : - an electronic control unit having means for driving said senders, means for analysing the signals obtained from said receivers, and means for measuring the delays at said receivers of the pulses coming from said senders; - a computing unit connected with said electronic control unit and comprising display means, such as a monitor; - a software residing in said computing unit which, starting from said pulses and said delays, calculates the position of said probe of the testing device and communicates them to the display means. Preferably, said software comprises: - an algorithmic part which, by means of geometrical formulas in three-dimensional space, derives coordinates from the pulses and their delays; - a database that contains the dimensional data of the objects to measure, such as for example cars present on the market, said data being compared with said measured coordinates . Advantageously, said software comprises also a display control that allows the derivation from the database of the specific car model to check, allows the measure and provides the results, administers a database of the body shop clients (or of the factory that carries out the measuring) , on demand carries out the printouts with the results of the measures. Preferably, said probe of said testing device is aligned with said senders. In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, - 6 - said testing device comprises an universal joint and said probe is the articulated centre of said universal joint. According to a different embodiment, the testing device comprises a joint with four pivotal coupling, of which a first having an axis parallel to the testing device, a second orthogonal to the testing device, a third orthogonal to the second and a fourth having axis parallel to the arm of an user. Alternatively, said testing device has a spherical end and said probe is the centre thereof. In a further embodiment, said testing device comprises a conic or frustum conical end. Preferably, the reference block is a triangular support or is star-shaped with three or more points and said senders are arranged at its vertices. The reference block comprises means for attaching it to the object to measure, such as in particular permanent magnet means. Advantageously, for measuring the velocity of sound at the conditions (pressure, temperature and humidity) wherein the measuring is carried out, a further couple sender-receiver is provided, located at a known distance directed with respect to each other and connected with said electronic control unit. Said sender-receiver couple can be integrated on said reference block, and said distances can be the distances between two vertices thereof. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and the advantages of the method and of the apparatus for the detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system, will be made clearer with the following description of an embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: - figure 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention - 7 - for the detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of the coordinates of objects, comprising a testing device, receivers integral to a reference block, a control electronic unit and a control and display PC; - figure 2 shows the apparatus of figure 1 throughout a detection step of points of a car; - figures 3A and 3B show a front and rear view of a type of testing device according to the invention respectively with two different types of probes at its end; - figures 4a and 4b show a front and side view of a type of articulated joint of the probe of a testing device of the apparatus according to the invention; - figure 5 shows a diagrammatical view of the range of action of the testing device with respect to the block receiver with a diagrammatical view of the measuring step of two diagonals and of two couples of points symmetrical with respect to a car longitudinal axis; - figure 6 shows a diagrammatical view of the measuring step of two points of an object which are at opposite sides with respect to each other; - figure 7 is a block diagram of the apparatus according to the invention; - figure 8 is a flow-sheet of computing means residing in the control electronic unit (microcontroller) ; - figures from 9 to 12 are block diagrams of the architecture of the software residing in the PC, respectively concerning the general layout of the architecture, the Client/Server layout of a control block, analysis of the Client, analysis of the Server. - figure 13 is a table of X, Y, Z coordinates measured on a car by means of the apparatus of figure 1 and ready for being compared with the data recorded in a database; Description of the preferred embodiments According to the present invention, a method for the - 8 - detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system, whose block diagram is shown in fig. 7, is operated by the apparatus according to the invention consisting in the following parts, numbered in figure 1: - a testing device 1, comprising two senders of ultrasonic pulses 2, aligned with a probe 3; - three receivers 4 connected at the vertices of a reference block 5 having a substantially triangular shape; - a couple sender-receiver 6-7, located at a known distance between two of the vertices of the reference block 5, for measuring the velocity of sound in the conditions (pressure, temperature and humidity) wherein the measuring step is carried out; - a electronic control unit residing in PC 8, operating according to the flow-sheet of figure 8, which drives senders 2, computes the signals obtained from receivers 4, and provides to the control system the delays of the pulses coming from senders 2 ; - a software, whose architecture is exemplified by the diagrams of figures 9-12 which, starting from the measured delays, calculates the position of probe 3 of testing device 1 and presents it to an operator 10, displaying it on a monitor 11 of a computing unit 12. The software of figures 9-12 in turn comprises the following parts: - an algorithmic part which, by means of geometrical formulas in the three-dimensional space, derives the coordinates from the delays; - a database that contains the dimensional data of the cars (or other objects to measure) present on the market, suitable for being compared with the measured coordinates; - a display control that allows the derivation from the database of the specific model of the car to check, allows - 9 - the measure, provides the results, administers a database of the clients of the body shop (or of the factory that carries out the measuring) , on demand carries out the printouts with the results of the measures. With reference to figure 2, the use of the apparatus in the case of detection of points on an object 13 is based on determining the spatial positions of probe 3 of testing device 1, which can be for example the centre of an universal joint or other equivalent joint, as well as the centre of a ball end or the vertex of a conic end. Said probe 3 is approached by operator 10 to the points of an object to measure, for example a car 13 further to crash and that has been already repaired or that has to be repaired. Reference points on car 13 can be bolt heads or holes, as well as relevant points of the body. In the first case, for example the measure of the position of bolts, the testing device 1, shown also in figure 3A and 3B, has probe 3 consisting in a joint 20 (fig. 3A) or, alternatively, in an universal joint. Joint 20, shown enlarged in figure 4, has four pivotal couplings 21, 22, 23 and 24 of which the central couplings 22 and 23 orthogonal to each other and orthogonal to the side couplings 21 and 24. At its end a bush is inserted, with a cylindrical recess. Joint 20, or its bush, can be substituted for fitting to the different diameters of different bolts that may be present on the car bodies. Once joint 20 has been inserted on the bolt head whose position is to be determined, probe 3 of testing device 1 is located in a known position and univocal measured with respect to the head same, and this allows to calculate its position, independently from the angle of rotation of joint 20. In the second case, i.e. measure of the position of holes or of points of the body without bolts, joint 20 is - 10 - replaced by a ball end 30 (figure 3B) whose centre is the probe point, or from the vertex of a conic end. Ball 30 or the conic end can touch a hole of vehicle 13 body, and in this case its location is not undetermined, since whichever rotation thereof about the axis of the testing device, or, only in the case of the ball, whichever rotation about to the centre of the sphere, the position of the probe is unchanged. Ball or the conic end can also touch whichever location of the body whose position is to be determined. For carrying out the measuring step reference block 5 (figures 1 and 2), comprising receivers 4, can be put in a fixed position with respect to car 13. Reference block 5 is positioned, for example, on the ground 14 (fig. 1) , neighbouring the measuring zone and within a limit distance (i.e. three metres) from the farthest measuring location. For passing this limit, indicated with 19 in figure 5, receivers 4 of reference block 5 can be arranged at the centre of object 13, in order to provide a bi-directional block, obtaining a double measuring range (for example about 6 metres) in longitudinal direction. If the measure is relative to the lower part of the object, such as the car 13 under-body or neighbouring parts thereof, it has to be raised from the ground by a suitable lifting means. Then, reference block 5 is located in fixed position with respect to the under-body, in a zone spaced about equally from the two ends (fig. 5) . The connection between car 13 under-body and block 5 is for example made easier by permanent magnets at two vertices of the latter. After having located block 5 with receivers 4, the measuring step is carried out by touching with testing device 1 the points whose coordinates are in turn to be measured. An example is indicated in figure 9 for 22 points relevant of a car. - 11 - Once testing device 1 is at each measure point, then the measure is effected by pressing a push button 25 provided on testing device 1 (figure 3A) . This starts the transmission of ultrasonic pulses 15 that, by means of the measure of their time of transit to receivers 4 of figure 1 and 2, allows to calculate the position of testing device 1 same . A further push button 26 can be provided on the rear of testing device 1 (fig. 3B) for the confirmation of the measure same. The measuring range for testing device 1 is defined by a double sector (figure 5) , with the minor bases located at the block of the receivers, and with angles at the vertex of beyond 60°. Reference block 5 of receivers 4 can be located with respect to the object to measure in a desired way, provided this object is inside the double sector measuring range . As shown in figure 6, it is possible to measure the distances between two opposite points of an object, for example two points 17a and 17b of an engine 17 of a car, bringing testing device 1 to touch in turn the two points . Given four points PI, P2 , P'l and P'2, which must belong to a square, or rectangle or trapezium, furthermore, it is possible to check that the diagonal distances Pl-P'2 and P2-P'l are equal to each other, as well as that the distances of PI, P'l or of P2 , P'2 from the axis of symmetry 18 of the vehicle are the same. With reference to figure 2, for measuring points of the upper- and of the under-body of the object, for example car 13 , it is possible to proceed as follows : when the car is raised, the points of the under-body are measured and three side points of the vehicle are measured too, for example 16a, 16b and 16c. Then the vehicle is lowered locating block 5 for example on the ground and points 16a, - 12 - 16b and 16c are measured again, allowing a not complex coordinate transfer by means of the software. This way, it is possible to calculate distances, checking symmetries and diagonals between the points of the upper-body and of the under-body of the car, using the same reference system. By the apparatus according to the invention, given an object and by means of an automatic procedure, it is possible to measure, further to the distances between points thereof, also its absolute position in the space, relatively to a reference system, such as for the input of the object's points in a database. In the case of cars, this allows the measure of the position in space of whichever outer point of the whole body. In case of other objects, for example prototypes of a desired objects, models, moulds, etc. the operative method is the same . In particular, the described apparatus allows, by means of a similar procedure, to determine the position of the cars for the database provided by the manufacturer with the apparatus same . The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without undue experimentation and without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalent of the disclosed embodiments. The means and material for carrying out various disclosed functions may take to variety of alternative forms without departing from the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Claims: - 13 - £LAIMS_ 1. Apparatus for the detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system, characterised in that it comprises: - a testing device, suitable for touching said objects to measure, said testing device having at least two senders of ultrasonic pulses, - a probe, provided on said testing device and in position known and fixed with respect to said senders; - a reference block comprising at least three receivers, arranged in mutually known and fixed position; - correlation means of a) the delays between the instant of transmission of signals by said senders and the instant of reception of said signals by said receivers, and b) the spatial position of said senders with respect to said receivers. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said correlation means comprises: - an electronic control unit with means for driving said senders, means for analysing the signals obtained from said receivers, and means for measuring the delays of the pulses of said senders to said receivers; - a computing unit connected with said electronic control unit and comprising display means for an operator; - a software residing in said computing unit which, starting from measuring said delays, calculates the position of said probe of the testing device and communicates them to said display means. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said software comprises : - an algorithmic part which, by geometrical formulas in the three-dimensional space, derives coordinates from the delays; - 14 - - a database that contains the dimensional data of the objects to measure, such as for example of cars present on the market, said data being compared with said coordinates . 4. Apparatus according to claims 2 or 3 , wherein said software comprises a display control that allows the derivation from the database of the specific model of the object to check, allows the measure and provides the results, administers a database of the clients of the operator or of the factory that makes first the measuring, carries out the printouts with the results of the measure. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said probe of said testing device is aligned with said senders. 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said testing device comprises an articulated joint and said probe is the centre of said articulated joint. 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said testing device comprises a spherical conical element and said probe is the centre or the vertex thereof. 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reference block is a support having three or more vertices, said receivers being arranged at said vertices. 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reference block comprises means for fastening to the object to measure, such as in particular permanent magnet means. 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for determining the velocity of sound in the conditions (pressure, temperature and humidity) wherein the measure is carried out, a sender-receiver couple is provided, located at a known distance from each other and connected to said reference block, whereby the measure of the distances in function of the delays is enhanced by means of a continuous measure of the velocity of sound in the air. 11. Method of detection, by means of ultrasonic pulses, of - 15 - the coordinates of objects with respect to a reference system, and in particular of the spatial positions of the probe of a testing device that touches said object, characterised in that it comprises the steps of : - transmission of ultrasonic pulses starting from at least two sender points whose position is known with respect to said probe; - reception of said ultrasonic pulses by at least three receiver points, whose mutual position is known and fixed; - correlation of a) the delays between the instant of transmission of signals by said sender points and the instant of reception of said signals by said receiver points, and b) the spatial position of said sender points with respect to said receiver points. 12. Method according to claim 11, wherein said sender points are aligned with respect to said probe.

Inventors: BIANCHI DANIELE, CREMONCINI ANDREA, DI BENE GIULIO, LAZZAROTTI MARCO, SANI ANTONIO, BIANCHI, DANIELE, CREMONCINI, ANDREA, DI BENE, GIULIO, LAZZAROTTI, MARCO, SANI, ANTONIO
Applicants: BBM S R L, BENE GIULIO DI, BIANCHI DANIELE, CREMONCINI ANDREA, I S E INGEGNERIA DEI SISTEMI E, LAZZAROTTI MARCO, SANI ANTONIO, BBM S.R.L., BIANCHI, DANIELE, CREMONCINI, ANDREA, DI BENE, GIULIO, I.S.E. INGEGNERIA DEI SISTEMI ELETTRONICI S.R.L., LAZZAROTTI, MARCO, SANI, ANTONIO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G01S5
IPC codes: G01S1, G01S5