Patent ID: 7278323

Claim:
An apparatus for determining the deflection of a fastener in at least two substantially perpendicular planes, comprising: a first camera, said first camera having an optical axis, said first camera being designed and arranged to record a first image of the fastener; a unit, said unit being designed and arranged to determine two first reference points of the fastener in the first image for determining a first reference axis of the fastener, the first reference axis extending through the two first reference points; a unit, said unit being designed and arranged to determine a first inspection point in a first inspection region in the first image; a unit, said unit being designed and arranged to compare the position of the first inspection point with the respective position of the first reference axis for determining a first deviation; a second camera, said second camera having an optical axis, the optical axis of said second camera being arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of said first camera, the optical axes of said first and second camera approximately intersecting in the longitudinal axis of the fastener, said second camera being designed and arranged to record a second image of the fastener; a unit, said unit being designed and arranged to determine two second reference points of the fastener in the second image for determining a second reference axis of the fastener, the second reference axis extending through the two second reference points; a unit, said unit being designed and arranged to determine a second reference point in a second inspection region in the second image; a unit, said unit being designed and arranged to compare the position of the second inspection point with the respective position of the second reference axis for determining a second deviation.