Patent ID: 7312871

Claim:
Method for measuring the relative positions of a first component and a second component, said method comprising: mounting a first measurement unit on a housing forming part of said first component by means of a first bracket, said first measurement unit being rotatably arranged in relation to said first bracket and defining a first rotational axis; mounting a second measurement unit on a further housing forming part of said second component by means of a second bracket, said second measurement unit being rotatably arranged in relation to said second bracket and defining a second rotational axis, said measurement units being freely rotatable in said brackets to assume a variable number for respectively corresponding incremental rotational positions with respect to said brackets; measuring, in a first state of operation of said first component and said second component, the relative position of said first component in relation to said second component by detecting the position of said first axis and by detecting the position of said second axis in a selected number of said corresponding incremental rotational positions; providing measurement values corresponding to the positions of said first rotational axis and said second rotational axis; measuring, in a second state of operation of said first component and said second component, the relative position of said first component in relation to said second component by detecting the position of said first axis and by detecting the position of said second axis in a selected number of said corresponding incremental rotational positions; providing measurement values corresponding to the positions of said first rotational axis and said second rotational axis in each of said first and second states of operation; and utilizing said measurement values to provide an indication of variations between the relative positions of said first component in relation to said second component in said first state of operation and in said second state of operation.