The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 02, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 18, 1996
Tsuyoshi Sato, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A shape measurement apparatus of this invention includes (i) an optical distance measuring device which measures the distance to the point to be measured on the object to be measured, (ii) a position setting/changing mechanism which sets and changes the relative positional relationship between the object to be measured and the optical distance measuring device, and can set, for each point to be measured, a plurality of different angles including .alpha. and -.alpha. (0.degree..ltoreq..alpha..ltoreq.90.degree.) in an identical plane as the tilt angle of the surface of the object to be measured with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical distance measuring device, (iii) a position detection mechanism for detecting the relative position between the optical distance measuring device and the point to be measured, and (iv) a shape data forming unit for forming shape data of the object to be measured on the basis of position data and distance data which respectively represent the relative position and the distance between the point to be measured and the optical distance measuring device. This arrangement can reduce measurement errors caused by the irradiation angle of the measurement light from the optical distance measuring device to the object to be measured.