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:
Sep. 28, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1998
Richard Joseph Wagner, Williamston, MI (US);
Dimitar Filev, Novi, MI (US);
Francis Michael Migda, Commerce Township, MI (US);
Thomas Eric Pearson, Grosse Ile, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
Typically, paint film thickness is measured at a plurality of locations on a vehicle body by a hand-held sensor which is positioned by an operator at a position normal to the respective locations being sensed. This operation may be inaccurate and time-consuming because substantial reliance is placed upon the operator. The invention provides an apparatus for positioning a plurality of sensors in contact with a plurality of locations, respectively, on a non-planar surface such that each sensor is positioned normal to the non-planar surface at the respective location on the surface. The apparatus includes a movable fixture and a plurality of pistons carried by the movable fixture. Each of the pistons is movable independently with respect to the fixture. Each piston includes a distal end, and a sensor is pivotally mounted to each distal end. Each distal end is spring-biased away from the fixture, and each sensor includes at least two contact points for contacting the non-planar surface on opposing sides of the respective location for orienting the sensor in a position normal to the non-planar surface at the respective location.