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:
Nov. 21, 1997
Keishi Shimizu, Nakai-machi, JP;
Hidenori Yamada, Nakai-machi, JP;
Kiichi Ueyanagi, Nakai-machi, JP;
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A shape measuring apparatus includes a partial surface measuring device for dividing a surface to be measured having a three-dimensional shape into a plurality of partial regions having mutually overlapped regions and measuring surface shapes of the plurality of partial regions. Movement mechanisms for respectively determining positional attitudes of the partial regions and the partial surface measuring device are also includes, along with a measurement controller for roughly joining measured data on the surface shapes of the partial regions to one another, based on the positional attitudes. Thereafter, fitting of the measured data on the surface shape of the other partial region to the measured data on the surface shape of one partial region in the overlapped regions is performed only in the direction of the substantial normal to the surface of each overlapped region so as to join adjacent the partial regions to one another. The shape measuring apparatus, and corresponding method of use, measures the entire three-dimensional shape of the surface to be measured.