CA2166860A1 - Profilometry scanner mechanism - Google Patents
Profilometry scanner mechanismInfo
- Publication number
- CA2166860A1 CA2166860A1 CA002166860A CA2166860A CA2166860A1 CA 2166860 A1 CA2166860 A1 CA 2166860A1 CA 002166860 A CA002166860 A CA 002166860A CA 2166860 A CA2166860 A CA 2166860A CA 2166860 A1 CA2166860 A1 CA 2166860A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- set forth
- arm
- contour follower
- phase
- mechanism set
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Abstract
A mechanism (10) for scanning the contour of a tri-dimensional body (R) including control circuitry (120) for processing and storing the pattern data obtained. The contour pattern is measured by using contour follower members (92x) that radially slide between the two arms (108, 108') of a scan rotor assembly (100) that is driven by a reference step motor (102). Coaxially aligned phase disks (82x) are slidably mounted over outer slots (112x, 112x') on the outer periphery of the arms and a linkage mechanism (94x) is pivotally mounted on one end to a predetermined point (91x) in the phase disks and the other end (93x) to the contour follower member. The phase disks are slowed down by frictional force applied to the phase disks and this slowing down force is overcome by the contour follower once it comes in contact with the reference body. The phase angle difference between the phase disks and the referenced step motor rotation is measured, processed and stored for subsequent pattern matching with the use of a microprocessor.
Description
~1 66860 I. lllLE:
"PROFILOMETRY SCANNER MECHANISM"
II. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to merh~ni~ms for scanning tri-~imen~ional bodies, and more particularly, to those mechanisms that include the use of microco~l~uters to store the characteristics of the reference bodies.
III. BACKGROUND ART
¦ 2. O~herRela~edAppli~ n~ ¦
The need to secure entry to co~ olled areas, to have access to information or in any way v~ ting the privileges of a user have been the object of the ~l~sign of numerous ingenious devices in the past. The conventional key is one of them. However, none of these devices have lltili7ed the characteristics of a tri-~limPn~ional body regardless of what n~teri~l is made out of. This is particularly important because it makes pr~ctic~lly all such bodies co~ aLible with this ~ysl~n, inrlll~lin~ unique parts of the human body such as fingers and toes. None of the devices and methods known to this date have this flexibility.
SU~ JTE SH~:I-8 ~ ~
WO 9~;/Q3523 PCT/US93/06742 ~
IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a mecllAni~m that is capable of reco~ni7.ing ~he ~i-dimensional contour of a body, storing these characteristics in code and identifying the same body profile subsequently to v~ lAting it.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a mechanism that can validate a body, under test and that is smart enough to allow for gradual changes of the body and for differences in the relative positioning of the body from v~ lAtion to validation.
It is still another object of this il~Vf ..Ron to provide such a mechanism that will compute and store information that is a function of the dimensions and profile of a body being tested or validated.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and m~int~in while retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the spel~ific~ffQn, wherein detailed des~il~lion is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.
WO 95/03523 ~ ~ 6 6 8 ~ O PCT/US93/06742 V. BIRIEF DESCRll~llON OF THE DRAWINGS
With the above and other r~lAte~l objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ~le~elred embodiments of the present invention showing a user's finger being scanned.
Figure 2 shows a front view of one contour follower member travelling downwardly and being prevented from any further movement by reference body R.
Figure 2A shows the same contour follower described in figure 2 when it reaches the 90 position ~les~ from right to left.
Figure 2B shows the collLour follower member represented in the previous two figures pr~ssing now from the bottom up as the rotor reaches the 180 position.
Figu re 2C shows the contour follower lnenlher in the 270 position.
"PROFILOMETRY SCANNER MECHANISM"
II. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to merh~ni~ms for scanning tri-~imen~ional bodies, and more particularly, to those mechanisms that include the use of microco~l~uters to store the characteristics of the reference bodies.
III. BACKGROUND ART
¦ 2. O~herRela~edAppli~ n~ ¦
The need to secure entry to co~ olled areas, to have access to information or in any way v~ ting the privileges of a user have been the object of the ~l~sign of numerous ingenious devices in the past. The conventional key is one of them. However, none of these devices have lltili7ed the characteristics of a tri-~limPn~ional body regardless of what n~teri~l is made out of. This is particularly important because it makes pr~ctic~lly all such bodies co~ aLible with this ~ysl~n, inrlll~lin~ unique parts of the human body such as fingers and toes. None of the devices and methods known to this date have this flexibility.
SU~ JTE SH~:I-8 ~ ~
WO 9~;/Q3523 PCT/US93/06742 ~
IV. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a mecllAni~m that is capable of reco~ni7.ing ~he ~i-dimensional contour of a body, storing these characteristics in code and identifying the same body profile subsequently to v~ lAting it.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a mechanism that can validate a body, under test and that is smart enough to allow for gradual changes of the body and for differences in the relative positioning of the body from v~ lAtion to validation.
It is still another object of this il~Vf ..Ron to provide such a mechanism that will compute and store information that is a function of the dimensions and profile of a body being tested or validated.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and m~int~in while retaining its effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the spel~ific~ffQn, wherein detailed des~il~lion is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.
WO 95/03523 ~ ~ 6 6 8 ~ O PCT/US93/06742 V. BIRIEF DESCRll~llON OF THE DRAWINGS
With the above and other r~lAte~l objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ~le~elred embodiments of the present invention showing a user's finger being scanned.
Figure 2 shows a front view of one contour follower member travelling downwardly and being prevented from any further movement by reference body R.
Figure 2A shows the same contour follower described in figure 2 when it reaches the 90 position ~les~ from right to left.
Figure 2B shows the collLour follower member represented in the previous two figures pr~ssing now from the bottom up as the rotor reaches the 180 position.
Figu re 2C shows the contour follower lnenlher in the 270 position.
2 ~ ~86~
Figure 3 illustrates one of the ~rere~led embo~limPnf~ in accordance with the present invention for the linkage ~ec~h~nicm between the phase disk and the contour follower member.
Figure 3A is an alte~ate link~e nlerh~nism to the one shown in figure 3.
Figure 3B is a second ~ltPrn~te linkage mechanism.
~ igure 3C is a top view of the contour follower shown in figure 3B.
Figure 4 repre.~Pnf~ a partial cross-sectional view of the actll~tin~
end of the plunger ~semhly.
Figure 5 is an end view of the actuating end of the plunger mechanism.
Figure 6 is an isometric view of some of the components of the present invention to illustrate their function~l interrelationship and wherein the size of the peripheral teeth of the phase disk 821 at the front has been exaggerated.
Figure 6A shows a more realistic represent~hon of the toothed phase disk ~more teeth) thereby incre~in~ the resolution of the device.
Figure 6B represents an alternate embodiment where the toothed periphery of the phase represented in the previous figure is replaced WO 95/03523 ~ ¦ 6 6 8 6 0 PCT/US93/06742 _ 5 _ with markings that are detectable through a phototransistor T with the application of suitable light source L.
Figure 7 represent~ a block diagram sc~em~tic of the control circuitry.
VI. DETAILED DESCRll'llON OF THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Refe~ g now to figure 1, where the present invention is generally lef~lred to with numeral 10, it can be observed that it b~ic~lly includes a housing assembly 20, step motor ~ssPmhly 40, plunger assembly 60, phase disks assembly 80, scan rotor assembly 100, and collLlol circuit assembly 120.
Housing ~s~mhly 20 includes, generally, all fixed parts shown in the drawings to which the other components are mo~mt~-Step motor assembly 40 inrlll~lPs a step motor device 42 that ispreferablly implem~nte~ with device model PH 264 M-32, manufactured by Vexta. However, any other equivalent step motor device that can prerelably do 800 or more steps per revolution is suitable. Step motor assembly includes pinion gear 46.
Pllmger assembly 60 has a subst~nh~lly elongated shape and s actu~f ing end 72 and spring biased end 78 which includes spring 71. Actuating end 72 has a su~sl~ lly cylin~lric~l shape, in the preferred embo~iment, defining com~artment 74 into which a user's finger partially penetrates through cooperating cut-out 73, as best seen - 6 - ~
in figures l; 4 and 5. The purpose for cut-out 73 is to provide a relatively firm position where a user's finger tip can be placed to eliminate the length of the nail as a factor.
Phase disks assembly 80 includes, in ~e ~er~lred embodiment, twenty four co-axially ?li~ne~l disks 82X, (where "x" is any number from 1 to 24) and each disk 82X includes central openin~ 84x, (O~l~ gS 841 through 8424), through which a lef~lel~ce body R is inserted, as seen in Figure 1 and 6. Each phase disk 82X includes one contour follower assembly 90x~ as best seen in figure 3, that includes a contour follower member 92X that le~ loc lly moves radially across the ~ rnet~r of each phase disk 82X Each contour follower assembly 90x indudes linkage arm 94x~ having two ends, that is ~ivolally mounted to phase disk 82X at one end at 91x and to contour follower member 92X at the other end at 93x An alternate embodiment for the linkage met hAni~n~ is shown in figure 3A where steel wire 194X is affixed to colllour follower member 92X at one point, such as 193X and to phase disk 82X at l91X. Diverters 195x and 197X direct the pulling force along the guided movement path of contour follower m~mher 92x. As seen in figure 6, phase disks 821 is represented with exaggerated teeth 831 In reality, teeth 83X will look like those shown in figure 6A. Actuator 891 associated with phase disk 821 ~letects the presence or absence of teeth 831 and actuates electronic photointerrupter switch 871.
-WO 95/03523 2 t 6 6 8 6 0 PCT/US93/06742 ~ - 7-An alternate implementation for a mechanism to detect the relative position of phase disks is shown in figure 6B where an optical method is used. Light source L is bounced off marked surface 183X on phase disk 182X and detected by pholol~ sistor T.
In the second alternate embo~limPnt for the linkage mechanism shown in figure 3B, it can be seen that phase disk 282X includes a central opening 284X through which lerelellce body R is inserted. Contour follower assembly 290X is connected to phase disc 282X by lin~e member 294X T .ink~e rnem~er 294X has two ends and one of the ends is pivotally mounted to phase disk 282X at 291X. The other end of member 294X is pivotally mounted to contour follower 292X at 293x. Guiding wire 295X and 296X are rigidly mounted between arm memhers 108 and 108' and permit contour follower 292X to slidably travel along g~ 1ing wires 295X and 296X.
Scan rotor assembly 100 includes scan motor member 102 rotably mounted l:o housing 20 through bll~hin~ nlem~er 104 as seen in figure 1.
Scan motor member 102 includes peripheral teeth 106 in meshed engagement with pinion gear member 46 as seen in figure 1 and 6. Scan rotor assembly 100 includes a pair of ~yllunetric and opposed arms 108 and 108' that extend outwardly and perpendicularly to said scan motor member 102. Arms 108 and 108' have substantially the shape of a cylinder cut along its longitudinal axis. A~ms 108 and 108' are disposed in parallel relationship ~ith respect to each other, as best seen in figures 3 and 6. A~ns 108 and 108' have substantially flat and opposing surfaces 109 and 109' and these surfaces in turn indude, in the preferred WO 95/03523 2 ~ ~ 6 8 ~ Q PCT/US93/06742 embodiment, twenty four parallel inner slots llOX and llO'X along which contour follower members 92x, in the preferred embodiment, are slidably mounted. Contour follower members 92X are ~le~ldbly of the same dimensions and therefore the spacing between correspon-lin~
inner slots llOX and llO'X is the same. A~ms 108 and 108' include outer slots 112X and 112'X over which phase disks 82X are rotably mounted, as shown in figure 6. Also, in figure 6A the periphery of openings 84X may include nipple members 81X in order to miI~im~e friction.
Fixed rod members 22 and 22' are rigidly mounted to housing 20 and support wire members 24x, ~,efelably made out of steel, that are attached to rod members 22 and 22'. In figure 6, wire member 241 is shown which is associated with first phase disk 821. Wire memhers 24X
come in cont~ct with peripheral grooves 85X on phase disks 82X thereby slowing down through fric~ion the rotation of the latter, as best seen in figure 6. The rotational speed of scan rotor member 102, however, is not affected. The slowing down of a given phase disk 82X with respect to arms 108 and 108' causes its corresponding contour follower member 92X to slide radially away from point 91x. This movement of contour follower member 92X stops when reference body R makes contact with mPrnher 92, as shown in phantom in figures 2; 2A; 2B and 2C. Linkage arms 94x rotate to a certain angle to permit member 92X to slide until said contact occurs. Once contact is made, the friction created by spring wire member 24X is o~elcollle and phase disk 82X stops changing phase (relative position) with respect to arms 108 and 108' of scan motor assembly 100. It is this phase or angular difference between 21 6~860 ~ WO 95/03523 PCT/US93/06742 _ g _ predetermined points at arms 108 and 108' and phase disk 82X what is measured and provides a proportional in~lic~tion of the displ~cem~nt of contour follower 92X from the axial center of the scan rotor assembly 100 at a predele~ ed plura~ity of circumferential locations of body R.
This displacement is identified as the distance difference between the center of contour follower memher 92X at rest or point "O" and the celltel points of members 92X when they make contact with body R
which are i~lenhhed as points P; Q R and S for Oo; 90o; 180 and 2700, respectively. It is to be understood that in th~ preferred embodi~nent step motor assembly 40 will provide a total of 3200 reference positions to the scan rotor. Therefore, there is an angular difference of 3600/3200 or 6.75 arc minutes per step.
A profile detected for a particular body being vAli~l~te~l (such as a finger) is compared with the re~ellce. Absolute values ~e not important but the relative dif&rences of displacement of the contour followers l(which are proportional to the angular differences between the phase disks and the rotor arm mPmhers) are and they provide a characteristic pattern or profile for each body being tested. Therefore, the profiles detected can then be coln~ared against stored profiles to determine w~aether they match.
It has been found that with twenty four phase disks 82X and their respective contour follower members 92x, an accurate profile of a given e~lellce body can be obtained. This profile is co~ uted and stored as a pattern for its subsequent ide~hfi~f;on. The absolute hravel of contour follower members 92X and the relative variations along the entire set of 2tl ~6g60 WO 95/03~23 PCTtUS93/06742 phase disks 82X around the periphery of body R is what delelll~illes whether a positive identification has been made. Several patterns can be stored in control circuit assembly 120 which includes a miclo~locessor and storage circuit for storing the pattern data for one or more reference bodies R.
It is understood that when refelellce body R is taken out of mechanism 10, the contour followers retract away from body R. The phase disks will then go back in ~lignment (to its reset position).
VII. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
It is apparent from the previous paragraphs that an i~ ovPment of the type for such a merl~nicnl is quite desirable for recognizing the tri~ ensional conlour of a body, storing these charActerictics in code and identi~ying the same body profile subsequently to v~ 1ing it The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Di~lellt embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limi~ng sense.
Figure 3A is an alte~ate link~e nlerh~nism to the one shown in figure 3.
Figure 3B is a second ~ltPrn~te linkage mechanism.
~ igure 3C is a top view of the contour follower shown in figure 3B.
Figure 4 repre.~Pnf~ a partial cross-sectional view of the actll~tin~
end of the plunger ~semhly.
Figure 5 is an end view of the actuating end of the plunger mechanism.
Figure 6 is an isometric view of some of the components of the present invention to illustrate their function~l interrelationship and wherein the size of the peripheral teeth of the phase disk 821 at the front has been exaggerated.
Figure 6A shows a more realistic represent~hon of the toothed phase disk ~more teeth) thereby incre~in~ the resolution of the device.
Figure 6B represents an alternate embodiment where the toothed periphery of the phase represented in the previous figure is replaced WO 95/03523 ~ ¦ 6 6 8 6 0 PCT/US93/06742 _ 5 _ with markings that are detectable through a phototransistor T with the application of suitable light source L.
Figure 7 represent~ a block diagram sc~em~tic of the control circuitry.
VI. DETAILED DESCRll'llON OF THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Refe~ g now to figure 1, where the present invention is generally lef~lred to with numeral 10, it can be observed that it b~ic~lly includes a housing assembly 20, step motor ~ssPmhly 40, plunger assembly 60, phase disks assembly 80, scan rotor assembly 100, and collLlol circuit assembly 120.
Housing ~s~mhly 20 includes, generally, all fixed parts shown in the drawings to which the other components are mo~mt~-Step motor assembly 40 inrlll~lPs a step motor device 42 that ispreferablly implem~nte~ with device model PH 264 M-32, manufactured by Vexta. However, any other equivalent step motor device that can prerelably do 800 or more steps per revolution is suitable. Step motor assembly includes pinion gear 46.
Pllmger assembly 60 has a subst~nh~lly elongated shape and s actu~f ing end 72 and spring biased end 78 which includes spring 71. Actuating end 72 has a su~sl~ lly cylin~lric~l shape, in the preferred embo~iment, defining com~artment 74 into which a user's finger partially penetrates through cooperating cut-out 73, as best seen - 6 - ~
in figures l; 4 and 5. The purpose for cut-out 73 is to provide a relatively firm position where a user's finger tip can be placed to eliminate the length of the nail as a factor.
Phase disks assembly 80 includes, in ~e ~er~lred embodiment, twenty four co-axially ?li~ne~l disks 82X, (where "x" is any number from 1 to 24) and each disk 82X includes central openin~ 84x, (O~l~ gS 841 through 8424), through which a lef~lel~ce body R is inserted, as seen in Figure 1 and 6. Each phase disk 82X includes one contour follower assembly 90x~ as best seen in figure 3, that includes a contour follower member 92X that le~ loc lly moves radially across the ~ rnet~r of each phase disk 82X Each contour follower assembly 90x indudes linkage arm 94x~ having two ends, that is ~ivolally mounted to phase disk 82X at one end at 91x and to contour follower member 92X at the other end at 93x An alternate embodiment for the linkage met hAni~n~ is shown in figure 3A where steel wire 194X is affixed to colllour follower member 92X at one point, such as 193X and to phase disk 82X at l91X. Diverters 195x and 197X direct the pulling force along the guided movement path of contour follower m~mher 92x. As seen in figure 6, phase disks 821 is represented with exaggerated teeth 831 In reality, teeth 83X will look like those shown in figure 6A. Actuator 891 associated with phase disk 821 ~letects the presence or absence of teeth 831 and actuates electronic photointerrupter switch 871.
-WO 95/03523 2 t 6 6 8 6 0 PCT/US93/06742 ~ - 7-An alternate implementation for a mechanism to detect the relative position of phase disks is shown in figure 6B where an optical method is used. Light source L is bounced off marked surface 183X on phase disk 182X and detected by pholol~ sistor T.
In the second alternate embo~limPnt for the linkage mechanism shown in figure 3B, it can be seen that phase disk 282X includes a central opening 284X through which lerelellce body R is inserted. Contour follower assembly 290X is connected to phase disc 282X by lin~e member 294X T .ink~e rnem~er 294X has two ends and one of the ends is pivotally mounted to phase disk 282X at 291X. The other end of member 294X is pivotally mounted to contour follower 292X at 293x. Guiding wire 295X and 296X are rigidly mounted between arm memhers 108 and 108' and permit contour follower 292X to slidably travel along g~ 1ing wires 295X and 296X.
Scan rotor assembly 100 includes scan motor member 102 rotably mounted l:o housing 20 through bll~hin~ nlem~er 104 as seen in figure 1.
Scan motor member 102 includes peripheral teeth 106 in meshed engagement with pinion gear member 46 as seen in figure 1 and 6. Scan rotor assembly 100 includes a pair of ~yllunetric and opposed arms 108 and 108' that extend outwardly and perpendicularly to said scan motor member 102. Arms 108 and 108' have substantially the shape of a cylinder cut along its longitudinal axis. A~ms 108 and 108' are disposed in parallel relationship ~ith respect to each other, as best seen in figures 3 and 6. A~ns 108 and 108' have substantially flat and opposing surfaces 109 and 109' and these surfaces in turn indude, in the preferred WO 95/03523 2 ~ ~ 6 8 ~ Q PCT/US93/06742 embodiment, twenty four parallel inner slots llOX and llO'X along which contour follower members 92x, in the preferred embodiment, are slidably mounted. Contour follower members 92X are ~le~ldbly of the same dimensions and therefore the spacing between correspon-lin~
inner slots llOX and llO'X is the same. A~ms 108 and 108' include outer slots 112X and 112'X over which phase disks 82X are rotably mounted, as shown in figure 6. Also, in figure 6A the periphery of openings 84X may include nipple members 81X in order to miI~im~e friction.
Fixed rod members 22 and 22' are rigidly mounted to housing 20 and support wire members 24x, ~,efelably made out of steel, that are attached to rod members 22 and 22'. In figure 6, wire member 241 is shown which is associated with first phase disk 821. Wire memhers 24X
come in cont~ct with peripheral grooves 85X on phase disks 82X thereby slowing down through fric~ion the rotation of the latter, as best seen in figure 6. The rotational speed of scan rotor member 102, however, is not affected. The slowing down of a given phase disk 82X with respect to arms 108 and 108' causes its corresponding contour follower member 92X to slide radially away from point 91x. This movement of contour follower member 92X stops when reference body R makes contact with mPrnher 92, as shown in phantom in figures 2; 2A; 2B and 2C. Linkage arms 94x rotate to a certain angle to permit member 92X to slide until said contact occurs. Once contact is made, the friction created by spring wire member 24X is o~elcollle and phase disk 82X stops changing phase (relative position) with respect to arms 108 and 108' of scan motor assembly 100. It is this phase or angular difference between 21 6~860 ~ WO 95/03523 PCT/US93/06742 _ g _ predetermined points at arms 108 and 108' and phase disk 82X what is measured and provides a proportional in~lic~tion of the displ~cem~nt of contour follower 92X from the axial center of the scan rotor assembly 100 at a predele~ ed plura~ity of circumferential locations of body R.
This displacement is identified as the distance difference between the center of contour follower memher 92X at rest or point "O" and the celltel points of members 92X when they make contact with body R
which are i~lenhhed as points P; Q R and S for Oo; 90o; 180 and 2700, respectively. It is to be understood that in th~ preferred embodi~nent step motor assembly 40 will provide a total of 3200 reference positions to the scan rotor. Therefore, there is an angular difference of 3600/3200 or 6.75 arc minutes per step.
A profile detected for a particular body being vAli~l~te~l (such as a finger) is compared with the re~ellce. Absolute values ~e not important but the relative dif&rences of displacement of the contour followers l(which are proportional to the angular differences between the phase disks and the rotor arm mPmhers) are and they provide a characteristic pattern or profile for each body being tested. Therefore, the profiles detected can then be coln~ared against stored profiles to determine w~aether they match.
It has been found that with twenty four phase disks 82X and their respective contour follower members 92x, an accurate profile of a given e~lellce body can be obtained. This profile is co~ uted and stored as a pattern for its subsequent ide~hfi~f;on. The absolute hravel of contour follower members 92X and the relative variations along the entire set of 2tl ~6g60 WO 95/03~23 PCTtUS93/06742 phase disks 82X around the periphery of body R is what delelll~illes whether a positive identification has been made. Several patterns can be stored in control circuit assembly 120 which includes a miclo~locessor and storage circuit for storing the pattern data for one or more reference bodies R.
It is understood that when refelellce body R is taken out of mechanism 10, the contour followers retract away from body R. The phase disks will then go back in ~lignment (to its reset position).
VII. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
It is apparent from the previous paragraphs that an i~ ovPment of the type for such a merl~nicnl is quite desirable for recognizing the tri~ ensional conlour of a body, storing these charActerictics in code and identi~ying the same body profile subsequently to v~ 1ing it The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Di~lellt embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limi~ng sense.
Claims (12)
What is claimed is:
1. A mechanism for scanning a tri-dimensional body comprising:
A. housing means;
B. scan rotor means rotably mounted to said housing means, and said scan rotor means including a scan rotor member and step motor means for driving said scan rotor member and said scan rotor member further including two parallel spaced apart arm means rigidly mounted to said scan rotor member;
C. a plurality of phase disk means rotably and slidably mounted over said two arm means and coaxially disposed with respect to each other and each of said phase disk means further includes clutch means for frictionally slowing down the rotation of said phase disk means;
D. a respective plurality of contour follower means slidably mounted within said two arm means capable of being displaced;
E. a respective plurality of linkage means for transmitting the motion of said phase disk means to said contour follower means; and G. means for detecting the angular position difference of each one of said phase disk means with respect to the position of said two arm means and said difference being proportional to the displacement of the associated contour follower means with respect to a center of said arm means.
A. housing means;
B. scan rotor means rotably mounted to said housing means, and said scan rotor means including a scan rotor member and step motor means for driving said scan rotor member and said scan rotor member further including two parallel spaced apart arm means rigidly mounted to said scan rotor member;
C. a plurality of phase disk means rotably and slidably mounted over said two arm means and coaxially disposed with respect to each other and each of said phase disk means further includes clutch means for frictionally slowing down the rotation of said phase disk means;
D. a respective plurality of contour follower means slidably mounted within said two arm means capable of being displaced;
E. a respective plurality of linkage means for transmitting the motion of said phase disk means to said contour follower means; and G. means for detecting the angular position difference of each one of said phase disk means with respect to the position of said two arm means and said difference being proportional to the displacement of the associated contour follower means with respect to a center of said arm means.
2. The mechanism set forth in claim 1 further including:
H. circuit means for processing, storing and identifying said angular position differences between each one of said phase disk means and said arm means and further including means for comparing and storing said differences as a profile specific to said body being scanned.
H. circuit means for processing, storing and identifying said angular position differences between each one of said phase disk means and said arm means and further including means for comparing and storing said differences as a profile specific to said body being scanned.
3. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said linkage means includes an elongated linkage arm having two ends and one of said ends being pivotally mounted to one of said respective and cooperating phase disk means and the other end being pivotally mounted to said contour follower means.
4. The mechanism set forth in claim 3 wherein said circuit means includes microprocessor means for computing and processing said detected differences and further includes memory means for storing instructions for said processing and data corresponding to reference pre-stored profiles against which said detected differences are compared.
5. The mechanism set forth in claim 4 wherein said arm means substantially have a shape of a longitudinally cut cylinder and further including a plurality of outer and inner grooves that cooperatively correspond to said phase disk means and said contour follower means, respectively, that are rotably and slidably mounted thereon.
6. The mechanism set forth in claim 5 wherein said housing means includes plunger assembly means for receiving a distal end of the body being tested and said mechanism further including switch means for selectively activating and deactivating said circuit means.
7. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said linkage means includes two wire means each wire means having two ends, and one of said ends of said wire means being rigidly attached to the ends along the movement path of said contour follower means so that a pulling force can be applied by one of said two wire means as the respective phase disk means rotate with respect to said two arm means of said scan rotor means.
8. The mechanism set forth in claim 7 wherein said circuit means includes microprocessor means for computing and processing said detected differences and further includes memory means for storing instructions for said processing and data corresponding to reference pre-stored profiles against which said detected differences are compared.
9. The mechanism set forth in claim 8 wherein said arm means have substantially the shape of a longitudinally cut cylinder and further including a plurality of outer and inner grooves that cooperatively correspond to said plurality of phase disk means and contour follower means, respectively, that are rotably and slidably mounted thereon.
10. The mechanism set forth in claim 9 wherein said housing means includes plunger assembly means for receiving the distal end of the body being tested and said mechanism further including switch means for selectively activating and deactivating said circuit means.
11. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 wherein said contour follower means includes two guiding wire means connecting said arm means and further including a contour follower member slidably mounted over said two guiding wire means.
12. The mechanism set forth in claim 11 wherein said housing means includes plunger assembly means for receiving the distal end of the body being tested and said plunger assembly means further includes a cut-out so that when the body being tested is a finger the length of the nail is eliminated as a factor.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US1993/006742 WO1995003523A1 (en) | 1991-07-03 | 1993-07-19 | Profilometry scanner mechanism |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2166860A1 true CA2166860A1 (en) | 1995-02-02 |
Family
ID=29399137
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002166860A Abandoned CA2166860A1 (en) | 1993-07-19 | 1993-07-19 | Profilometry scanner mechanism |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2166860A1 (en) |
-
1993
- 1993-07-19 CA CA002166860A patent/CA2166860A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |