IP Library Granted Patent US 12682495
Granted Patent B2
US 12682495 · App. 18/631,483 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Automatic measuring systems and control method for automatic measuring systems

Inventors: Daisuke Sakai (Saitama, JP); Seiji Sasaki (Saitama, JP); Kunio Ueda (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
G06T7/80G01B5/20G01N35/0099G06T7/60G06T2207/30204
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12682495
App. No.
18/631,483
Filed
Apr 10, 2024
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3658
USPC
700/245
Abstract

An automatic measuring system includes a measuring sensor tool that detects a surface of an object to be measured to measure a dimension or a shape of the object to be measured, a moving mechanism that relatively moves the measuring sensor tool with respect to the object to be measured, and an observation camera that images the object to be measured. A position and an orientation (posture) of a point to be measured are acquired from image data obtained by imaging the object to be measured by the observation camera, the measuring sensor tool is caused by the moving mechanism to approach the point to be measured, taking into account a position and posture offset between the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, and a measurement value of the point to be measured is acquired by the measuring sensor tool.

Claims (67)

1 . A control method for an automatic measuring system, the automatic measuring system including:

a measuring sensor tool configured to detect a surface of an object to be measured to measure a dimension or a shape of the object to be measured;

a moving mechanism configured to relatively move the measuring sensor tool with respect to the object to be measured; and

an observation camera configured to image the object to be measured, the control method comprising:

a camera calibration mark imaging step of imaging, by the observation camera, a camera calibration mark;

a sensor calibration part step of measuring, by the measuring sensor tool, a sensor calibration part; and

a step of calibrating a position and posture offset between the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, based on a position and a posture of the moving mechanism and image data acquired in the camera calibration mark imaging step, and on a position and a posture of the moving mechanism and measurement data acquired in the sensor calibration part step, wherein

the camera calibration mark and the sensor calibration part are provided in a calibration master,

the camera calibration mark and the sensor calibration part have a known relative position,

the moving mechanism is one articulated robot,

the one articulated robot includes a hand part,

the hand part holds the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, and

the hand part of the articulated robot includes an exchange means for moving the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool to exchange a position of the observation camera for a position of the measuring sensor tool by rotating around an axis of the hand part.

2 . The control method for the automatic measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein

the measuring sensor tool is a measuring device configured to bring a probe into contact with the object to be measured at a predetermined measurement pressure to measure the dimension of the object to be measured, and

the contact between the probe and the object to be measured is not a point, but a line or a plane.

3 . The control method for the automatic measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring sensor tool is an image measuring device including a telecentric lens.

4 . The control method for the automatic measuring system according to claim 3 , wherein a part or all of the camera calibration mark and a part or all of the sensor calibration part are identical and commonly used.

5 . The control method for the automatic measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein

the measuring sensor tool is an image measuring device including a telecentric lens,

the exchange means exchanges the position of the observation camera for the position of the measuring sensor tool, and

the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool are attached to the exchange means in such a manner that a focus plane of the observation camera when imaging the object to be measured is on the same plane as a focus plane of the measuring sensor tool when measuring the object to be measured.

6 . A control method for an automatic measuring system, the automatic measuring system including:

a measuring sensor tool configured to detect a surface of an object to be measured to measure a dimension or a shape of the object to be measured;

a moving mechanism configured to relatively move the measuring sensor tool with respect to the object to be measured; and

an observation camera configured to image the object to be measured, the control method comprising:

acquiring a position and a posture of a point to be measured from image data obtained by imaging the object to be measured by the observation camera;

causing, by the moving mechanism, the measuring sensor tool to approach the point to be measured, taking into account a position and posture offset between the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool; and

acquiring, by the measuring sensor tool, a measurement value of the point to be measured, wherein

the moving mechanism is one articulated robot,

the one articulated robot includes a hand part,

the hand part holds the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, and

the hand part of the articulated robot includes an exchange means for moving the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool to exchange a position of the observation camera for a position of the measuring sensor tool by rotating around an axis of the hand part.

7 . An automatic measuring system comprising:

a measuring sensor tool configured to detect a surface of an object to be measured to measure a dimension or a shape of the object to be measured;

a moving mechanism configured to relatively move the measuring sensor tool with respect to the object to be measured; and

an observation camera configured to image the object to be measured, wherein

the moving mechanism is one articulated robot,

the one articulated robot includes a hand part,

the hand part includes an exchange means for moving the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool to exchange a position of the observation camera for a position of the measuring sensor tool by rotating around an axis of the hand part, and

the hand part holds the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool via the exchanging means.

8 . A recording medium storing a control program for an automatic measuring system, the automatic measuring system including:

a measuring sensor tool configured to detect a surface of an object to be measured to measure a dimension or a shape of the object to be measured;

a moving mechanism configured to relatively move the measuring sensor tool with respect to the object to be measured;

an observation camera configured to image the object to be measured; and

a computer, the control program causing the computer to execute:

a camera calibration mark imaging step of imaging, by the observation camera, a camera calibration mark;

a sensor calibration part step of measuring, by the measuring sensor tool, a sensor calibration part; and

a step of calibrating a position and posture offset between the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, based on a position and a posture of the moving mechanism and image data acquired in the camera calibration mark imaging step, and on a position and a posture of the moving mechanism and measurement data acquired in the sensor calibration part step, wherein

the camera calibration mark and the sensor calibration part are provided in a calibration master,

the camera calibration mark and the sensor calibration part have a known relative position,

the moving mechanism is one articulated robot,

the one articulated robot includes a hand part,

the hand part holds the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, and

the hand part of the articulated robot includes an exchange means for moving the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool to exchange a position of the observation camera for a position of the measuring sensor tool by rotating around an axis of the hand part.

9 . A recording medium storing a control program for an automatic measuring system, the automatic measuring system including:

a measuring sensor tool configured to detect a surface of an object to be measured to measure a dimension or a shape of the object to be measured;

a moving mechanism configured to relatively move the measuring sensor tool with respect to the object to be measured;

an observation camera configured to image the object to be measured; and

a computer, the control program causing the computer to execute:

acquiring a position and a posture of a point to be measured from image data obtained by imaging the object to be measured by the observation camera;

causing, by the moving mechanism, the measuring sensor tool to approach the point to be measured, taking into account a position and posture offset between the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool; and

acquiring, by the measuring sensor tool, a measurement value of the point to be measured, wherein

the moving mechanism is one articulated robot,

the one articulated robot includes a hand part,

the hand part holds the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool, and

the hand part of the articulated robot includes an exchange means for moving the observation camera and the measuring sensor tool to exchange a position of the observation camera for a position of the measuring sensor tool by rotating around an axis of the hand part.