IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,324,660
Granted Patent B2
US 12,324,660 · App. 18/061,038 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Three-dimensional scanner, control method, and recording medium for recording programs

Inventors: Tsuyoshi Tanaka (Kyoto, JP); Keisuke Sorimoto (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: J. MORITA MFG. CORP.
A61B5/1079A61B5/0088A61B5/1077A61C9/0066G01B11/24G01B11/25G01B11/2504G01B11/2518G02B3/14G01B21/042G02B7/28G02B2207/117
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,324,660
App. No.
18/061,038
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a three-dimensional scanner for acquiring three-dimensional shape information of an object using focusing, including a light source configured to emit light from an emission end face of a housing to the object; a sensor configured to detect light from the light source reflected by the object; a variable focus lens that is provided between the object and the sensor and that changes a focal position based on the object; and a controller configured to change the focal position of the variable focus lens in a process of acquiring the three-dimensional shape information of the object, wherein the controller is configured to change an amount of light from the light source reflected by the object and reaching the sensor based on the focal position of the variable focus lens.

Claims (36)

1. A three-dimensional scanner for acquiring three-dimensional shape information of an object using focusing, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light from an emission end face of a housing to the object;

a sensor configured to detect light from the light source reflected by the object;

a reciprocating variable focus lens that is provided between the object and the sensor and that changes a focal position based on the object; and

a controller configured to change the focal position of the variable focus lens in a process of acquiring the three-dimensional shape information of the object,

wherein the controller is configured to continuously change an amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on a change in the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens.

2. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , further comprising a focal position detector configured to detect the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens,

wherein the controller changes the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on the focal position detected by the focal position detector.

3. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 2 , wherein the focal position detector includes a lens position sensor configured to detect a position of the reciprocating variable focus lens, and

the controller specifies the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens based on an output from the lens position sensor.

4. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 2 , wherein the focal position detector includes a reference portion to be irradiated with a part of light from the light source, and

the controller specifies the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens based on an output from a part of the sensor that has detected light reflected by the reference portion.

5. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 2 , further comprising a dimming filter in at least one of an optical path extending from the light source to the object and an optical path extending from the object to the sensor,

wherein the controller changes an amount of light transmitted through the dimming filter to change the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor.

6. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 2 , wherein the controller changes a detection period of the sensor to change the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor.

7. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 2 , wherein the controller changes the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on a predetermined conversion table.

8. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the controller changes a detection period of the sensor to change the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor.

9. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the controller changes the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on a conversion table.

10. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 9 , wherein the conversion table is set so as to reduce the amount of light from the light source when the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens is closer to the emission end face, and increase the amount of light from the light source when the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens is further from the emission end face.

11. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to change the conversion table by a calibration.

12. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to change the conversion table based on a captured image.

13. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to change the conversion table based on image recognition by machine learning on the captured image.

14. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a polarization beam splitter that is provided between the light source or the sensor and the reciprocating variable focus lens and separates an optical path extending from the light source to the object and an optical path extending from the object to the sensor from each other; and

a wave plate that is provided between the reciprocating variable focus lens and the object such that light reaching the object and light reflected from the object passes through the wave plate.

15. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the object is an intraoral tissue.

16. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the controller changes the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on a control signal for changing the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens.

17. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , wherein the controller changes a light emission amount of the light source to change the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor.

18. The three-dimensional scanner according to claim 1 , further comprising a dimming filter in at least one of an optical path extending from the light source to the object and an optical path extending from the object to the sensor,

wherein the controller changes an amount of light transmitted through the dimming filter to change the amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor.

19. A control method for a three-dimensional scanner comprising a light source configured to emit light from an emission end face of a housing to an object, a sensor configured to detect light from the light source reflected by the object, a reciprocating variable focus lens that is provided between the object and the sensor and that changes a focal position based on the object, and a controller configured to change the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens in a process of acquiring three-dimensional shape information of the object, the three-dimensional scanner acquiring three-dimensional shape information of the object by using a focusing process, the control method comprising:

acquiring information on the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens; and

continuously changing an amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on the acquired information.

20. A non-transitory recording medium for recording programs executable by a computer included in a three-dimensional scanner comprising a light source that emits light from an emission end face of a housing to an object, a sensor that detects light from the light source reflected by the object, and a reciprocating variable focus lens that is provided between the object and the sensor and changes a focal position based on the object, the three-dimensional scanner acquiring three-dimensional shape information by using a focusing process, the programs causing the computer to:

change the focal position of the reciprocating variable focus lens in a process of acquiring the three-dimensional shape information of the object; and

continuously change an amount of light from the light source that is reflected by the object and reaches the sensor based on a change in the focal position of the variable focus lens.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2022
From: TANAKA, TSUYOSHI; SORIMOTO, KEISUKE
To: J. MORITA MFG. CORP.
Reel/Frame 061953/0388 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-200783 · Dec 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230200681A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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