NON-CONTACT GAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTOURED GLASS SHEETS

摘要

A system and method for gaging the shape of a curved glass sheet includes, as components, (1) a system and method for acquiring three-dimensional surface data corresponding to the glass sheet, and (2) a system and method for receiving the acquired surface data, comparing the acquired surface to a pre-defined surface description, and developing indicia of the level of conformance of the contoured glass sheet to the pre-defined specification. The surface data acquisition system includes a conveyor for conveying the glass sheet, at least one display projecting a preselected contrasting pattern, and at least one camera. The camera(s) and display(s) are uniquely paired and are mounted in a spaced-apart relationship a known distance and angle from the surface of the glass sheet such that the camera detects the reflected image of the pattern projected on the surface of the glass sheet from its associated display.

主权项

1. An apparatus for gaging the shape of a curved glass sheet, the glass sheet having a first dimension and a second dimension, wherein the glass sheet is curved at least about one or more axes of curvature which are generally parallel to the first dimension, the apparatus comprising:
a conveyor for conveying the glass sheet in a first direction generally parallel to the first dimension of the glass sheet; at least two displays, each display projecting a preselected contrasting pattern, at least two cameras, each one of the at least two cameras being uniquely paired with one of the displays, wherein each display and camera pair are mounted in a spaced-apart relationship a known distance and angle from the surface of the glass sheet such that the camera detects the reflected image of the pattern projected on the surface of the glass sheet from its associated display, and wherein each of the display and camera pairs are spaced apart from each other at least in a second direction across the second dimension of the glass sheet such that each camera detects the reflected image of the pattern projected on the surface of the glass sheet from only its associated display, and wherein the patterns detected by the cameras together cover the entire surface in the direction of the second dimension of the glass sheet; and a programmable control including at least one processor programmed to execute logic for controlling each of the cameras to acquire at least one image of the reflected pattern of the associated display on the glass sheet as the glass sheet is conveyed across the path of the projected pattern in the first direction, logic for analyzing and combining the data acquired by the cameras to construct surface data representative of the surface of the glass sheet, and logic for comparing the surface data of the glass sheet to a pre-defined surface shape to determine the degree of conformance of the formed glass sheet to the pre-defined surface shape.