| 摘要 |
A volume measurement apparatus and method of use. The volume measurement apparatus comprises a vertical leg attached to a horizontal leg, and at least one sensor attached to the legs. A trackball is rotatably attached to the volume measurement apparatus, and is electrically connected to a trackball movement detection means. A volume measurement means is electrically connected to the trackball movement detection means and to the at least one sensor. The method of use includes the steps of rolling the volume measurement apparatus past an object whose volume is to be measured, such that the sensor(s) will scan cross sectional areas of an object embraced within the volume measurement apparatus vertical leg and horizontal leg at pre-set intervals, figuring only the area that the sensor(s) report as solid, which is the object cross section return, and summing the products of the object cross section returns multiplied by the increment. An alternative method of use involves swiveling the volume measurement apparatus such that an object being measured is encompassed within the sweep of the legs during the swiveling motion. An alternate embodiment apparatus comprises a first leg attached to a second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said first leg opposite said second leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an extreme of said second leg opposite said first leg, a forward-looking sensor, a sideward-looking sensor, and a rearward-looking sensor disposed at an intersection of said first leg and said second leg. An alternate method comprises the final step of subtracting a volume of voids detected by the forward-looking or rearward-looking sensors from the total volume measured.
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