Registration of articles of manufacture with dimensional variations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10695844-B2
Application number	US-201816014746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 17, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

The illustrative embodiment of the present invention uses a tangible three-dimensional structure as a fiducial mark, which structure is, at least partially, tolerant of dimensional variations in the article. The illustrative embodiment uses three such tangible three-dimensional structures: (1) a portion of a tangible conical surface, (2) a portion of a tangible spheroidal surface, and (3) a portion of a tangible pyramidal surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating an article of manufacture, the method comprising:
probing, with a probe, a first hole in a first portion of a material composing the article of manufacture to locate a first conical apex, wherein the first hole in the first portion of the material is defined, at least in part, by a first portion of a first tangible conical surface, wherein the first tangible conical surface establishes (i) a first conical apex, and (ii) a first conical-surface volume;
probing, with the probe, a second hole in a second portion of the material composing the article of manufacture to locate a second conical apex, wherein the second hole in the second portion of the material is defined, at least in part, by a second portion of a second tangible conical surface, wherein the second tangible conical surface establishes (i) a second conical apex, and (ii) a second conical-surface volume;
probing, with the probe, a third hole in a third portion of the material composing the article of manufacture to locate a third conical apex, wherein the third hole in the third portion of the material is defined, at least in part, by a third portion of a third tangible conical surface, wherein the third tangible conical surface establishes (i) a third conical apex, and (ii) a third conical-surface volume; and
maneuvering an automated tool to a location on the article of manufacture, wherein the location is determined based on the first conical apex, the second conical apex, and the third conical apex;
wherein the first conical apex, the second conical apex, and the third conical apex are non-collinear; and
wherein the first conical-surface volume does not equal the second conical-surface volume.

2. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the second conical-surface volume does not equal the third conical-surface volume; and
wherein the first conical-surface volume does not equal the third conical-surface volume.

3. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the first tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a first conical axis;
wherein the second tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a second conical axis; and
wherein the first conical axis and the second conical axis are non-parallel.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first conical axis and the second conical axis are skew.

5. The method of claim 3 :
wherein the third tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a third conical axis;
wherein the first conical axis and the third conical axis are non-parallel; and
wherein the second conical axis and the third conical axis are non-parallel.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
probing, with a probe, a fourth hole in a fourth portion of a material composing the article of manufacture to locate a fourth conical apex, wherein the fourth hole is defined, at least in part, by a fourth portion of a fourth tangible conical surface, wherein the fourth tangible conical surface defines a fourth conical apex; and
wherein the first conical apex, the second conical apex, the third conical apex, and the fourth conical apex are non-coplanar.

7. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the first hole in the first portion of the material is a blind hole;
wherein the second hole in the second portion of the material is a blind hole; and
wherein the third hole in the third portion of the material is a blind hole.

8. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the first hole in the first portion of the material is a through hole;
wherein the second hole in the second portion of the material is a through hole; and
wherein the third hole in the third portion of the material is a through hole.

9. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the first hole in the first portion of the material is a blind hole;
wherein the second hole in the second portion of the material is a through hole.

10. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the first tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a first conical-surface area;
wherein the second tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a second conical-surface area; and
wherein the first conical-surface area does not equal the second conical-surface area.

11. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the third tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a third conical-surface area;
wherein the first conical-surface area does not equal the third conical-surface area; and
wherein the first conical-surface area does not equal the second conical-surface area.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the material fiber-reinforced thermoplastic.

13. A method of fabricating an article of manufacture, the method comprising:
probing, with a probe, a first hole in a first portion of a material composing the article of manufacture to locate a first conical apex, wherein the first hole in the first portion of the material is defined, at least in part, by a first portion of a first tangible conical surface, wherein the first tangible conical surface establishes (i) a first conical apex, and (ii) a first conical axis;
probing, with the probe, a second hole in a second portion of the material composing the article of manufacture to locate a second conical apex, wherein the second hole in the second portion of the material is defined, at least in part, by a second portion of a second tangible conical surface, wherein the second tangible conical surface establishes (i) a second conical apex, and (ii) a second conical axis;
probing, with the probe, a third hole in a third portion of the material composing the article of manufacture to locate a third conical apex, wherein the third hole in the third portion of the material is defined, at least in part, by a third portion of a third tangible conical surface, wherein the establishes (i) a third conical apex, and (ii) a third conical axis; and
maneuvering an automated tool to a location on the article of manufacture, wherein the location is determined based on the first conical apex, the second conical apex, and the third conical apex;
wherein the first conical apex, the second conical apex, and the third conical apex are non-collinear; and
wherein the first conical axis and the second conical axis are non-parallel.

14. The method of claim 13 :
wherein the first conical axis and the third conical axis are non-parallel; and
wherein the second conical axis and the third conical axis are non-parallel.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first conical axis and the second conical axis are skew.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein:
wherein the first tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a first conical-surface volume;
wherein the second tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a second conical-surface volume; and
wherein the first conical-surface volume does not equal the second conical-surface volume.

17. The method of claim 16 :
wherein the third tangible conical surface also establishes (iii) a third conical-surface volume;
wherein the second conical-surface volume does not equal the third conical-surface volume; and
wherein the first conical-surface volume does not equal the third conical-surface volume.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
probing, with a probe, a fourth hole in a fourth portion of a material composing the article of manufacture to locate a fourth conical apex, wherein the fourth hole is defined, at least in part, by a fourth portion of a fourth tangible conical surface, wherein the fourth tangible conical surface defines a fourth conical apex; and
wherein the first conical apex, the second conical apex, the third co

Assignees

• Arevo Inc

Inventors

• Kashikar Archana

Classifications

• B23B41/00 Primary

  Boring or drilling machines or devices specially adapted for particular work {(surgical drilling machines A61B17/16)}; Accessories specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B23B39/00 Primary

  General-purpose boring or drilling machines or devices; Sets of boring and/or drilling machines · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• G06T2207/30204

  Marker · CPC title

• B23B2215/00

  Details of workpieces · CPC title