Bi-pod cantilever mount for laser metrology apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9541232-B1
Application number	US-201414573437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2014
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A Bi-Pod cantilever mount and method for supporting laser metrology equipment on a surface. The cantilever mount includes an adjustable mast and legs for adjustably positioning the laser metrology equipment on one or more surfaces. The adjustability of the mount optimizes the ability to utilize the laser metrology equipment at locations where it has been traditionally difficult to take readings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cantilever mount for supporting laser metrology equipment on one or more surfaces, the cantilever mount comprising:
a hip support having a first leg opening and a second leg opening;
an adjustable mast being elongated in an XY plane of an XYZ coordinate system, the adjustable mast having a far end;
an attachment device for holding and attaching the laser metrology equipment, the attachment device connected to the far end of the mast;
a first leg having an anchor end and a hip end, the first leg elongated in said XY plane, with the hip end positioned within the first leg opening;
a second leg having an anchor end and a hip end, the second leg elongated in said XY plane with the hip end positioned within the second leg opening;
a first anchor mounted at the anchor end of the first leg, the first anchor positioned below the first leg in a Z-direction of said XYZ coordinate system;
a second anchor mounted at the anchor end of the second leg, the second anchor below the second leg in said Z-direction of said XYZ coordinate system; and
a third anchor mounted at the hip support, the third anchor below the hip support in said Z-direction of said XYZ coordinate system, wherein each of the first anchor, the second anchor, and the third anchor contact said one or more surfaces upon which the cantilever mount is supported.

2. The cantilever mount of claim 1 , wherein the first leg is pivotally mounted within the first leg opening of the hip support, allowing for pivotal adjustment of the first leg in said XY plane, and wherein the second leg is pivotally mounted within the second leg opening of the hip support, allowing for pivotal adjustment of the second leg in said XY plane.

3. The cantilever mount of claim 2 , wherein each of the adjustable mast, the first leg, and the second leg, is an erecting/retracting mast facilitating the projection of the laser metrology equipment to overhang said one or more surfaces upon which the mount is supported.

4. The cantilever mount of claim 3 further comprising an attachment device for holding said laser metrology equipment rotatably attached at the far end of the mast.

5. The cantilever mount of claim 4 , wherein each of the first, second, and third anchors are connected to the respective first leg, second leg, and hip, via a respective coupling device, that allows each of the first, second, and third anchors to rotate and pivot.

6. The cantilever mount of claim 5 , wherein each of the first, second, and third anchors are magnetic, allowing for the mounting of the cantilever mount in any desired orientation on ferrous surfaces.

7. The cantilever mount of claim 5 , wherein each of the first, second, and third anchors are clamps that are attachable to the one or more surfaces.

8. A method of taking laser metrology data readings on a ship, the method comprising:
providing a cantilever mount for supporting laser metrology equipment on one or more surfaces on the ship, the cantilever mount comprising:
a hip support having a first leg opening and a second leg opening;
an adjustable mast being elongated in an XY plane of an XYZ coordinate system, the adjustable mast having a far end;
an attachment device for holding and attaching the laser metrology equipment, the attachment device connected to the far end of the mast;
a first leg having an anchor end and a hip end, the first leg elongated in said XY plane, with the hip end positioned within the first leg opening;
a second leg having an anchor end and a hip end, the second leg elongated in said XY plane with the hip end positioned within the second leg opening;
a first anchor mounted at the anchor end of the first leg, the first anchor positioned below the first leg in a Z-direction of said XYZ coordinate system;
a second anchor mounted at the anchor end of the second leg, the second anchor below the second leg in said Z-direction of said XYZ coordinate system; and
a third anchor mounted at the hip support, the third anchor below the hip support in said Z-direction of said XYZ coordinate system;

attaching laser metrology equipment to the cantilever mount, wherein the laser metrology equipment is fastened to the attachment device at the far end of the adjustable mast;
adjustably positioning the cantilever mount on one or more surfaces of the ship, wherein each of the first anchor, the second anchor, and the third anchor contact said one or more surfaces upon which the cantilever mount is supported; and
taking data readings with the laser metrology equipment.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein in the providing of the cantilever mount, the first leg is pivotally mounted within the first leg opening of the hip support, the second leg is pivotally mounted within the second leg opening of the hip support, and the first leg, the second leg, and the mast are erecting/retracting structures, and wherein in adjustably positioning the cantilever mount on the hull surface, the first leg may be pivotally adjusted in said XY plane, the second leg may be pivotally adjusted in the XY plane, and each of the first leg, the second leg, and the mast may be extended to move the laser metrology equipment in an overhanging position, wherein the laser metrology equipment hangs over the side of the ship.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein in the providing of the cantilever mount, each of the first, second, and third anchors are magnetic, and wherein in the adjustable positioning of the cantilever mount, the magnetic anchors are attached to one or more ferrous surfaces.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein in the providing of the cantilever mount, each of the first, second, and third anchors are clamps that are attached to the one or more surfaces.

Assignees

• Santoro Robert J
• Bharatia Pinkesh
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Santoro Robert J
• Bharatia Pinkesh

Classifications

• B63B71/00

  Designing vessels; Predicting their performance · CPC title

• F16M13/022 Primary

  repositionable · CPC title

• G01B11/16

  for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge · CPC title

• F16M11/2007

  comprising means allowing pivoting adjustment · CPC title

• F16M11/043

  Allowing translations · CPC title