Positioning system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9879987-B2
Application number	US-201514945126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2015
Priority date	Nov 21, 2014
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A positioning system for detecting a spatial position of a laying head of a device for automatically laying reinforcing fiber strips in relation to a base on which the reinforcing fiber strips can be laid by the laying head includes at least two laser lines which extend substantially in parallel at a spacing A from one another and substantially transversely to a laying direction can be projected on the laid reinforcing fiber strips by at least one laser source. The elevation profiles of the projected laser lines which occur on account of an irregular surface of the laid reinforcing fiber strips are able to be recorded by a camera and supplied to an evaluation unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning system for detecting a spatial position of a laying head of a device for automatically laying reinforcing fiber strips in relation to a base on which the reinforcing fiber strips can be laid by the laying head,
wherein at least two laser lines which extend substantially in parallel at a spacing from one another and substantially transversely to a laying direction can be projected on laid reinforcing fiber strips by at least one laser source, elevation profiles of the projected laser lines which occur on account of an irregular surface of the laid reinforcing fiber strips being able to be recorded by a camera and supplied to an evaluation unit.

2. The positioning system according to claim 1 , wherein a laser source is provided, the principal ray of which can be split using a beam splitter in order to generate at least two separate laser beams.

3. The positioning system according to claim 2 , wherein the laser beams are fanned out laterally in a trapezoidal shape in order to generate the laser lines.

4. The positioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning system comprises at least one sensor for detecting rotational movement of the laying head about the vertical axis thereof.

5. The positioning system according to claim 1 , wherein at least substantially straight displacement movements of the laying head in relation to the base can be detected by the positioning system.

6. The positioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning system is arranged on a side of the laying head which is oriented counter to the laying direction.

7. A method for detecting a spatial position of a laying head of a device for automatically laying reinforcing fiber strips in relation to a base on which the reinforcing fiber strips can be laid by the laying head, the method comprising:
projecting on laid reinforcing fiber strips, by at least one laser source, at least two laser lines which extend in parallel at a spacing from one another and substantially transversely to a laying direction;
recording, by a camera, in each case at least two elevation profiles of the projected laser lines occurring on account of an irregular surface of the laid reinforcing fiber strips;
comparing, by an evaluation unit, two elevation profiles, recorded at different points in time t1, t2 respectively;
outputting a signal when two of the elevation profiles recorded at the points in time t1,2 are congruent; and
repeating the steps above.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the two elevation profiles recorded at the points in time t 1,2 respectively are obliquely compared.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the elevation profiles are recorded and compared at a sampling rate of at least 10 Hz.

10. A method for detecting laying errors of a device for automatically laying reinforcing fiber strips on a base by a laying head, the method comprising:
projecting on laid reinforcing fiber strips, by at least one laser source, a plurality of laser lines which extend in parallel at a spacing from one another and substantially transversely to a laying direction;
recording in one image, by a camera, elevation profiles of the projected laser lines occurring on account of an irregular surface of the laid reinforcing fiber strips; and
evaluating the image using an evaluation unit in order to detect laying errors.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Engel Franz
• Weimer Christian

Classifications

• G01B11/272 Primary

  using photoelectric detection means · CPC title

• G01B11/002

  for measuring two or more coordinates · CPC title

• G01S17/46

  Indirect determination of position data · CPC title

• G01S17/50

  Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target · CPC title

• G01N21/95

  characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined (G01N21/89 - G01N21/91, G01N21/94 take precedence) · CPC title