Chromatic Confocal Sensor Multipoint Measurement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing chromatic confocal sensors require a large number of components to perform multipoint measurements, which increases complexity and cost.

Innovation Solution

A chromatic confocal sensor system comprising a light source, multiple optical heads, a spectrometer with a line sensor, and a position calculation unit, where the light source emits beams of different wavelengths, and the spectrometer uses a diffraction grating to direct measurement light to distinct areas of the line sensor, allowing for position calculation of multiple measurement points with fewer components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple spectrometers and line sensors are used to perform multipoint measurements, then measurement precision and coverage are improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultipoint measurement capabilityVSAvoidnumber of spectrometers and line sensors

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple measurement functions into a single spectrometer by using a diffraction grating to spatially separate light from multiple optical heads onto different regions of a single line sensor. This combining approach allows multiple measurement points to be detected simultaneously without requiring multiple spectrometer units, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining multipoint measurement capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces spatial dimensionality to the detection system by using the diffraction grating to map light from different optical heads (different spatial positions) to different positions along the line sensor array. This dimensional mapping allows the single line sensor to simultaneously detect multiple measurement points by utilizing its spatial resolution across the sensor array

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If multiple diffraction gratings and line sensors are used for each optical head, then measurement reliability is improved, but quantity of components and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of diffraction gratings and line sensors

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the single spectrometer and line sensor universal for detecting light from multiple optical heads by using the diffraction grating to route different wavelengths and spatial positions to appropriate detection regions. This multi-functional design allows one spectrometer to serve multiple measurement points simultaneously, reducing the total quantity of components while maintaining reliable detection across all optical heads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If wavelength bands are differentiated among head portions, then multipoint measurement capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple optical filters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultipoint measurement capabilityVSAvoidnumber of optical filters

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the wavelength separation function from individual optical filters at each head and relocates it to a central diffraction grating in the spectrometer. This extraction approach allows wavelength differentiation to be performed centrally rather than at each distributed head, reducing the total number of optical filters while maintaining the capability to differentiate wavelength bands for multipoint measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate multipoint measurements using a reduced number of components, simplifying the design and reducing costs by allowing simultaneous measurement of multiple points with a single spectrometer and line sensor.

Implementation Method 1

The optical system includes a diffraction grating that diffracts a plurality of measurement light beams emitted from the plurality of optical heads

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffraction: Diffraction

Data Source

PatentUS10247610B2Chromatic confocal sensor and measurement method

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 MITUTOYO CORP

AI summary

A chromatic confocal sensor includes: a light source portion that emits a plurality of light beams having different wavelengths; a plurality of optical heads that converge the plurality of light beams emitted from the light source portion at different focal positions and emit measurement light reflected by a measurement point at the focal positions; a spectrometer including a line sensor, and an optical system that includes a diffraction grating that diffracts a plurality of measurement light beams emitted from the plurality of optical heads, and emits the plurality of measurement light beams diffracted by the diffraction grating to a plurality of different light-receiving areas of the line sensor; and a position calculation portion that calculates a position of a plurality of measurement points as a measurement target of the plurality of optical heads based on a light-receiving position of the plurality of light-receiving areas of the line sensor.