Inclinometer Surface Profilometry for Ice Resurfacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ice resurfacing systems are expensive and rely on permanent installations, and inertial sensors introduce errors due to double integration, making them less accurate for measuring deviations from planarity on ice surfaces, which can lead to safety hazards and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A portable system using an inclinometer paired with a non-contact displacement sensor, such as a camera-based system, to measure ice surface deviations, providing high-precision surface profile measurements with millimeter resolution over large distances, and can be integrated into an autonomous vehicle for efficient ice resurfacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If inertial sensors are used to estimate position, then the system can measure surface deviations, but errors are introduced over time due to double integration and slow movement hinders positional estimation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces inertial sensors (which use mechanical/electromechanical integration) with optical measurement systems. Specifically, it uses laser beams projected across the rink surface combined with receiving units to measure vertical position changes directly through optical means, eliminating the double integration errors inherent in inertial sensing while maintaining the ability to detect surface deviations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical intermediaries (laser beams and receiving units) as a mediator between the measurement system and the ice surface. This optical intermediary system allows direct measurement of surface profile without relying on accelerometric integration, thereby eliminating error propagation while enabling precise position estimation even during slow movement
2Measurement precision
If permanent installation of planar laser assembly and receiving unit is implemented, then measurement precision is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static permanent installation requirement into a dynamic portable system. The measuring device is mounted on the ice resurfacing machine itself, which moves dynamically across the ice surface. This allows the system to maintain measurement precision while eliminating the need for permanent installations, as the device adapts to the moving platform's position and orientation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the measurement system universal by integrating it into the ice resurfacing machine's existing structure. The laser assembly and receiving units are mounted on the resurfacing machine rather than requiring separate permanent installations, allowing one system to serve both measurement and resurfacing functions while reducing overall system complexity
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
The system offers a cost-effective and accurate method for measuring ice surface planarity, reducing the risk of safety hazards and maintenance costs by providing precise data for correcting deviations, and can be applied to other low-friction surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
an inclinometer is used to measure the orientation of the measurement platform (e.g, ice resurfacing vehicle) with respect to the acceleration vector of gravity
Implementation Method 2
Displacement of the platform along the surface is measured by comparing subsequent images of the surface
Data Source
AI summary
A profiling machine includes an inclinometer and a displacement sensor. The inclinometer is configured to sense an incline of the profiling machine on a surface relative to the acceleration vector of gravity. The displacement sensor is configured to sense the distance that profiling machine has traversed along the surface. The profiling machine is configured to calculate and generate a surface profile of the surface based on incline data from the inclinometer and displacement data from the displacement sensor.