3D Laser Measuring Device with Rotating Mirror Pyramid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D laser measuring devices face challenges in interpreting terrain data due to shadowing effects, particularly when measuring vertical surfaces like high-voltage pylons, chimneys, and depressions, and require multiple devices for different angles to generate shadow-free models, leading to increased weight and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A modular 3D laser measuring device design featuring a separable base unit and interchangeable measuring head with a rotating mirror pyramid, where the mirror pyramid's surfaces enclose different angles with the axis of rotation, allowing dual-angle scanning to minimize shadowing and adapt to various applications with adjustable scan rates and dynamic balancing for reduced vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple 3D surveying devices are used to record terrain from different angles, then shadow-free surface model is achieved, but investment, weight, and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring device is divided into a base unit and an interchangeable measuring head, allowing the mirror pyramid to be separated and replaced. This segmentation enables optimization of individual components without requiring multiple complete devices, thus reducing overall weight while maintaining shadow-free measurement capability through dual-angle scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit is designed to accommodate different measuring heads with varying mirror pyramid configurations (e.g., 3-sided pyramids for low altitude, larger-sided pyramids for greater height). This universality allows a single base unit to perform multiple measurement functions across different applications, eliminating the need for multiple specialized devices and reducing total weight.
2Measurement precision
If multiple 3D surveying devices are used to record terrain from different angles, then shadow-free surface model is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the measuring device into a base unit and interchangeable measuring head, the system can optimize energy consumption through selective activation of only the necessary components for each measurement task, rather than running multiple complete devices simultaneously. The modular architecture allows for more efficient energy management.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal base unit with interchangeable measuring heads enables a single device to replace multiple specialized devices, reducing total energy consumption. The system can be configured with different mirror pyramids suited to specific applications, eliminating the need for multiple energy-consuming devices to achieve comprehensive shadow-free coverage.
3Measurement precision
If mirror pyramid surfaces enclose different angles with the axis of rotation, then dual-angle scanning minimizes shadowing, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring head containing the mirror pyramid is designed as a separable module that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for optimized mirror pyramid geometries (with surfaces enclosing different angles) to be developed and tested separately before integration into the base unit, simplifying the overall design process while achieving dual-angle scanning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror pyramid is designed to be rotatable about an axis, enabling dynamic adjustment of the beam fan angle. This dynamic capability allows the same physical structure to adapt to different measurement scenarios (low altitude vs. greater height) by changing the scan angle, reducing the need for multiple static configurations and simplifying the overall device architecture.
4Productivity
If scan rate is increased for high-altitude measurements, then measurement coverage improves, but vibrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interchangeable measuring head design allows for optimization of the mirror pyramid's mass distribution. By selecting appropriate measuring heads with adjusted mass characteristics, the system can counterbalance vibrations generated during high-speed scanning at high altitudes, enabling high scan rates while maintaining stability through carefully engineered counterweighting in the measuring head assembly.
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 modular design enhances data accuracy by minimizing shadowing and adapting to different altitudes and applications, reducing the need for multiple devices and energy consumption while maintaining high scan rates and data quality.
Implementation Method 1
the distance between the laser range finder and the targets is determined from the transit time of the laser pulses
Implementation Method 2
a laser transmitter that emits pulsed or modulated laser radiation
Implementation Method 3
a receiving device which receives the radiation reflected from targets
Implementation Method 4
a deflection device for the transmitted and received beams, which comprises at least one mirror prism rotating about an axis or a rotating mirror pyramid
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
3D laser measuring device (12), comprising a laser rangefinder, which includes a laser transmitter (30, 181) for emitting a transmitting beam (19, 66) at a target (13), a laser receiving device (72, 184) for receiving the received beam (19, 66) reflected from the target, and an evaluation device (56, 107, 180) for measuring the beam travel time in order to measure the target distance, and a deflection device (62, 83, 100) for the transmitting and receiving beams (19, 66), which includes a mirror pyramid (62, 83, 100) rotatable about an axis (75), by means of which a space of targets (13) can be scanned with at least one laser beam fan (18) in order to generate a 3D point cloud from the measured target distances. (113) of the target space, wherein the surfaces (76-78) of the mirror pyramid (62, 83, 100) enclose at least two different angles with the axis of rotation (75).