Abstract:
A scanner and a method for scanning a beam along a path employ a housing (320) that defines a first cylindrical cavity (322). A ring gear (330) is disposed within the cylindrical cavity and affixed to the housing. A beam (312) is generated from a fixed location relative to the housing. A drive disk (340) is disposed within the first cylindrical cavity. The drive disk defines a second cylindrical cavity (348) and has a first axis of rotation (315). The drive disk defines a first channel in communication with the beam. The first channel (346) has a first proximal end pivotally rotatable about an axis adjacent the fixed location. A scan disk is disposed within the second cylindrical cavity and has a second axis of rotation offset from the first axis of rotation. The scan disk defines a second channel (366). The second channel has a second proximal end (374) in communication with the first distal opening (354). A spur gear (332), affixed to the scan disk, engages the ring so that the drive disk rotates in the first direction, the spur gear is displaced along the ring gear (330), thus causing the scan disk to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction causing the second distal end to reciprocate. The beam is coupled through the first channel and the second channel and out of the second distal opening toward the path, thereby causing the beam to scan along the path as the second distal end reciprocates.
Abstract:
A hand-held controller wand (10) including three rate measurement sensors (40, 42 and 44) is coupled to a computing means (90) for translating roll, pitch, and yaw data into translation and rotation signals or commands that effect the movement of an external device's control point, which may be an end effector (120) of a robot. A transformation matrix is continually updated from the angular rate information obtained from the hand-held controller (130). This matrix is used to update a direction vector. A value may be stored in the computing means (90) corresponding to a predetermined speed of movement. A button (22) or other convenient control allows the operator to control translation movement of the end effector (120) or other controlled device in a direction defined by the orientation of the hand-held controller (130) at the predetermined speed, thus providing an intuitive control input for real-time direction and programming of movement. Because the present orientation of the wand (10) is also known to the computing means (90), rotational movement may also be directed.