Optical measurement of drilled holes

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes an optical probe; and a robotic transport so adapted to the optical probe as to move the optical probe inside a drilled hole to measure the drilled hole at one or more depths.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus comprising:
 an optical probe; and   a robotic transport so adapted to the optical probe as to move the optical probe inside a drilled hole to measure the drilled hole at one or more depths.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the optical probe further comprises a light source that projects as the optical probe is moved one or more rings of light on the inside of the drilled hole, and 
 the apparatus further comprises an optical sensor that receives through an optical lens of the optical probe reflections of the one or more projected rings and a controller determining from the received reflections measurements of the drilled hole. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the controller determining measurements further comprises determining by comparison of design measurements and the measurements of the drilled hole whether the hole as drilled is within a design tolerance. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the controller determining measurements further comprises inferring from the measurements a crack in the drilled hole. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the controller determining measurements further comprises determining by comparison of design measurements and the measurements of the drilled hole that the hole as drilled fails to meet a design tolerance, the apparatus further comprises a drill that redrills the hole at a larger diameter, and the robotic transport is further so adapted to the optical probe as to move the optical probe inside the redrilled hole to remeasure the drilled hole at different depths with the same optical probe. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the robotic transport is adapted to align the optical probe with an axis of the optical probe that is parallel to a center axis of the drilled hole. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the robotic transport is adapted to align the optical probe with the center axis of the optical probe parallel to the center axis of the drilled hole for minimal unwanted reflection. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the robotic transport is adapted to position the optical probe for uniform intensity of the reflections received by the optical sensor. 
     
     
         9 . A method of measuring a drilled hole comprising moving by a robotic transport an optical probe inside a drilled hole to measure the drilled hole at one or more depths. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 projecting by a light source of the optical probe as the optical probe is moved inside the drilled hole one or more rings of light on the inside of the drilled hole; 
 receiving by an optical sensor through an optical lens of the optical probe reflections of the one or more projected rings; and 
 determining, by a controller operably coupled to the optical sensor from the received reflections, measurements of the drilled hole. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising determining by comparison of design measurements and the measurements of the drilled hole whether the hole as drilled is within a design tolerance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising inferring from the measurements a crack in the drilled hole. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising determining that the hole as drilled fails to meet a design tolerance, redrilling the hole at a larger diameter, and remeasuring the hole with the same optical probe. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising aligning by the robotic transport the optical probe with an axis of the optical probe that is parallel to a center axis of the drilled hole. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising aligning by the robotic transport the optical probe with the center axis of the optical probe parallel to the center axis of the drilled hole for minimal unwanted reflection. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising positioning by the robotic transport the optical probe for uniform intensity of the reflections received by the optical sensor. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus for optical measurement of a drilled hole, the apparatus comprising:
 an optical probe;   a hand held probe body with the optical probe disposed upon the body;   a graphic display operably mounted upon the probe body; and   an optical sensor positioned in the probe body with respect to the optical probe to sense reflected imaging light and operably coupled to the display so as to display received reflections of one or more rings of light from the inside of a drilled hole.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising a light source that projects as the optical probe is moved one or more multiple rings of light on the inside of the drilled hole and a controller that determines from the received reflections measurements of the drilled hole. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the controller that determines measurements further comprises the controller determines by comparison of design measurements and the measurements of the drilled hole whether the hole as drilled is within a design tolerance. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the controller that determines measurements further comprises the controller that infers from the measurements a crack in the drilled hole.