SYSTEM FOR SUBSTRATE DETECTION AND MAPPING USING FORCE SENSING AND MAGNETIC COUPLING

Abstract

The disclosed system relates to the device, system and methods for the characterization of a substrate based on force sensing. More specifically, force sensing is used to extract a force profile upon substrate insertion that allows for the characterization of the substrate along the axis of insertion of the force sensing probe. Force sensing can be provided by a load cell or strain gauge device or equivalent force sensing measure. The force system can contain a magnetic coupling method in order to provide contact between the probe and force sensing apparatus. The disclosed invention can be included in a system that includes hardware and software to process the data from the force sensor. The hardware and software can also be coupled with a data repository and corresponding methods in order to map real-time force sensing data with known force sensing data in order to provide positional information based on the particular known substrate.

Claims

1. A measuring device comprising: a base modular mounting structure having a dimension from about 1 mm.sup.2 to 10,000 m.sup.2, which allows the the measuring device to be functionally connected to one or more other hardware units; at least one or more force sensors, load cells or similar strain gauge sensor that is coupled to the modular mounting structure; and a probe or similar object that is coupled to the force sensor non-permanently.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor is capable of measuring in the range 1 mN to 10,000 N.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base modular mounting structure is attached to at least one or more movable axes of motion.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the probe is coupled to the force sensor using magnetic based attachment methods.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the probe is inserted into a substrate from 1 degree to 179 degrees with respect to the local tangent plane of the substrate.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the probe contains a channel for the flow of liquids to flow in either direction along the channel.

7. A measurement system comprising: a base modular mounting structure having a dimension from about 1 mm.sup.2 to 10,000 m.sup.2, which allows the measuring device to be functionally connected to one or more other hardware units; at least one or more force sensors, load cells or similar strain gauge sensor that is coupled to the modular mounting structure; a probe or similar object that is coupled to the force sensor non-permanently; one or more axes of motion that functionally transfer motion to the base modular mounting structure; and allowances for containing feedback between the force sensor and each axis of motion.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the force sensor is capable of measuring in the range 1 mN to 10,000 N.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the axes of motion can be rotational or linear in nature.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the probe is coupled to the force sensor using magnetic based attachment methods.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the probe is inserted into a substrate from 1 degree to 179 degrees with respect to the local tangent plane of the substrate.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the base modular mounting structure might be functionally attached to one or more axes of motion.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system includes a microcontroller or similar means of handling input, output and data processing.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the microcontroller might incorporate memory, software or algorithms.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein the feedback can be controlled using software and algorithms.

16. A method of measuring comprising: a base modular mounting structure having a dimension from about 1 mm.sup.2 to 10,000 m.sup.2, which allows the measuring device to be functionally connected to one or more other hardware units; at least one or more force sensors, load cells or similar strain gauge sensor that is coupled to the modular mounting structure; and a probe or similar object that is coupled to the force sensor non-permanently. a methodology that may utilize the encoding sensors to determine positional information of the probe.

17. The methodology according to claim 16 wherein the methodology is iterative based on a time frame between 1 nanosecond and 1 hour.

18. The methodology according to claim 16, wherein the base modular mounting structure is attached to at least one or more movable axes of motion.

19. The methodology according to claim 16, wherein encoding sensors corresponding to motion axes are used in a feedback loop.

20. A method of measuring comprising: a base modular mounting structure having a dimension from about 1 mm.sup.2 to 10,000 m.sup.2, which allows the the measuring device to be functionally connected to one or more other hardware units; at least one or more force sensors, load cells or similar strain gauge sensor that is coupled to the modular mounting structure; and a probe or similar object that is coupled to the force sensor non-permanently. a methodology that at least uses data or memory in order to determine positional information of the substrate.

21. The methodology according to claim 20 wherein the methodology is iterative based on a time frame between 1 nanosecond and 1 hour.

22. The methodology according to claim 20, wherein the base modular mounting structure is attached to at least one or more movable axes of motion.

23. The methodology according to claim 20, wherein encoding sensors corresponding to motion axes are used.

24. The methodology according to claim 20, wherein the force sensor is used in a feedback loop.

25. A method of measuring comprising : a base modular mounting structure having a dimension from about 1 mm.sup.2 to 10,000 m.sup.2, which allows the the measuring device to be functionally connected to one or more other hardware units; at least one or more force sensors, load cells or similar strain gauge sensor that is coupled to the modular mounting structure; a probe or similar object that is coupled to the force sensor non-permanently; and a methodology that at least uses data or memory in order to determine distance of the probe to a desired target within a given substrate.

26. The methodology according to claim 25 wherein the methodology is iterative based on a time frame between 1 nanosecond and 1 hour.

27. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base modular mounting structure is attached to at least one or more movable axes of motion.

28. The methodology according to claim 25, wherein encoding sensors corresponding to motion axes are used.

29. The methodology according to claim 25, wherein the force sensor is used in a feedback loop.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 1: is a schematic of the device according to an embodiment of the present invention, for substrate detection and mapping using force sensing and magnetic coupling of a probe.

[0024] FIG. 2: is a schematic of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, for substrate detection and mapping using force sensing and magnetic coupling of a probe.

[0025] FIG. 3a: is a schematic of the methodology according to an embodiment of the present invention, for substrate detection and mapping using force sensing and magnetic coupling of a probe.

[0026] FIG. 3b: is a schematic of the methodology according to an embodiment of the present invention, for substrate detection and mapping using force sensing and magnetic coupling of a probe.

[0027] FIG. 3c: is a schematic of the methodology according to an embodiment of the present invention, for substrate detection and mapping using force sensing and magnetic coupling of a probe.

[0028] FIG. 4: is a diagram showing the representative force output based on substrate properties as a probe is inserted into the substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Device - Embodiment 1

[0029] The ultimate goal of this invention is to address the fundamental limitations aforementioned. One or more embodiments of the invention address these and other needs by providing a fundamentally different approach to substrate mapping using force sensing technology and a non-rigidly attached magnetic coupling system. This is shown in EMBODIMENT 1, which contains a base modular mounting structure that is hexagonal in shape and has a long mounting shaft cavity in order to be mounted onto another device, such as for positioning of the modular mounting structure. The base modular mounting structure contains a force probe, which is rigidly coupled to it by means of a screw attachment. Coupled to this force sensor, away from the base mounting structure, is a probe that contains a hollow channel allowing for the flow of liquid through the channel. The probe is magnetically coupled to the structure and force sensor such that accurate and repeatable alignment is achieved, but avoids fixed mechanical fixturing such causes sensor offset and sensor error, and would otherwise require the system to be calibrated to obtain zero offset error. This is achieved by means of a magnetic collet holder coupling, which couples with a magnetic collet, which in turn is coupled with the hollow probe.

System - Embodiment 2

[0030] One embodiment of the present invention is shown in EMBODIMENT 2. The device of EMBODIMENT 1 is augmented. The base modular mounting structure is coupled to linear and rotational motion by means of two motors and a lead screw rail and carriage system to convert one of the motors’ rotary motion into linear motion. In addition, the base modular mounting structure contains a force sensor that is coupled to the mounting structure, as well as a probe that contains a hollow channel allowing for the flow of liquid through the channel. The probe is magnetically coupled to the structure and force sensor such that accurate and repeatable alignment between the two is achieved. In addition, the system contains a microcontroller that can contain data as well as algorithms. The microcontroller is housed in a base unit that additionally provides structural stability.

Process - Embodiment 3a

[0031] Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the process by which encoding sensors may be used in order to determine the position or trajectory of each axis relating to rotolinear motion. At each time or motion step for the system in EMBODIMENT 2, sensor output from the encoding sensor along each output is used. A difference between the current step and previous step for the roto-linear device from EMBODIMENT 1 is used in order to obtain the current position of each axis. This is found by either absolute positional information received by the encoders, or by incrementally recording positional changes as each motion axis is varied.

Process - Embodiment 3b

[0032] In addition, the embodiment of the present invention relates a methodology that may utilize an algorithm, and a force sensor to position the probe to an arbitrary position using roto linear motion to the surface of a substrate. For each encoding sensor, local positioning of each axis is obtained by comparing encoding sensor differentials at each point along the motion path. In addition, force sensor output is recorded, such that upon contact of the probe from EMBODIMENT 1 with the substrate, the probe transfers a force to the force sensor sufficiently attached to the modular platform. Using this force sensor data in addition to the encoding sensors thus allows for the position of the substrate to be found with respect to the axes of roto-linear motion.

Process - Embodiment 3c

[0033] In addition, the embodiment of the present invention relates to a methodology that may utilize an algorithm as well as pre-tabulated force sensor data in order to determine position of the probe within a substrate using the force sensor. Using pre-tabulated data of known force outputs upon insertion of a probe into a substrate, and comparing the known signal with the force sensor output allows for a mapping between force signal and position within the substrate to be utilized in order to determine the position of the probe within a particular substrate. Thus, this allows for the global positioning of the probe within the substrate to be known. Finally, the encoding sensor signals as well as force sensing signal can be utilized to find the positional distance along a certain set of axes to a target position within the substrate, utilizing known mapping data between force profile signal and position within the substrate to find the error to an arbitrary target within the substrate.

[0034] A further description of the example embodiments of the invention follows. Embodiments of the claimed invention can be first explained with reference to FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a schematic of the device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The device contains a base modular mounting structure (103) with dimensions 1 mm2 to 10,000 m2 that is functionally connected to at least one or more other hardware units. This includes a force sensor (100), which can be capable of measuring in the range 1 mN to 10,000 N. This force sensor is coupled to the modular mounting structure and contains a magnetically coupled probe. The force sensor is mounted directly to the base modular mounting structure by means a threaded screw system. The force sensor contains a thread screw system on the positive end (outward facing), to which a magnetic fixture is tapped and attached (112). The magnetic fixture, named the collet holder, allows for subsequent contact with a magnetic collet insert (111) attached to a probe (110) that contains a channel for the flow of liquids to flow through to be attached non-permanently. This allows for repeatable and accurate alignment that does not induce bias to force sensing signals that would have otherwise resulted from rigid attachment.

[0036] A further description of the invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 2.

[0037] In FIG. 2, the device from FIG. 1 is augmented to include a positioning system, such that the modular mounting structure (204) can be positioned along two axes, one linear (231) and one rotary (230). The modular mounting platform is in turn attached to the output shaft of a motor (201) which allows it to turn in a rotary fashion along a central axis (230). This motor is then coupled to a mechanical fixture (203) which holds it rigidly to a linear carriage (210) by means of screw-based attachment. The linear carriage is free to slide along a linear rail (211), which is itself mounted to a baseplate (212) which supports the entire device. The linear rail is driven by a lead screw and nut system (202), which converts rotary motion from the output shaft of another motor (200) into linear motion along a given linear axis (231). This motor is in turn attached to the baseplate by means of a mechanical fixture (213). Everything, including the motors (200, 201), screw and nut drive (202), mechanical fixtures to hold the motors (203, 213), linear rail and carriage (210, 211), modular mounting structure (205), force sensor (206), magnetic fixture (207) and magnetic collet around a hollow probe (207, 208) is attached to a base mounting structure (214). This base mounting structure houses a microcontroller (220).

[0038] A further description of the invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 3a.

[0039] FIG. 3a is a schematic of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention showing the methodology by which the current position of each axis of motion relating to EMBODIMENT 1 (304). Sensor input from each sensor, including force sensors and encoding sensors is collected for each motion step or time step (300). For each encoding sensor along a particular axis, the difference between current step and previous step is computed in order to generate the current position of each axis (301).

[0040] A further description of the invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 3b.

[0041] FIG. 3b is a schematic of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention showing the methodology by which position of the substrate with respect to each axis in EMBODIMENT 1 can be found (305). Sensor input from each sensor, including force sensors and encoding sensors is collected for each motion step or time step (310). In addition, for each encoding sensor along a particular axis, the encoding sensor data is compared with force sensor data, such that when the probe sufficiently attached to the force sensor data and modular platform touches a particular substrate, the force sensor data registers this change in force resulting from the contact with the substrate, and the position of the substrate is thus found (302). This is found by relating a known distance from the probe tip to the base modular platform, which is thus the distance from the substrate surface to the base modular platform.

[0042] A further description of the invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 3c.

[0043] FIG. 3c is a schematic of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention showing the methodology by which the position of the probe with respect to EMBODIMENT 1 can be found (306). Sensor input from each sensor, including force sensors and encoding sensors is collected for each motion step or time step (320). In addition, the force sensor signal is recorded while the probe is inserted into the substrate, such that the force data can be compared with known force sensor data and thus a position within the substrate can be found through the force related to position mapping. Note that those skilled in the art would recognize that one or more methodologies encompassing, but not limited to those described in FIG. 3a, FIG. 3b, and FIG. 3c can be used simultaneously or independently. Such methodologies can also be implemented with feedback to each other, and that other feedback methodologies may be incorporated.

[0044] A further description of the invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 4.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows the representative output from the force sensor coupled to the modular mounting structure and coupled to the probe non-permanently from EMBODIMENT 1. The probe tip (400) is inserted into the substrate (410), which has three distinct areas (411, 412, 413). As the probe moves through the substrate (402) in a linear direction (401), the force output from the force sensor changes distinctly (420), which allows for methodology for obtaining a mapping between force and position.

[0046] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.

[0047] All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference to the full extent allowed by law. The discussion of those references is intended merely to summarize the assertions made by their authors. No admission is made that any reference (or a portion of any reference) is relevant prior art. Applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinence of any cited reference.