Importance

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Abstract

A personal computer scanner for scanning the three-dimensional (3D) objects has a frame with an axis, and a front plate. The front plate has a large array of axial pinholes that each contain a slidably movable pin to form a bed of pins. A detection device is slidably mounted near the rear of the frame. A stepper motor is used to move the detection device relative to frame. The detection device has a sensor plate on its front surface with an array of sensors that correspond one-to-one with the pins. The user selects an object to be scanned and inserts it into the bed of pins to form an impression. The pins readily move and comply to the contours of the object. After the impression is made, the detection device is slowly incremented by the stepper motor toward the pins. The individual sensors are monitored by a host computer until they have been contacted by their respective pins. When a sensor has been touched by its pin, the sensor is scanned by the computer to record the displacement of the pin. This step is repeated until each paired sensor and pin make contact. With this information, the host computer digitally reconstructs the surface of the object scanned based on the displacements of the pins.

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First Claim