Optics: measuring and testing – By alignment in lateral direction – With light detector
Patent
1990-01-09
1991-06-11
Evans, F. L.
Optics: measuring and testing
By alignment in lateral direction
With light detector
37DIG20, 172 45, 250239, 356138, G01S 170, G05D 103
Patent
active
050227637
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a new type of receiver for rotating lasers used for guiding machines in the field of public works, agriculture or even industry.
In the present description the invention will be described for a receiver used in the public works field, but this is not limitative and a receiver of this kind could also be used in any other field where similar problems arise.
In the field of public works, for leveling ground or adjusting the slope of a trench and the like, increasing use is being made of control means consisting of equipment making use of lasers.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically the utilization of an instrument of this kind.
In general, for the purpose of bringing ground to a desired profile use is made of rotating lasers, which serve to guide the machine (2) semi-automatically or automatically. Arrangements of this kind consist essentially of a transmitter (3) comprising the actual laser transmitter mounted on a support and a receiver (4) which in turn is mounted on the actual machine. This receiver (4) comprises essentially:
receiver cells (5, 6) detecting the passage of the laser beam over 360.degree.;
a telescopic or other mast M supporting said receiver;
a casing (7) permitting visual monitoring when the machine is operating semi-automatically, or a monitoring and automatic control casing permitting visual monitoring and automatic control;
supply cables and cables connecting the cell and the casing.
For the operation of arrangements of this kind it is possible to use either laser diode transmitters (invisible beam) or helium-neon laser transmitters (visible beam).
In a general way, lasers of this kind are used in electronic leveling instruments which, through the action of rotating the transmitter head (3), define a horizontal or non-horizontal reference plane P, or even a vertical plane. In all cases considered in the figures the position information is obtained by means of the cell (6) of the receiver (5), which may either be hand held or, preferably, mounted on a telescopic or other rod (M) fixed to the machine itself.
The present invention relates more particularly to an improvement made to receivers mounted on the machines.
Up to the present time the receivers used for applying this technique have essentially consisted of a pillar carrying an assembly comprising four sets of photosensitive elements disposed at right angles to one another in order to enable a range of 360.degree. to be covered. The four plates are generally mounted permanently on an appropriate support and are difficult to detach, thus giving rise to a problem when one of them is broken or damaged. Receiver assemblies of this kind are therefore expensive to produce and in practice difficult to repair or maintain.
A new type of receiver has now been found and forms the subject of the present invention; this receiver makes it possible to solve these problems through the fact that it permits easy detachment of the plates supporting the photosensitive elements (photodiode). In addition, because of its very design, it allows the use of an assembly comprising only three photodiode support plates (instead of the four in receivers known hitherto), so that its cost is substantially reduced.
Finally, the receiver according to the invention makes it possible to prevent any damage which might be caused by vibrations or shocks occurring in the course of the use of the carrier machine.
In a general way, the invention therefore relates to an improvement made to receivers for rotating lasers used for guiding machines (for example public works machines) and which comprises (sic) a receiver cell mounted on a support enabling it to be fastened on a mast associated with the machine, this cell consisting essentially of a plurality of plates carrying photodiodes and disposed vertically in such a manner as to form a pillar enabling the passage of the beam to be detected over 360.degree., said assembly being protected by a peripheral shell. The receiver according to the invention is characterized in that the photodiode plates
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patent: 4162708 (1979-07-01), Johnson
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patent: 4700301 (1987-10-01), Dyke
Proceedings of the National Electronics Conference, 7-9 Dec., 1970, Chicago, Illinois, vol. XXVI, J. S. Miller et al.: "Application of Solar Aspect Sensors as Navigation Components", pp. 428-433.
Evans F. L.
GV S.A.
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