Apparatus for determining the distances of points on a surface f

Details Apparatus for determining the distances of points on a surface f Apparatus for determining the distances of points on a surface f

1992-06-26

1994-10-04

Nelms, David C.

Radiant energy

Photocells; circuits and apparatus

Optical or pre-photocell system

250560, 356376, 356381, 356384, G01B 1102

Patent

active

RE0347493

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus for monitoring and determining the distances of points on a surface from a reference axis includes a light source, such as a laser, for projecting a main beam of light of relatively small diameter along an axis. A device, such as a diffraction grating, is provided for splitting the main beam of light into a plurality of discrete fractional beams of light. A further component, such as a diverging lens, angularly displaces the fractional beams relative to each other so the beams extend along a common plane towards a position for an object. Light reflected from the surface is projected onto a linear photodetector, the positions where the reflected fractional beams strike the linear photodetector being related to the distance from a reference axis to the points on the object where the fractional beams are reflected. Preferably there is a light gathering device such as a converging lens system for gathering the fractional light beams reflected off the object and for projecting real images thereof onto the photodetector.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3671726 (1972-06-01), Kerr
patent: 3941485 (1976-03-01), Madden
patent: 4259018 (1981-03-01), Poirier
patent: 4294544 (1981-10-01), Altschuler et al.
patent: 4427880 (1984-01-01), Kanade et al.
patent: 4498778 (1985-02-01), White
patent: 4629324 (1986-12-01), Stern
patent: 4653316 (1987-03-01), Fukuhara
patent: 4687326 (1987-08-01), Corby
patent: 4867570 (1989-09-01), Sorimachi et al.

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