Change-over shutter for light-wave range finder

• US 4,636,068 A
• Filed: 04/18/1983
• Issued: 01/13/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Niiho, Masaaki, Itagaki, Takuo, Suzuki, Shinichi, Itoh, Kiyoshi, Tsuda, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallace, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US06/486,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 356/4, 356/5, 350/315, 350/314, 354/403
• US Class Current: 356/5.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver

Abstract

A change-over shutter for an optical range finder employs at least two slits for measurement light, one of which is employed during long distance measurements and the other of which includes a light reduction member and is employed for short distance measurements. The arrangement advantageously eliminates measurement error caused in short distance measurements due to light secondarily reflected from the light emitting element.

Claims

1. A change-over shutter for a light-wave range finder for changing over between measurement light and compensation light, comprising;

a shutter body having a plurality of measurement light slits and at least one compensation slit, and a light-quantity reducing member provided in at least one of said measurement light slits.

2. A change-over shutter as described in claim 1, wherein said light-quantity reducing member comprises a density filter.

3. A change-over shutter as described in claim 1, wherein said light-quantity reducing member comprises a mesh-like element.

4. A change-over shutter as described in claim 1, wherein said light-quantity reducing member comprises means for narrowing at least one of said measurement slits.

5. A change-over shutter as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one measurement light slit provided with said light-quantity reducing member comprises a short-distance measurement measurement light slit.

6. A change-over shutter as described in claim 1, wherein said shutter body includes a pair of said measurement light slits at a predetermined angular interval, said light-quantity reducing member being provided in one of said measurement light slits.

7. A change-over shutter as described in claim 1, wherein said shutter body includes a pair of compensation light slits arranged at a predetermined angular interval.

8. A change-over shutter as described in claim 7, said compensation light slits and said measurement light slits being alternately angularly arranged in a non-overlapped manner.

9. A change-over shutter as described in claim 6, wherein the other of said measurement light slits comprises a long distance measurement measurement light slit.

10. A change-over shutter for light-wave range finder comprising a shutter body having at least one measurement light slit and at least one compensation light slit, and means for reducing amounts of secondarily reflected stray light passing through said measurement slit, thereby eliminating measurement error.

11. A change-over shutter for a light-wave range finder comprising a shutter having at least one measurement light slit and at least one compensation light slit, and means for reducing amounts of secondarily reflected stray light passing through said measurement slit, thereby eliminating measurement error in short distance measurements otherwise caused by secondarily reflected stray light.

12. A change-over shutter for a light-wave range finder comprising a shutter body having first means for making long distance measurements and second means for making short distance measurements, said first means having at least one first measurement light slit, and said second means having at least one second measurement light slit different from said at least one first measurement light slit.