Measuring instrument using two transmitters and two receivers for measuring light travelling in an optical medium

• US 5,189,298 A
• Filed: 10/28/1991
• Issued: 02/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lieber, Winfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Application Number:
  US07/783,413
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227.16, 250/227.24, 356/73.1, 385/15, 385/24, 385/40, 385/48
• US Class Current: 250/227.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/35 in which light is transversely coupled into or out of the fibre or waveguide, e.g. using integrating spheres G01M11/31 takes precedence

Abstract

A measuring device for measuring light travelling through an optical medium with the device including two independent components, with each independent component including one transmitter and one receiver. Each of the components are connected via a flexible lead to a measuring and evaluation section of the measuring device in which an evaluation and/or display of the measuring signal obtained by the components will be produced.

Claims

1. In a measuring instrument for an optical medium, said instrument using two optical transmitters and two optical receiver means, which can be optically coupled to the optical medium on either side thereof, and includes means for measuring, evaluating and displaying signals from the receiver means, the improvements comprising one optical transmitter and one receiver means being combined into one component, the other optical transmitter and optical receiver means being combined into another component, said components being connected via flexible leads with said means for measuring, evaluating and displaying.

2. In a measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein each of the components has an optical coupling device for the transmitter and receiver means, which is constructed so that it can be opened to receive an optical waveguide and closed to form an optical coupling with the waveguide.

3. In a measuring instrument according to claim 2, wherein the coupling device is constructed as a bending coupler, which bends the waveguide to form the optical coupling when in a closed position.

4. In a measuring instrument according to claim 3, wherein the coupling device for the transmitter and the coupling device for the receiver means are operated jointly together.

5. In a measuring instrument according to claim 4, wherein each of the components is provided with a handle.

6. In a measuring instrument according to claim 5, wherein each of the handles contains actuating means for opening and closing coupling elements of the coupling devices.

7. In a measuring instrument according to claim 6, wherein each handle, at it end, is provided with said flexible lead extending to said means.

8. In a measuring instrument according to claim 2, wherein the coupling device for the transmitter and the coupling device for the receiver means operate jointly.

9. In a measuring instrument according to claim 8, wherein each component is provided with a handle.

10. In a measuring instrument according to claim 9, wherein each of the handles includes actuating means for opening and closing the coupling device.

11. In a measuring instrument according to claim 10, wherein the end of each handle is connected to the means for measuring, evaluating and displaying by said flexible lead.

12. In a measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein each of the components is provided with a handle.

13. In a measuring instrument for optical mediums, said instrument using two optical transmitter means;

and two optical receiver means which are optically coupled to the optical medium on opposite sides thereof and includes measuring means for evaluating and displaying a signal received from each receiver means, the improvement comprising said instrument having two components, each component having one optical transmitter means and one optical receiver means connected via a flexible lead to said measuring means.

14. In a measuring instrument according to claim 13, wherein each of the components includes a pair of members movable between an opened position to a closed position, one of said members having a pair of depressions and the other of the members having a pair of projections extending into the depressions when the pair of members are in the closed position to cause a bending of a waveguide for purposes of coupling and uncoupling light therefrom.

15. In a measuring instrument according to claim 14, wherein one of said depressions has a light emitting element and the other depression is a receiver depression having two light receiving elements arranged to receive light travelling in the waveguide in both directions to form the receiver means.