Range finding device unaffected by environmental conditions
First Claim
1. A range finding device having a lens holder with first and second light paths for passing light therethrough, and electrical circuit means disposed at the back of the lens holder for generating a signal representing a subject distance measured by a triangulation method, said first and second light paths being juxtaposed in a direction of a base line, said range finding device comprising:
- a first lens disposed in front of said first light path, the optical axis of said first lens being aligned with the central axis of said first light path;
a second lens disposed in front of said second light path, the optical axis of said second lens being aligned with the central axis of said second light path;
first means for supporting said first lens at first and second points lying on the front surface of said lens holder and on a first positioning line perpendicular to said base line direction; and
second means for supporting said second lens at third and fourth points lying on the front surface of said lens holder and on a second positioning line perpendicular to said base line direction.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A range finding device having a lens holder with two tunnels, and two lens plates mounted in front of the tunnels. Two pins are formed on the front surface of the lens holder, the two pins being positioned on vertical positioning lines externally of the vertical center lines of the two tunnels. Each lens plate has an elongated hole extending in the direction of the vertical positioning line, a pin being inserted in the elongated hole. In a preferred embodiment, each lens plate has four holes formed therein. Two of the four holes are used for coupling with two pins. Of these two holes used for positioning, one is a round hole and the other is an elongated hole.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A range finding device having a lens holder with first and second light paths for passing light therethrough, and electrical circuit means disposed at the back of the lens holder for generating a signal representing a subject distance measured by a triangulation method, said first and second light paths being juxtaposed in a direction of a base line, said range finding device comprising:
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a first lens disposed in front of said first light path, the optical axis of said first lens being aligned with the central axis of said first light path; a second lens disposed in front of said second light path, the optical axis of said second lens being aligned with the central axis of said second light path; first means for supporting said first lens at first and second points lying on the front surface of said lens holder and on a first positioning line perpendicular to said base line direction; and second means for supporting said second lens at third and fourth points lying on the front surface of said lens holder and on a second positioning line perpendicular to said base line direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A range finding unit for detecting a distance of a subject by a triangulation method, comprising:
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a lens holder having first and second tunnels of a quadrangular shape as observed in cross section, said first and second tunnels being juxtaposed in a direction of a base line, and said lens holder having an outer contour shaped in a quadrangular prism; an IC package for generating a signal representing a subject distance measured by a triangulation method, said IC package being attached to the back surface of said lens holder; a first lens disposed in front of said first tunnel, the optical axis of said first lens being aligned with the central axis of said first tunnel, and said first lens having a quadrangular flat area and a lens section formed on the central area in said flat area; a second lens disposed in front of said second tunnel, the optical axis of said second lens being aligned with the central axis of said second tunnel, and said second lens having a quadrangular flat area and a lens section formed on the central area in said flat area; an aperture cover having two aperture openings facing said lens sections, said aperture cover being placed on said first and second lenses, and folded end portions of said aperture cover being fixed to opposite sides of said lens holder; first means for engaging said first lens at first and second points lying on the front surface of said lens holder and on a first positioning line perpendicular to said base line direction, said first and second points being positioned outwardly of a first vertical center line passing through said central axis of said first tunnel and extending in the direction perpendicular to said base line direction; and second means for engaging said second lens at third and fourth points lying on the front surface of said lens holder and on a second positioning line perpendicular to said base line direction, said third and fourth points being positioned outwardly of a second vertical center line passing through said central axis of said second tunnel and extending in the direction perpendicular to said base line direction. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A range finding unit comprising:
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first and second lenses; a lens holder for mounting said first and second lenses on the front surface and a range finding circuit unit on the back surface; and a pair of positioning means integrally formed with sid lens holder, for positioning said first and second lenses such that the distance between the optical axes is set equal to the length of the base line of triangulation measurement, and some play is provided in the direction perpendicular to the direction of said base line, wherein said pair of positioning means is mounted outside of the range of said base length and wherein said first and second lenses are made of acrylic resin, said lens holder is made of polycarbonate with glass fiber mixed therein, said base length is 10 mm, and the distance of said positioning means from a center line of said lens holder is 7 mm.
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Specification