Optical scanning measurement of dimensions with a double-concave mirror
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring the distance to one or more areas of an object in order to determine one or more dimensions of the object, comprising means for directing a light beam towards the object, means for registering the light beams that are reflected from the object, means for calculating the time it takes for the beams to travel to and from the object, and means for causing the light beam to sweep across the object perpendicular in relation to a fixed reference plane during the entire sweeping operation, and with relative movement between the apparatus and the object which is to be measured, said light which is reflected by the object returning back to the light registration means via said light beam sweeping means, and said light beam sweeping means including a stationary mirror which is arced in its longitudinal direction, and also rotatable mirror means, comprisinga first mirror,a second, plane mirror,a third plane mirror which forms and angle of 90°
- with the second mirror,said rotatable mirror means being made of a rotating polygonal mirror unit having a rotor means, in that the light beam which is emitted from a light generator has a path of movement via the first mirror, thence via the polygonal mirror unit, thence towards the second mirror, thence to the third mirror, thence to the stationary mirror, thence towards the object, the light beam reflected from the object having a path of movement back to the light registration means via the stationary mirror, said third and second mirrors, and the polygonal mirror unit, said stationary mirror in the longitudinal direction having an arced cross section so that the mirror forms a double concave mirror surface, the radius of curvature of the arc changing along the length of the stationary mirror and being greatest at the ends of said mirror.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (5) for measuring the dimensions of an object (1) where a measuring carriage (6) moves the object at a distance thereabove. A polygonal mirror unit (32) receives laser light (16) and reflects it in a fan-shaped form toward a stationary angled mirror unit (37, 38) which directs the light towards a double-curved stationary mirror unit (39) which reflects the beam onto the object. Mirrors (40) of the polygonal unit are adjustable.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring the distance to one or more areas of an object in order to determine one or more dimensions of the object, comprising means for directing a light beam towards the object, means for registering the light beams that are reflected from the object, means for calculating the time it takes for the beams to travel to and from the object, and means for causing the light beam to sweep across the object perpendicular in relation to a fixed reference plane during the entire sweeping operation, and with relative movement between the apparatus and the object which is to be measured, said light which is reflected by the object returning back to the light registration means via said light beam sweeping means, and said light beam sweeping means including a stationary mirror which is arced in its longitudinal direction, and also rotatable mirror means, comprising
a first mirror, a second, plane mirror, a third plane mirror which forms and angle of 90° - with the second mirror,
said rotatable mirror means being made of a rotating polygonal mirror unit having a rotor means, in that the light beam which is emitted from a light generator has a path of movement via the first mirror, thence via the polygonal mirror unit, thence towards the second mirror, thence to the third mirror, thence to the stationary mirror, thence towards the object, the light beam reflected from the object having a path of movement back to the light registration means via the stationary mirror, said third and second mirrors, and the polygonal mirror unit, said stationary mirror in the longitudinal direction having an arced cross section so that the mirror forms a double concave mirror surface, the radius of curvature of the arc changing along the length of the stationary mirror and being greatest at the ends of said mirror. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- with the second mirror,
- 11. An apparatus for measuring the distance to one or more areas of an object in order to determine one or more dimensions of the object, comprising means for directing a light beam towards the object, means for registering the light beams that are reflected from the object, means for calculating the time the beams take to travel to and from the object, and means for causing the light beam to sweep over the object perpendicular in relation to a fixed reference plane during the entire sweeping operation, and with relative movement between the apparatus and the object which is to be measured, the light that is reflected by the object returning to the light registration means via said light beam sweeping means, and said light beam sweeping means comprising a stationary mirror which is arced over the length thereof, and means causing the light beam to move over the stationary mirror, wherein the stationary mirror has an arced cross-section in its longitudinal direction such that the mirror forms a double concave mirror surface, and wherein the radius of curvature of the arc changes along the length of the stationary mirror, and is greatest at the ends of said mirror.
- 16. An apparatus for measuring the distance to one or more areas of an object in order to determine one or more dimensions of the object, comprising means for directing a light beam towards the object, means for registering the light beams that are reflected from the object, means for calculating the time it takes for the beams to travel to and from the object, and means for causing the light beam to sweep across the object perpendicular in relation to a fixed reference plane during the entire sweeping operation, and with relative movement between the apparatus and the object which is to be measured, said light which is reflected by the object returning back to the light registration means via said light beam sweeping means, and said light beam sweeping means including a stationary mirror which is arced in its longitudinal direction, and means causing the light beam to move over the stationary mirror, wherein the stationary mirror in the longitudinal direction has an arced cross section so that the mirror forms a double concave mirror surface, the radius of curvature of the arc changing along the length of the stationary mirror and being greatest at the ends of said mirror, and wherein said means for moving the light beam is a rotating polygonal mirror unit.
Specification