Reflector for distance measurement

• US 6,324,024 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kaneko, Atsumi, Shirai, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Audrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINSTEDT, JENNIFER E
• Application Number:
  US09/205,683
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 359/884, 359/529, 356/4.01, 356/5.01, 356/5.02, 356/5.03, 356/5.04, 356/5.05, 356/5.06, 356/5.07, 356/5.08, 356/5.09, 356/5.1, 356/5.11, 356/5.12, 356/5.13
• US Class Current: 359/884
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/122 cube corner, trihedral or triple reflector type

Abstract

A reflector is used with an electric distance meter, for measuring a distance of two positions. The reflector includes a reflecting member which reflects an incident light in parallel to the direction of incidence, and a selective transmission member provided to a light-incident surface of the reflecting member. The selective transmission member allows infrared ray to pass, while the selective transmission member prevents visible light from passing.

Claims

1. An electric distance metering system including a reflector, said system comprising:

an electric distance meter, including a distance measuring system with a first light source emitting a light beam of a first wavelength range;

a sighting telescope having an auto-focusing system, said auto-focusing system receiving light of a second wavelength range;

a reflecting member which reflects back an incident light beam parallel to the direction of incidence;

a selective transmission member provided to a light-incident surface of said reflecting member, said selective transmission member passing the light beam of the first wavelength range, while preventing the light of the second wavelength range from passing, said reflecting member and said selective transmission member preventing auto-focusing error by preventing a reflection in said second wavelength range of at least said electric distance meter from returning to said auto-focusing system, while permitting distance measurement by permitting a reflection in said first wavelength range of said light beam of said first wavelength range to return to said distance measuring system; and

a focusable portion having a color of sharp contrast with respect to said reflector and a fixing member which affixes said selective transmission member with respect to said reflecting member, said sharp contrast being a sufficient amount of contrast such that said auto-focusing system focuses on said sharp contrast, said fixing member having said color in said second wavelength range of said sharp contrast with respect to said reflecting member.

2. The electric distance metering system according to claim 1, wherein said first wavelength range is included within an infrared wavelength range, while said light of said second wavelength range is included within a visible light range.

3. The electric distance metering system according to claim 1, wherein said selective transmission member is provided with an indication mark on a light-incident surface thereof.

4. The electric distance metering system according to claim 3, wherein said indication mark comprises a cross line.

5. The electric distance metering system according to claim 1, wherein said selective transmission member is detachably attached to said reflecting member.

6. The electric distance metering system according to claim 1, wherein said selective transmission member is directly fixed to said reflecting member.

7. The electric distance metering system according to claim 1, wherein said reflecting member comprises a corner cube having three perpendicular surfaces.

8. The electric distance measuring system according to claim 1, wherein

said sighting telescope comprises a first cross line formed on a focal plane thereof; and

said light-incident surface of said reflecting member comprises an indication mark having a second cross line, said distance measuring system being aligned with said reflecting member when said first cross line overlaps said second cross line.

9. The electric distance metering system according to claim 1, wherein said focusable portion is one of a fixing member, an indication mark, a fixing ring, or a prism holder.

10. An electric distance metering system including a reflector, said system comprising:

an electric distance meter, including a distance measuring system with a first light source emitting a light beam of a first wavelength range;

a sighting telescope having an auto-focusing system and a first cross line formed on a focal plane thereof, said auto-focusing system receiving light of a second wavelength range;

said reflector including a selective reflection surface which reflects the light of said first wavelength range, while passing light of said second wavelength range;

said reflector including an absorbing surface which absorbs said second wavelength range light which passes said selective reflection surface, said reflector and said absorbing surface preventing auto-focusing error by preventing a reflection in said second wavelength range of at least said electric distance meter from returning to said auto-focusing system, while permitting distance measurement by permitting a reflection in said first wavelength range of said light beam of said first wavelength range to return to said distance measuring system;

a focusable portion having a color of sharp contrast with respect to said reflector, said sharp contrast being a sufficient amount of contrast such that said auto-focusing system focuses on said sharp contrast; and

said reflector including a light-incident surface that comprises an indication mark having a second cross line, said distance measuring system being aligned with said reflecting member when said first cross line overlaps said second cross line.

11. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, wherein said first wavelength range is included within an infrared wavelength range, while said light of said second wavelength range is included within a visible light range.

12. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, wherein said selective reflection surface is provided with an indication mark.

13. The electric distance metering system according to claim 12, wherein said indication mark comprises a cross line.

14. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, wherein said absorbing surface is provided with an indication mark formed thereon.

15. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, wherein said selective reflection surface has three rectangular surfaces.

16. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, wherein said absorbing surface is made of black paint material.

17. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a prism on which said selective reflection surface is formed; and

a mount member on which said reflector is mounted,

said mount member having said color of said sharp contrast in said second wavelength range with respect to said reflector.

18. The electric distance metering system according to claim 10, wherein said focusable portion is one of a fixing member, an indication mark, a fixing ring, or a prism holder.

19. An electric distance metering system including a reflector, said system comprising:

an electric distance meter, including a distance measuring system;

a sighting telescope having a first cross line formed on a focal plane thereof;

a reflecting member which reflects back incident light parallel to the direction of incidence; and

an indication mark having a second cross line formed on a light-incident surface of said reflecting member, said distance measuring system being aligned with said reflecting member when said first cross line overlaps said second cross line.

20. A reflector for use with an electric distance metering system emitting a light beam of a first predetermined wavelength range in a first direction and receiving light of a second predetermined wavelength range along a second direction parallel to said first direction, said reflector comprising:

a reflecting member which reflects back the light beam in said second direction;

a selective transmission member provided to a light-incident surface of said reflecting member, said selective transmission member having an indication mark formed on the light-incident surface thereof,

said selective transmission member and said indication mark passing the light beam of the predetermined first wavelength range to reflect and return to the electric distance metering system along the second direction,

said selective transmission member preventing image-forming light of the second predetermined wavelength range from returning to the electric distance metering system along the second direction; and

said indication mark reflecting light of the second predetermined wavelength to the electric distance metering system along the second direction.

21. The reflector according to claim 20, wherein

said first predetermined wavelength range is within an infrared emission range;

said second predetermined wavelength range is within a visible light emission range,

said selective transmission member passing the light beam of the infrared emission range, while preventing the light of the visible light emission range from passing.