Laser range sensor system optics adapter and method
First Claim
1. In an optical system including a through the lens laser range sensor and a zoom optical apparatus sharing an objective lens requiring TTL laser range sensor radiation at an objective lens entrance pupil, the laser range sensor having an exit pupil from which it emits radiation and through which radiation returns for detection, a laser range sensor adapter comprising a first lens that selectively receives radiation emitted by the through the lens laser range sensor at a first size and a second lens that receives the radiation from the first lens and resolves the beam at a second size at which TTL laser range sensor radiation substantially optimally fills the objective lens entrance pupil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An adapter and method for through the lens (TTL) laser range sensor probes enables use of a TTL probe of a given exit pupil size to be used with a shared objective lens requiring a entrance pupil size, as entered from the laser range sensor, that is different from the TTL probe exit pupil size. Embodiments of the adapter include optics, such as a first lens and a resolving second lens that expand or contract the TTL laser radiation depending on whether the first lens is a diverging, a negative focal length lens, or a converging, positive focal length lens, and the second lens is converging or diverging, respectively, in a Galilean arrangement. Embodiments also provide a Keplerian arrangement, can function with non-collimated radiation, and can include mirrors to yield a more compact adapter. Additional embodiments include at least one adjustable lens element between the first and second lenses, the at least one adjustable lens element being connected to an actuator for movement along the optical path. The adapter can be arranged in a folded configuration in which mirrors are used to form a more compact adapter.
15 Citations
32 Claims
- 1. In an optical system including a through the lens laser range sensor and a zoom optical apparatus sharing an objective lens requiring TTL laser range sensor radiation at an objective lens entrance pupil, the laser range sensor having an exit pupil from which it emits radiation and through which radiation returns for detection, a laser range sensor adapter comprising a first lens that selectively receives radiation emitted by the through the lens laser range sensor at a first size and a second lens that receives the radiation from the first lens and resolves the beam at a second size at which TTL laser range sensor radiation substantially optimally fills the objective lens entrance pupil.
- 12. In a metrology system including a TTL laser range sensor probe with an exit pupil from which it emits radiation toward and receives radiation from an optical system, the optical system including an objective and a zoom lens system with an objective lens requiring a desired diameter of the radiation that is different from an original diameter of the TTL laser range sensor as transmitted through the exit pupil, an adapter comprising a first lens that changes the radiation from the original diameter and a second lens that resolves the radiation at the desired diameter, the desired diameter substantially optimally filling an objective entrance pupil.
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23. A method of using a TTL probe with an original exit pupil size with an optical system employing an objective requiring a different, desired entrance pupil size as entered from the laser range sensor, the TTL probe emitting, and receiving, radiation through the original diameter of the exit pupil, the method comprising:
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providing a first lens that changes the original diameter of the radiation transmitted by the TTL probe; and providing a second lens that resolves the radiation with a desired diameter substantially equal to a desired objective lens entrance pupil diameter. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification