Optical beam separation element, measuring apparatus and method of measuring

• US 7,259,838 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Specialty Minerals Incorporated (Minerals Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Specialty Minerals Incorporated (Minerals Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carlhoff, Christoph, Kirchhoff, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RATCLIFFE, LUKE D
• Application Number:
  US11/155,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 356/5.06
• US Class Current: 356/5.04
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4812 transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 operating by reflection only

Abstract

An optical beam separation element for a measuring apparatus includes a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element. The reflecting surface of the reflecting component is positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel. The aperture extends from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element allowing the optical beam to pass through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction. The reflecting component separates the optical beams of the reception and the transmission directions.

Claims

1. An optical beam separation element for a measuring apparatus configured to transmit an optical beam towards an object in a transmission direction through the optical beam separation element, and to receive an optical beam reflected from the object in a reception direction through the optical beam separation element, wherein the optical beam separation element comprises:

a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element;

the reflecting surface of the reflecting component being positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel;

the aperture extending from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element being configured to pass the optical beam through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction;

the reflecting component being configured to isolate the optical beam of the transmission direction and the optical beam of the reception direction by reflecting the optical beam of the reception direction arriving at the reflecting surface away from the optical beam of the transmission direction; and

an aperture optical component for focusing or collimating the optical beam of the transmission direction to the common optical channel wherein the aperture optical component is placed in the aperture of the reflecting component.

2. An optical beam separation element for a measuring apparatus configured to transmit an optical beam towards an object in a transmission direction through the optical beam separation element, and to receive an optical beam reflected from the object in a reception direction through the optical beam separation element, wherein the optical beam separation element comprises:

a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element;

the reflecting surface of the reflecting component being positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel;

the aperture extending from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element being configured to pass the optical beam through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction;

the reflecting component being configured to isolate the optical beam of the transmission direction and the optical beam of the reception direction by reflecting the optical beam of the reception direction arriving at the reflecting surface away from the optical beam of the transmission direction; and

an aperture optical component for focusing or collimating the optical beam of the transmission direction to the common optical channel wherein the aperture optical component is placed in the front of the aperture of the reflecting component.

7. The optical beam separation element of claim 2 wherein the reflecting component is a concave mirror.

3. An optical beam separation element for a measuring apparatus configured to transmit an optical beam towards an object in a transmission direction through the optical beam separation element, and to receive an optical beam reflected from the object in a reception direction through the optical beam separation element, wherein the optical beam separation element comprises:

a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element;

the reflecting surface of the reflecting component being positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel;

the aperture extending from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element being configured to pass the optical beam through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction;

the reflecting component being configured to isolate the optical beam of the transmission direction and the optical beam of the reception direction by reflecting the optical beam of the reception direction arriving at the reflecting surface away from the optical beam of the transmission direction;

wherein the reflecting surface of the reflecting component is concave for focusing or collimating the optical beam reflected away from the common optical channel.

8. The optical beam separation element of claim 3 wherein the reflecting component is a concave mirror.

4. A measuring apparatus configured to transmit an optical beam towards an object in a transmission direction through an optical beam separation element, and to receive an optical beam reflected from the object in a reception direction through the optical beam separation element, wherein the optical beam separation element comprises:

a reflecting component reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element;

the reflecting surface of the reflecting component being positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel wherein the reflecting surface of the reflecting component is concave for focusing or collimating the optical beam reflected from the reflecting surface in the reception direction;

the aperture extending from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element being configured to pass the optical beam through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction; and

the reflecting component being configured to isolate the optical beam of the transmission direction and the optical beam of the reception direction by reflecting the optical beam of the reception direction arriving at the reflecting surface away from the optical beam of the transmission direction.

9. The measuring apparatus of claim 4 wherein the reflecting component is a concave mirror.

5. A measuring apparatus configured to transmit an optical beam towards an object in a transmission direction through an optical beam separation element, and to receive an optical beam reflected from the object in a reception direction through the optical beam separation element, wherein the optical beam separation element comprises:

a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element;

the reflecting surface of the reflecting component being positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel;

the aperture extending from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element being configured to pass the optical beam through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction;

the reflecting component being configured to isolate the optical beam of the transmission direction and the optical beam of the reception direction by reflecting the optical beam of the reception direction arriving at the reflecting surface away from the optical beam of the transmission direction;

an optical fiber as a medium of the optical channel, the optical fiber being configured to receive the optical beam from the aperture in the transmission direction and to output the optical beam onto the reflecting surface in the reception direction; and

an optical aperture unit for focusing or collimating the optical beam from the optical source to the optical fiber in the transmission direction, the optical aperture unit being placed between the optical source and the aperture of the reflecting component.

10. The measuring apparatus of claim 5 wherein the reflecting component is a concave mirror.

6. A measuring apparatus configured to transmit an optical beam towards an object in a transmission direction through an optical beam separation element, and to receive an optical beam reflected from the object in a reception direction through the optical beam separation element, wherein the optical beam separation element comprises:

a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element;

the reflecting surface of the reflecting component being positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel;

the aperture extending from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element being configured to pass the optical beam through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction;

the reflecting component being configured to isolate the optical beam of the transmission direction and the optical beam of the reception direction by reflecting the optical beam of the reception direction arriving at the reflecting surface away from the optical beam of the transmission direction;

an optical fiber as a medium of the optical channel, the optical fiber being configured to receive the optical beam from the aperture in the transmission direction and to output the optical beam onto the reflecting surface in the reception direction; and

an optical aperture unit for focusing or collimating the optical beam from the optical source to the optical fiber in the transmission direction, the optical aperture unit being placed in the aperture of the reflecting component.