Device for optically scanning and measuring an environment

• US 8,705,012 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Greiner, Alexander, Schumann, Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Stafira, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US13/635,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 356 2-225
• US Class Current: 356/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/00 Measuring distances in line of sight; Optical rangefinders tapes, chains or wheels for measuring length G01B3/00; active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence

Abstract

With a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, which is designed as a laser scanner, with a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner or scattered otherwise, and with a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines at least the distance to the object, the laser scanner has a cooling device with a space between a carrying structure and a shell which serves as a housing, said space opening to the outside by means of an air inlet and otherwise being sealed with respect to the interior of the carrying structure and to the shell.

Claims

1. Device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, said device being designed as a laser scanner comprising:

a light emitter, which emits an emission light beam, a light receiver which receives a reception light beam which is a portion of the emission light beam reflected from an object in the environment, and a control and evaluation unit connected to the light receiver which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines a distance to the object,

wherein the laser scanner is provided with a carrying, a shell serving as an outer housing, and a cooling device,

said cooling device further comprising an air inlet, a space between the carrying structure and the shell, said space opening to the environment by means of the air inlet and otherwise being sealed with respect to an interior of the carrying structure and to the shell, a suction duct opening to the space between the carrying structure and the shell, an outlet duct, a fan having a fan housing connected to the suction duct and to the outlet duct in a sealed manner, an air outlet at which the outlet duct terminates sealed with respect to the space,

wherein the fan sucks in air through the air inlet, pulls the air through the space and the suction duct, and blows the air out of the laser scanner through the outlet duct and the air outlet.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that passive cooling elements, particularly cooling fins and/or heat conduits are provided, which are connected to the active cooling elements of the cooling device and thus cool sections of the interior of the carrying structure.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the air inlet and the air outlet are spaced apart from each other and aligned and/or provided with ribs in such a way that the air flows to the air inlet and from the air outlet point away from one another.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, as part of the housing of the laser scanner, at least one shell is provided, which partially is covered at its outer side by at least one yoke serving as protection, and/or that the emission light beam temporarily moves along a prism of the laser scanner, said prism having at least two different brightness levels and/or colors.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser scanner is provided with a swivel-axis module which, as a pre-assembled assembly, on the one hand is provided with a base resting in the stationary reference system of the laser scanner and, on the other hand, with parts that can be fixed to the carrying structure of a measuring head which is rotatable relative to the base.