Device for optically scanning and measuring an environment

• US 8,730,477 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruhland, Axel, Becker, Reinhard, Becker, Bernd-Dietmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Tri
• Assistant Examiner(s): DECENZO, SHAWN H
• Application Number:
  US13/703,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20130094024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 356/139.03, 356 401- 41, 356/402, 356/629
• US Class Current: 356/402
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/46 Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters measuring colour temperature G01J5/60
• 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

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, at least one shell is provided as part of the housing of the laser scanner, said shell being partially covered on its outer side by at least one yoke which serves as protection.

Claims

1. A laser scanner that optically scans and measures an environment, comprising:

a measuring head having a carrying structure which serves as a skeleton of the measuring head to which components of the laser scanner are fixed, the carrying structure having a traverse that rotates relative to a base about a first axis, the rotation of the measuring head about the first axis produced by a first rotary drive and measured by a first encoder;

a light emitter fixed to the carrying structure that emits an emission light beam;

a rotary mirror that rotates about a second axis and deflects the emission light beam to the environment, the rotation about the second axis produced by a second rotary drive fixed to the carrying structure and measured by a second encoder;

a light receiver fixed to the carrying structure that receives a portion of the emission light beam reflected from an object in the environment as a reception light beam;

a control and evaluation unit that interfaces to the first encoder, the second encoder, and the light receiver and determines three dimensional coordinates for a plurality of measuring points on the object;

a first shell attached to the traverse and a second shell attached to the traverse, the first shell and traverse enclosing a first volume that is sealed from the environment and encloses the light emitter and the light receiver, the second shell and traverse enclosing a second volume that is sealed from the environment and encloses the second rotary drive, there being a first space open to the environment between the first volume and the second volume for the emission light beam to be deflected to the plurality of measuring points by the rotary mirror; and

a first metal yoke fixed to the traverse and a second metal yoke fixed to the traverse, wherein the first yoke, the second yoke, and the traverse protectively enclose the first volume and the second volume.

2. The laser scanner of claim 1 further comprising a cooling device with a second space between the carrying structure and the first and second shells, wherein the second space is open to the environment by an air inlet and is also sealed with respect to an interior of the carrying structure and with respect to the first and second volumes.