Patent · US Expired

Visibility measuring apparatus using light conductors

US4403862A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
7References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 13, 1978
Grant dateSep 13, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 13, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01W1/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In visibility measuring apparatus, a transmitter including at least one transmitter optic for emitting light signals and at least one receiver including at least one receiver optic for receiving the emitted light signals are positioned in a measuring base defined by the distance between the at least one transmitter optic and the at least one receiver optic. A central unit controls the light emitting signals and processes the light signals received from the at least one receiver optic. Signal light conductors interconnect at least some of the transmitter and transmitter optics, the central unit and the transmitter and the receiver optics and the central unit. In a modified embodiment each measuring base may include a separate transmitter optic and a separate receiver optic. Additionally, calibration signals may be transmitted from the central unit to each receiver optic by additional light conductors with separate light conductors for returning a reference signal from each receiver optic to the central unit. Temperature induced variations in the transmission capacity of the signal light conductors can be compensated by using a coil of light conductors in parallel therewith.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.