Patent · US Expired

Optical measuring apparatus and method

US4708483A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
2References
45Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 1985
Grant dateNov 24, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 28, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/026
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical triangulation probe is provided for measuring the distance and inclination of a surface. A light source is utilized for projecting a beam toward the surface to form a light spot on the surface. The image of the light spot is reflected and formed on a light detector means which produces a signal representation of the image intensity distribution of the light spot image and the location of the image on the detector means. Estimating means utilizes the signal representation of the light spot image and a signal representation of a theoretical image to estimate the location of the light spot image on the detector means. The distance of the surface and its inclination as established upon making the estimation due to the known triangulation relationship between the location of the light spot image on the detector means and the location of the light spot on the surface.

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