Method for positioning an object relative to a plane and measuring length and apparatus for implementing same
US4994677A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1989 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/028
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of positioning an object relative to a plane, and apparatus therefor. According to the method, the plane is swept by the axis of a light-beam between a source assembly and a detection assembly, and the object is translated approximately perpendicularly to the plane, the detection assembly emitting a signal representative of the light received and therefore, the position of the object relative to the plane. The signal emitted by the detection assembly is measured as a function of time, the translation of the object being halted when the signal has a particular form. The particular form of the signal corresponds to the position of the object in which the shoulder masks a predetermined fixed part of the light-beam during part of its sweep. The apparatus comprises the source assembly for producing the light-beam, a deflecting member for angularly deflecting the light-beam, a first optical system for causing the deflected light-beam to sweep a plane parallel to the light-beam, the detection assembly, a second optical system for focusing the deflected light-beam onto the detection assembly. An electronic processor processes the signal emitted by the detection assembly as a funct…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.