Optical distance measuring apparatus
US5239353A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 1992 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/36
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A two-eyed type optical distance measuring apparatus operable in accordance with a phase difference detecting process to optically measure a distance between the apparatus and an object to be measured is disclosed. To determine the distance between the apparatus and the object to be measured, a phase difference between the phase of a reflected light beam reflected from the object to be measured and the optical phase of a reference light beam derived from partial division of a distance measuring light beam emitted from a light source is detected and calculated. The apparatus includes as essential components a light source disposed in a housing on the light emitting side to emit a modulated distance measuring light beam therefrom toward the object to be measured, a light receiving element positioned in a housing on the light receiving side and a reference light introducing mechanism for introducing a part of the modulated distance measuring light beam emitted from the light source into the light receiving element via an optical fiber. To prepare the reference light beam, a shade is arranged at the intermediate part of the housing on the light emitting side. In addition, an iris mecha…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.