Displacement sensor
US5917600A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 29, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/026
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A displacement sensor measures displacement or distance in a plurality of orthogonal directions. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises an apparatus for determining a distance to an object. The apparatus includes a sensor housing, an optical source, an optical detector, and a means for selectively redirecting incident and reflected light. In particular, the optical source is affixed to the sensor housing and generates an incident light beam. The optical detector is also affixed to the sensor housing and detects a reflected light beam, said reflected light beam comprising a portion of the incident light beam reflected off of an object to be measured. The optical detector is further operable to generate an information signal containing information pertaining to one or more characteristics of the reflected light beam. The means for selectively redirecting the incident and reflected light beam redirects the light beams in a plurality of orthogonal directions with respect to the sensor housing, thereby allowing the apparatus to determine information pertaining to the object, such as the distance thereto, in a plurality of orthogonal directions with respect to the sensor hous…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.