Patent · US Expired

See through laser alignment target device

US6023337A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
9References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 26, 1997
Grant dateFeb 8, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 26, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/272
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A target device for use in aligning a target station to a reference line-of-sight established by a laser alignment beam is mountably secured to the target station. The target device includes a tooling tube and a beam splitter for reflecting a portion of the alignment beam to a focusing objective. The focusing objective transmits the portion of the alignment beam to a position sensing detector for alignment measurement. The target device is designed to pivot about a target mount center reference point located in the tooling tube. The focusing objective and the beam splitter focus the image of the position sensing detector at the target mount center to produce a virtual image of the position sensing detector at the target mount center. By taking the alignment measurement at the target mount center, inaccurate measurements created by misalignment of the tooling tube with respect to the alignment beam are eliminated. The target device does not translate the alignment beam as it passes and is therefore suitable for use with multiple target devices.

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