Patent · US Expired

Confocal imaging system having a divided retroreflector

US6791698B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by

8References

43Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

Guenter Doemens · Holzkirchen, DE
Anton Schick · Taufkirchen, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 14, 2003
Grant date	Sep 14, 2004
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 14, 2023

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG02B21/0048
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A confocal imaging system is equipped with a retroreflector, which oscillates with a high frequency, for increasing the data rate during the recording of distance values. A mirror system having a small mass is provided that, by use of an electrostatic drive, makes extremely rapid focusing movements or height detections possible in the case of a small mass. The mirror system includes two separate micromechanically produced mirrors, which are set at 90° to one another and which synchronously oscillate in the direction of the optical axis of the confocal imaging system.

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