Distance measuring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9534892-B2
Application number	US-201313948946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2013
Priority date	Aug 9, 2012
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A distance measuring system comprises a radiation source, a radiation detector, a measuring lens system, a first damping filter, a second damping filter and an actuator. The radiation source is constructed to emit optical radiation and the radiation detector is constructed to detect optical radiation. The measuring lens system is designed to project optical radiation to a target and to conduct optical radiation reflected by the target to the radiation detector. The first damping filter has a constant damping and can be arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the measuring lens system. The second damping filter has an adjustable damping and can be arranged in a beam path between the measuring lens system and the radiation detector. The actuator is mechanically coupled to the first and also to the second damping filter and is constructed to move the first and the second damping filter in common.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A distance measuring system, comprising:
a radiation source;
a radiation detector;
a measuring lens system for projecting optical radiation emitted by the radiation source to a target and for guiding optical radiation reflected by the target to the radiation detector;
a first damping filter, that has a constant damping and can be arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the measuring lens system,
a second damping filter, that has an adjustable damping and can be arranged in a beam path between the measuring lens system and the radiation detector;
an actuator, that is mechanically coupled to the first damping filter as well as to the second damping filter;
a reference lens system for conducting optical radiation emitted by the radiation source inside the distance measuring system to the radiation detector, whereby the reference lens system is mechanically coupled to the actuator; and
a rhomboid prism mechanically decoupled from the actuator, wherein the rhomboid prism includes an entrance surface that is permanently partially arranged in a beam path defined by the radiation source;
whereby the reference lens system comprises at least one pair of mirror surfaces, wherein each pair of mirror surfaces of the at least one pair of mirror surfaces comprises two mirror surfaces that are arranged opposite one another along a beam path bent by the mirror surfaces and which enclose an angle between 70° and 110°, whereby a first mirror surface of each pair of mirror surfaces can be arranged in a beam path defined by the exit surface of the rhomboid prism and a second mirror surface of each pair of mirror surfaces can be simultaneously arranged in a beam path defined by the radiation detector.

2. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 , whereby the first damping filter and the second damping filter are carried by a common carrier, which carrier is coupled to the actuator.

3. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 , whereby a beam path between the reference lens system and the radiation detector is free of optical lenses.

4. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 , whereby a reference filter with constant damping is arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the reference lens system or in a beam path of the reference lens system or in a beam path between the reference lens system and the radiation detector.

5. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 , whereby the mirror surfaces are parts of a one-piece optical fiber rod.

6. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 , whereby at least one element of the reference lens system is carried in common with the first damping filter and the second damping filter by a common carrier which carrier is coupled to the actuator.

7. The distance measuring system according to claim 6 , further comprising a photo interrupter that detects the presence of a position pin provided on the carrier, whereby the position pin indicates whether the reference lens system is arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the radiation detector.

8. The distance measuring system according to claim 2 , whereby the common carrier is a circular disk comprising a rotary shaft in the center which rotary shaft is coupled to the actuator.

9. The distance measuring system according to claim 8 , whereby
the first damping filter extends over 180° of the circumference of the common carrier;
and the second damping filter extends over 360° of the circumference of the common carrier.

10. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 ,
whereby the distance measuring system comprises exactly one actuator coupled to the first and to the second damping filter.

11. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 ,
whereby the second damping filter comprises first and second sections of varying transmissivity along the same direction of movement of the second damping filter produced by the actuator, a first section in which the transmissivity changes along the direction of movement from a high transparency to a low transparency and a second section in which the transmissivity changes along the direction of movement from a high transparency to a low transparency; or
whereby the second damping filter comprises first and second sections of changing transmissivity along the same direction of movement of the second damping filter produced by the actuator, a first section in which the transmissivity changes along the direction of movement from a high transparency to a low transparency and a second section in which the transmissivity changes along the direction of movement from a low transparency to a high transparency.

12. A measuring instrument comprising:
a housing;
whereby the housing receives a distance measuring system comprising:
a radiation source;
a radiation detector;
a measuring lens system for projecting optical radiation emitted by the radiation source to a target and for guiding optical radiation reflected by the target to the radiation detector;
a first damping filter, that has a constant damping and can be arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the measuring lens system;
a second damping filter, that has an adjustable damping and can be arranged in a beam path between the measuring lens system and the radiation detector;
an actuator, that is mechanically coupled to the first damping filter as well as to the second damping filter;
a reference lens system for conducting optical radiation emitted by the radiation source inside the distance measuring system to the radiation detector, whereby the reference lens system is mechanically coupled to the actuator; and
a rhomboid prism mechanically decoupled from the actuator, wherein the rhomboid prism includes an entrance surface that is permanently partially arranged in a beam path defined by the radiation source;
whereby the reference lens system comprises at least one pair of mirror surfaces, wherein each pair of mirror surfaces of the at least one pair of mirror surfaces comprises two mirror surfaces that are arranged opposite one another along a beam path bent by the mirror surfaces and which enclose an angle between 70° and 110°, whereby a first mirror surface of each pair of mirror surfaces can be arranged in a beam path defined by the exit surface of the rhomboid prism and a second mirror surface of each pair of mirror surfaces can be simultaneously arranged in a beam path defined by the radiation detector.

13. The measuring instrument according to claim 12 , whereby the first damping filter and the second damping filter are carried by a common carrier, which carrier is coupled to the actuator.

14. The measuring instrument according to claim 12 , whereby a beam path between the reference lens system and the radiation detector is free of optical lenses.

15. The measuring instrument according to claim 12 , whereby a reference filter with constant damping is arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the reference lens system or in a beam path of the reference lens system or in a beam path between the reference lens system and the radiation detector.

16. The distance measuring system according to claim 1 , whereby the distance measuring system comprises exactly one radiation source.

17. A distance measuring system, comprising:
a radiation source;
a radiation detector;
a measuring lens system for projecting optical radiation emitted by the radiation source to a target and for guiding optical radiation reflected by the target to the radiation dete

Assignees

• Trimble Jena Gmbh
• Trimble Inc

Inventors

• Goering Hermann

Classifications

• G01C3/08 Primary

  Use of electric radiation detectors · CPC title

• G01S7/497

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S7/4812

  transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path · CPC title

• G01S17/08

  for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48) · CPC title

• G01S7/4868

  Controlling received signal intensity or exposure of sensor · CPC title