EP0342979A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical sensor system
Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-05-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-18
Abstract
Abstract An optical sensor system comprising a measuring head (2), a light source (6) and a light detector (8) which are connected to each other via flexible optical fiber cables (3,7). Since the measuring head may be made lightweight and vibration of the measuring head may be insulated from the light source and the light detector by the optical fiber cables, even when the object to be measured consists of a vibrating object, a high level of accuracy can be attained. In particular, if the measuring head comprises a coaxial light projector (3b) and light receiver (7a), it can be designed as a highly compact structure which is highly resistant to vibrations. The measurement by the measuring head may be based on the use of the light receiver for the detection of fluorescent light produced from the object to be measured as a result of light radiation from the light projector.
Inventors
- 👤 Akihisa C/O Kabushiki Kaisha Nakamura
- 👤 Hideo C/O Kabushiki Kaisha Okamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/14; G01B11/02; G01B11/06; G01B11/0616; G01B11/0658
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
An optical sensor system, comprising; a light source; light projecting means for projecting light upon an object to be measured; first light guide means comprising a flexible optical fiber cable for conducting light from said light source to said light projecting means; light receiving means for receiving light emitted from said object to be measured as a result of projection of the light from said light projecting means; photoelectric conversion means for converting the light received by said light receiving means into an electric signal representing a measurement result; and second light guide means comprising a flexible optical fiber cable for conducting light from said light receiving means to said photoelectric conversion means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
An optical sensor system, comprising; a light source; light projecting means for projecting light upon an object to be measured; first light guide means comprising a flexible optical fiber cable for conducting light from said light source to said light projecting means; light receiving means for receiving light emitted from said object to be measured as a result of projection of the light from said light projecting means; photoelectric conversion means for converting the light received by said light receiving means into an electric signal representing a measurement result; and second light guide means comprising a flexible optical fiber cable for conducting light from said light receiving means to said photoelectric conversion means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 1, wherein said light projecting means and said light receiving means consist of end surfaces of the corresponding optical fiber cables arranged on a common surface of a measuring head facing said object to be measured, in a coaxial relationship.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 2, further comprising a lens system interposed between said object to be measured and said common surface of said measuring head, said lens system comprising a lens defining a central optical passage and an annular optical passage surrounding the central optical passage having two different optical properties, one for a light beam directed toward said object while the other is for another light beam directed away from said object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 3, wherein said object consists of a liquid film containing a fluorescent substance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
179 words
An optical sensor system, comprising; a light source; light distributing means connected to said light source at its input end; first light guide means comprising a plurality of first flexible optical fiber cables each having one end connected to a different one of a plurality of output ends of said light distributing means; a plurality of light projecting means each connected to a different one of the other ends of said first flexible optical cables for projecting light upon an object to be measured; a plurality of light receiving means for receiving light emitted from said object to be measured as a result of projection of the light from said light projecting means; second light guide means comprising a plurality of second flexible optical fiber cables each having one end connected to a different one of said light receiving means; a plurality of photoelectric conversion means connected to the other ends of said second flexible optical fiber cables for converting the light conducted through said second light guide means into electric signals representing results of measurement at said objects.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
179 words
An optical sensor system, comprising; a light source; light distributing means connected to said light source at its input end; first light guide means comprising a plurality of first flexible optical fiber cables each having one end connected to a different one of a plurality of output ends of said light distributing means; a plurality of light projecting means each connected to a different one of the other ends of said first flexible optical cables for projecting light upon an object to be measured; a plurality of light receiving means for receiving light emitted from said object to be measured as a result of projection of the light from said light projecting means; second light guide means comprising a plurality of second flexible optical fiber cables each having one end connected to a different one of said light receiving means; a plurality of photoelectric conversion means connected to the other ends of said second flexible optical fiber cables for converting the light conducted through said second light guide means into electric signals representing results of measurement at said objects.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 5, wherein said light projecting means consist of end surfaces of said first optical fiber cables each directed to a different one of said objects to be measured, and said light receiving means consist of the corresponding ends of said second flexible optical cables each of which is arranged on a common surface of a measuring head facing the corresponding one of said objects to be measured, in a coaxial relationship.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 6, further comprising a lens system interposed between each of said objects to be measured and the corresponding one of said measuring heads, said len systems each comprising a lens defining a central optical passage and an annular optical passage surrounding the central optical passage having two different optical properties one for a light beam directed toward the corresponding object while the other is for another light beam directed away from the corresponding object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 7, wherein said object consists of a liquid film containing a fluorescent substance.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
An optical sensor system according to claim 5, wherein said light distributing means comprises a light receiving surface opposing said light source substantially perpendicularly to a light beam produced from said light source, and an end surface of each of said first optical fiber cables is arranged on a common circle around the axial center line of said light beam from said light source.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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