US3598493A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical graduated rule of transparent material
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1969-06-30
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Granted: 1971-08-10
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Expires: 1989-06-30
Abstract
Abstract Transparent material having internal reflection properties is used to fabricate a graduated optical rule usable in tachometer or displacement measuring systems. The member has a lightreceiving surface through which light is transmitted toward a remote surface in a given direction. Such remote surface has alternating first surface portions respectively having a 45* angle with respect to said given direction and, preferably, second surface portions that are perpendicular to said given direction. The 45* surface portions reflect the light to a first light path, while the second surface portions permit the light to be transmitted therethrough along a second light path. Facing ones of said first or 45* angled portions are utilized to reflect the light through such first light path which intersects the light receiving surface back toward the light source. In another embodiment, light enters the member at 45* through a light receiving surface. A continuous internal surface disposed at 45* with respect to the light-receiving surface reflects light toward the remote surface in such given direction. The remote surface has the first and second surface portions disposed with respect to light traveling in such given direction reflected from the internal surface for alternately reflecting and transmitting through the remote surface toward a detector. Several utilization arrangements are illustrated.
Inventors
- 👤 Gene A Fisher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01D; G01D5/00; G01D5/26; G01D5/32; G01D5/34; G01D5/347
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
For a measurement device, a graduated optical member consisting of transparent material with internal reflection properties having a light-receiving surface and a remote surface, said member being capable of transmitting light from said lightreceiving surface toward said remote surface such that said light approaches said remote surface in a given direction within said member, said remote surface having a set of first planar surface portions each disposed substantially at 45* with respect to said given direction for reflecting in accordance with said internal reflection properties substantially all light arriving along said given direction to first light paths, respectively, substantially at right angles to said given direction, and said first light paths leaving said member at given locations thereon, said remote surface also having a set of second surface portions each disposed at substantially other than said given 45* for permitting light arriving along said given direction to follow respective second light paths, each said second light path leaving said transparent member at locations other than said given locations, said portions being alternated on said remote surface such that said transparent member has alternating effectively opaque and light-transmitting portions on said first and second light paths as indicia of displacement, and a corner joining each adjacent ones of said portions for improving optical demarcation therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
For a measurement device, a graduated optical member consisting of transparent material with internal reflection properties having a light-receiving surface and a remote surface, said member being capable of transmitting light from said lightreceiving surface toward said remote surface such that said light approaches said remote surface in a given direction within said member, said remote surface having a set of first planar surface portions each disposed substantially at 45* with respect to said given direction for reflecting in accordance with said internal reflection properties substantially all light arriving along said given direction to first light paths, respectively, substantially at right angles to said given direction, and said first light paths leaving said member at given locations thereon, said remote surface also having a set of second surface portions each disposed at substantially other than said given 45* for permitting light arriving along said given direction to follow respective second light paths, each said second light path leaving said transparent member at locations other than said given locations, said portions being alternated on said remote surface such that said transparent member has alternating effectively opaque and light-transmitting portions on said first and second light paths as indicia of displacement, and a corner joining each adjacent ones of said portions for improving optical demarcation therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
The member set forth in claim 1, wherein said set of first surface portions is arranged in plural pairs of such surface portions facing each other inside said member such that said first light path of either one of said facing surface portions has a first portion disposed at right angles to said given direction and extending between said facing first surface portions such that light therein is reflected by another one of said facing surfaces into a second portion of said first light path extending parallel to said given direction but with light going in an opposite direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The member of claim 2, herein said member is tubular shaped with inner and outer tubular walls, one of said surfaces being said outer wall and another of said surfaces being said inner wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The member of claim 3, wherein said first surface portions are all flat plane, smooth surfaces, said remote surface having a general annular configuration, and said light-receiving surface being a smooth annular surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The member of claim 2, wherein said member is a unitary member having an annular portion in which said surfaces reside and with a central axis about which said surfaces are concentrically disposed with said light-receiving surface having an annular shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
The member of claim 5, wherein said member is platelike with said annular portion being a periphery of said member and all said surfaces are on the same axial side of said platelike member, and, further including an annular surface on said member disposed at 45* with respect to said light-receiving surface for reflecting light transmitted thereto inside said member from said light-receiving surface such that said first direction extends outwardly of said member on the same axial side of said member as said light receiving member is disposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
The member of claim 5, further including annular internal reflecting surface means in said annular portion optically intermediate said light receiving and remote surfaces for internally reflecting light therebetween in said given direction and along said first light paTh, said member having first and second oppositely facing sides and said annular internal reflecting surface means being included in said first side and said light receiving and remote surfaces being included in said second side, such that said first and second light paths have portions outside said member along said second side.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The member of claim 7, further including second light receiving and second remote surfaces, said annular internal reflecting means also being optically intermediate said second light receiving and second remote surfaces for internally reflecting light therebetween in a second given direction and along a second one of first light paths, said second one of first light paths crossing the first-mentioned first light path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The member of claim 1 having plural measurement sets of said light receiving and remote surfaces, each said measurement set having its respective first set of surface portions phase translated with respect to every other first set of surface portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The member of claim 1, wherein said first and second surface portions, respectively, are coplanar flat surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
223 words
An optical system for making measurements of rotational movements including, a light source for emitting light, a unitary rotatable member for receiving said light and consisting of molded transparent material exhibiting internal reflection properties and capable of transmitting said light, plural planar surfaces disposed in an annulus on said member for directing light from said source impinging thereon from inside said member, a first set of said planar surfaces disposed in spaced relation circumferentially on said member and at 45* with respect to said impinging light within said member for directing same along a first light path, a second set of said planar surfaces on said member for causing said impinging light within said member to follow a second light path and being intermediate said planar surfaces in said first set such that circumferentially along said annulus there are alternate planar surfaces of said first and second sets for providing first and second light paths which alternately receive and don''t receive light as said member is rotated, light in said first and second light paths leaving said member at spaced apart locations on said member, and detector means operatively positioned with respect to one of said light paths to receive light therefrom originating at said source and responsive to such received light to generate electrical signals indicative of rotational movement of said member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
223 words
An optical system for making measurements of rotational movements including, a light source for emitting light, a unitary rotatable member for receiving said light and consisting of molded transparent material exhibiting internal reflection properties and capable of transmitting said light, plural planar surfaces disposed in an annulus on said member for directing light from said source impinging thereon from inside said member, a first set of said planar surfaces disposed in spaced relation circumferentially on said member and at 45* with respect to said impinging light within said member for directing same along a first light path, a second set of said planar surfaces on said member for causing said impinging light within said member to follow a second light path and being intermediate said planar surfaces in said first set such that circumferentially along said annulus there are alternate planar surfaces of said first and second sets for providing first and second light paths which alternately receive and don''t receive light as said member is rotated, light in said first and second light paths leaving said member at spaced apart locations on said member, and detector means operatively positioned with respect to one of said light paths to receive light therefrom originating at said source and responsive to such received light to generate electrical signals indicative of rotational movement of said member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system of claim 11, wherein said unitary member has an annular shape with said light receiving surface being an outer circumferential surface thereof and said remote surface being an annular inner circumferential surface thereof, and said light source and said detector means being on a common diameter of said member radially outwardly of said light-receiving surface such that said second light path extends along said common diameter intersecting said member adjacent said detector means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 11, wherein said unitary member has an annular internal reflecting surface optically interposed between said light receiving and said remote surfaces such that both said first and second light paths include portions outside said unitary member generally on the same side thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
156 words
An optical graduated rule including transparent material exhibiting internal reflection properties, pairs of first planar surface means disposed at right angles with respect to each other and at 45* with respect to a given direction along which light may be transmitted and being capable of reflecting light through first light paths, second planar surface means respectively interposed between adjacent ones of said first planar surface means such that said means together constitute a continuous rule along a first direction of alternate first and second planar surface meaNs, said second planar surface means being capable of transmitting light therethrough in a second light path, said first light path folding back upon itself generally in a U-shaped configuration, and both said first and second light paths including a portion in said transparent material and portions outside said transparent material, said outside portions of said first and second light paths being displaced from the other along said first direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
156 words
An optical graduated rule including transparent material exhibiting internal reflection properties, pairs of first planar surface means disposed at right angles with respect to each other and at 45* with respect to a given direction along which light may be transmitted and being capable of reflecting light through first light paths, second planar surface means respectively interposed between adjacent ones of said first planar surface means such that said means together constitute a continuous rule along a first direction of alternate first and second planar surface meaNs, said second planar surface means being capable of transmitting light therethrough in a second light path, said first light path folding back upon itself generally in a U-shaped configuration, and both said first and second light paths including a portion in said transparent material and portions outside said transparent material, said outside portions of said first and second light paths being displaced from the other along said first direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optical graduated rule consisting of transparent material, the improvement including the combination, a planar light-receiving surface, a remote surface having a first planar surface portion disposed at 45* to light entering said rule through said receiving surface, a second surface portion of said remote surface disposed substantially at other than said 45* for transmitting light therethrough from said receiving surface, and a rounded corner joining said portions such that light from said receiving surface is refracted to make the corner appear optically more abrupt than the geometry of the corner.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
91 words
An optical graduated rule consisting of transparent material, the improvement including the combination, a planar light-receiving surface, a remote surface having a first planar surface portion disposed at 45* to light entering said rule through said receiving surface, a second surface portion of said remote surface disposed substantially at other than said 45* for transmitting light therethrough from said receiving surface, and a rounded corner joining said portions such that light from said receiving surface is refracted to make the corner appear optically more abrupt than the geometry of the corner.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-09 | 1975-02-08 | 1975-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-02-08 | 1979-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-09 | 1983-02-08 | 1983-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |