US3743428A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for optically measuring a dimension of an object
Assignee: EIDP Inc
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Filing: 1971-08-04
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-08-04
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for measuring a dimension of a physical object and comprising means for producing a collimated beam of light having a dimension at least as large as acceptable variations in the dimension of the object being measured, means for dividing the collimated beam of light into spatial digits, and means for counting the digits of light, the latter means spaced from the light beam source sufficiently to accommodate therein between the portion of the object to be measured.
Inventors
- 👤 J Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; G01B11/06; G01B11/08; G01B11/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of a physical object comprising: a. a light source which produces a beam with highly parallel rays; b. an expanding collimating telescopic lens system which increases parallelism of the light rays and expands at least one transverse dimension of the light beam to a dimension at least as large as maximum variations in the linear dimension of the object being measured; c. means for dividing the expanded light beam into digits; and d. means for counting the digits of light, said means being separated from the telescopic lens system sufficiently to accomodate positioning of the object to be measured.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for measuring a linear dimension of a physical object comprising: a. a light source which produces a beam with highly parallel rays; b. an expanding collimating telescopic lens system which increases parallelism of the light rays and expands at least one transverse dimension of the light beam to a dimension at least as large as maximum variations in the linear dimension of the object being measured; c. means for dividing the expanded light beam into digits; and d. means for counting the digits of light, said means being separated from the telescopic lens system sufficiently to accomodate positioning of the object to be measured.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for dividing the expanded light is a grid of transparent and opaque lines equal in width, the width being no larger than the maximum error tolerable in measuring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the light source is a low-powered continuous wave laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
112 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means for counting the digits of light consist essentially of a first spherical lens, an oscillating mirror, a second spherical lens, an opaque barrier with a slit having a short dimension about equal to the size of the image of a grid line, a photocell, and a counter, said components positioned such that the digitized light, after passing the object to be measured, is, in sequence, converged by said first spherical lens, reflected by said oscillating mirror, recollimated by said second spherical lens, passed through said opaque barrier slit, detected and converted to electrical signals by said photocell, and the signals counted by said counter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said telescopic lens system expands said light beam to a dimension greater than the dimension of the object being measured.
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) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |