Noncontacting pressure measuring apparatus

Claim 2

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring internal pressure within an eyeball having a deformable wall surface comprising: stimulus generating means developing continuously oscillating pressure waves of a fluid and for directing such waves upon said deformable wall surface of the eyeball under test to cause responsive vibratory deflection thereof, said pressure waves having an oscillating frequency variable over a range of frequencies including a resonant frequency of said eyeball and said stimulus generating means being spaced apart from said eyeball by said fluid; means for directing a beam of light upon said surface to develop a reflected light beam; light detecting means responsive to said reflected light beam and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the deflection of said surface; and indicating means responsive to said electrical signals and operative to indicate said resonant frequency.

Claim 3

A noncontacting apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said stimulus generating means includes means for alternately increasing and decreasing the pressure at said surface.

Claim 4

A noncontacting apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said light detecting means includes a photodetector having a photosensitive face, and a lens system for focusing said reflected light beam to a spot on said face, said photodetector being operative to develop said electrical signals in response to a position of said spot on said face.

Claim 5

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring internal pressure within a pressurized container having a deformable wall surface, comprising: stimulus generating means developIng continuously oscillating pressure waves of a fluid and for directing such waves upon said deformable wall surface of the container under test to cause responsive vibratory deflection thereof, said pressure waves having an oscillating frequency variable over a range of frequencies including a resonant frequency of said container, said stimulus generating means being spaced apart across said fluid from said container and including means for developing a continuously flowing, pulsating fluid stream having pulsatory frequency within said range of frequencies; means for directing a beam of light upon said surface to develop a reflected light beam; light detecting means responsive to said reflected light beam and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the deflection of said surface; and indicating means responsive to said electrical signals and operative to indicate said resonant frequency.

Claim 6

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring internal pressure within a pressurized container having a deformable wall surface, comprising: stimulus generating means developIng continuously oscillating pressure waves of a fluid and for directing such waves upon said deformable wall surface of the container under test to cause responsive vibratory deflection thereof, said pressure waves having an oscillating frequency variable over a range of frequencies including a resonant frequency of said container, said stimulus generating means being spaced apart across said fluid from said container and including means for developing a continuously flowing, pulsating fluid stream having pulsatory frequency within said range of frequencies; means for directing a beam of light upon said surface to develop a reflected light beam; light detecting means responsive to said reflected light beam and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the deflection of said surface; and indicating means responsive to said electrical signals and operative to indicate said resonant frequency.

Claim 7

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring internal pressure within a pressurized container having a deformable wall surface, comprising: stimulus generating means developing continuously oscillating pressure waves of a fluid and for directing such waves upon said deformable wall surface of the container under test to cause responsive vibratory deflection thereof, said stimulus generating means and said container being spaced apart across said fluid and said pressure waves having an oscillating frequency variable over a range of frequencies including a resonant frequency of said container; means for directing a beam of light upon said surface to develop a reflected light beam; light detecting means responsive to said reflected light beam and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the deflection of said surface; indicating means responsive to said electrical signals and operative to indicate said resonant frequency; a signal source for developing an oscillatory signal for driving said stimulus generating means; and said indicating means including a phase comparing means responsive to said oscillatory signal and said electrical signal and being operative to develop a phase signal proportional to the phase relationship therebetween.

Claim 8

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring internal pressure within a pressurized container having a deformable wall surface, comprising: stimulus generating means developing continuously oscillating pressure waves of a fluid and for directing such waves upon said deformable wall surface of the container under test to cause responsive vibratory deflection thereof, said stimulus generating means and said container being spaced apart across said fluid and said pressure waves having an oscillating frequency variable over a range of frequencies including a resonant frequency of said container; means for directing a beam of light upon said surface to develop a reflected light beam; light detecting means responsive to said reflected light beam and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the deflection of said surface; indicating means responsive to said electrical signals and operative to indicate said resonant frequency; a signal source for developing an oscillatory signal for driving said stimulus generating means; and said indicating means including a phase comparing means responsive to said oscillatory signal and said electrical signal and being operative to develop a phase signal proportional to the phase relationship therebetween.

Claim 9

A noncontacting apparatus as recited in claim 5 and further comprising a servo means responsive to said phase signal and operative to vary the frequency of said oscillatory signal and coincide with said resonant frequency.

Claim 10

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring the internal pressure within a pressurized container having a deformable wall structure, comprising: a signal source for developing a variable frequency signal; a stimulus generating means responsive to said variable frequency signal and operative to develop oscillatory pressure waves for direction upon a surface of the pressurized container under test to cause responsive surface motion; means for projecting a beam of light onto said surface to provide a light spot thereon; light detecting means responsive to light reflected from said surface and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the change in position of said light spot due to said surface motion; and indicator means responsive to said variable frequency signal and said electrical signal and operative to indicate the phase relationship therebetween, whereby said phase relationship indicates the resonant frequency of said container when said variable frequency signal is swept over a range of frequencies including said resonant frequency.

Claim 11

A noncontacting apparatus for measuring the internal pressure within a pressurized container having a deformable wall structure, comprising: a signal source for developing a variable frequency signal; a stimulus generating means responsive to said variable frequency signal and operative to develop oscillatory pressure waves for direction upon a surface of the pressurized container under test to cause responsive surface motion; means for projecting a beam of light onto said surface to provide a light spot thereon; light detecting means responsive to light reflected from said surface and operative to develop an electrical signal commensurate with the change in position of said light spot due to said surface motion; and indicator means responsive to said variable frequency signal and said electrical signal and operative to indicate the phase relationship therebetween, whereby said phase relationship indicates the resonant frequency of said container when said variable frequency signal is swept over a range of frequencies including said resonant frequency.

Claim 12

A noncontacting apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said stimulus generating means develops a continuously flowing, pulsating fluid stream.

Claim 13

A noncontacting apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said stimulus generating means alternately increases and decreases the pressure on said surface.

Claim 14

A noncontacting apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said stimulus generating means includes means forming a chamber open on opposite sides and having a communicating passageway extending from said chamber to an external orifice, a first electromechanical transducer forming a closure on one side of said chamber, and a second electromechanical transducer forming a closure on the opposite side of said chamber, said first and second transducers being commonly energized by said signal source to alternatey increase and decrease the pressure within said chamber thereby creating oscillatory pressure waves within said passageway for application to said surface when said orifice is positioned proximate said surface.

Claim 15

A noncontacting tonometer for measuring the internal pressure within an eyeball comprising: means for generating a continuously vibrating stream of air whose frequency of vibration is swept through a predetermined spectrum, and for directing said stream of air against the eyeball; means for generating and directing a beam of light against the eyeball in such a manner as to form a reflected beam, said reflected beam having a characteristic which varies with the vibration of the light intercepted surface of the object; means responsive to said reflected beam and operative to develop a first signal having a frequency which is commensurate with the frequency of said characteristic; and means for comparing the phase of said first signal with the phase of said vibrating stream of air and to derive an indication of their phase relationship.

Claim 16

A noncontacting tonometer for measuring the internal pressure within an eyeball comprising: means for generating a continuously vibrating stream of air whose frequency of vibration is swept through a predetermined spectrum, and for directing said stream of air against the eyeball; means for generating and directing a beam of light against the eyeball in such a manner as to form a reflected beam, said reflected beam having a characteristic which varies with the vibration of the light intercepted surface of the object; means responsive to said reflected beam and operative to develop a first signal having a frequency which is commensurate with the frequency of said characteristic; and means for comparing the phase of said first signal with the phase of said vibrating stream of air and to derive an indication of their phase relationship.

Claim 17

A noncontacting tonometer for measuring the internal pressure of an eyeball comprising: means for generating a first continuously vibrating signal and sweeping said first signal through a predetermined spectrum of frequencies; means responsive to said first signal and operative to generate a stream of air which continuously vibrates at the frequency of said first signal; means for directing said stream of air against the surface of the eyeball; means for directing a beam of light against the surface of the eyeball and forming a reflected beam, said reflected beam having a characteristic which vibrates with the frequency of the eyeball surface reflecting said beam; means responsive to said reflected beam and operative to develop a second signal which has a frequency commensurate with said characteristic of said reflected beam; and means for comparing at least one selected characteristic of said first and second signals to derive therefrom a measure of the internal pressure of the eyeball.

Claim 18

A noncontacting tonometer for measuring the internal pressure of an eyeball comprising: means for generating a first continuously vibrating signal and sweeping said first signal through a predetermined spectrum of frequencies; means responsive to said first signal and operative to generate a stream of air which continuously vibrates at the frequency of said first signal; means for directing said stream of air against the surface of the eyeball; means for directing a beam of light against the surface of the eyeball and forming a reflected beam, said reflected beam having a characteristic which vibrates with the frequency of the eyeball surface reflecting said beam; means responsive to said reflected beam and operative to develop a second signal which has a frequency commensurate with said characteristic of said reflected beam; and means for comparing at least one selected characteristic of said first and second signals to derive therefrom a measure of the internal pressure of the eyeball.