Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A non contact surface position sensing optical gauging system for thickness measurement or part dimensioning of an object comprising; a light source, a mirror positioned in the path of the light beam, and means for oscillating said mirror to periodically change the angle of incidence of the light beam to produce a periodic scan; means for splitting the scanned beam into a measuring beam and a calibrating beam; optical means in the path of the calibrating beam for alternately occulting and transmitting said beam as it moves said predetermined incremental distances, calibrating means responsive to predetermined increments of calibrating beam motion to generate a series of pulses; means for directing the measuring beam onto an object; a split photo detector, and means for focusing the back scattered light from said object on alternate halves of said split photo detector; means for counting said number of pulses generated by said calibrating means, and means for comparing said calibrating pulses with said number of pulses counted in said alternate halves of said photo detector. means for correlating said comparison of pulses as a measurement of the displacement of the surface of the object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A non contact surface position sensing optical gauging system for thickness measurement or part dimensioning of an object comprising; a light source, a mirror positioned in the path of the light beam, and means for oscillating said mirror to periodically change the angle of incidence of the light beam to produce a periodic scan; means for splitting the scanned beam into a measuring beam and a calibrating beam; optical means in the path of the calibrating beam for alternately occulting and transmitting said beam as it moves said predetermined incremental distances, calibrating means responsive to predetermined increments of calibrating beam motion to generate a series of pulses; means for directing the measuring beam onto an object; a split photo detector, and means for focusing the back scattered light from said object on alternate halves of said split photo detector; means for counting said number of pulses generated by said calibrating means, and means for comparing said calibrating pulses with said number of pulses counted in said alternate halves of said photo detector. means for correlating said comparison of pulses as a measurement of the displacement of the surface of the object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system defined in claim 1, wherein said means for directing said measuring beam onto said object comprises a collimating lens whereby said measuring beam scans said object along a succession of parallel paths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system defined in claim 1, further comprising an operational amplifier connected to said split photo detector having complementary inputs and an output indicative only of the difference of the lighting of said two halves of said split photo detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system defined in claim 1, wherein said light source is a laser beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said calibration means includes a reticle having alternate opaque and transparent bands.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said reticle pulses define said pulses counted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1, further including means for interrogating said reference beam as the scan beam image passes from one side of said split photo detector to the other.