US4346293A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical electronic distance sensor with a parallel beam of light and adjustable detector-emitter separation
Assignee: Erwin Sick GmbH Optik Elektronik
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Filing: 1980-04-07
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Granted: 1982-08-24
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Expires: 2000-04-07
Abstract
Abstract An optical electronic distance sensor utilizes a V-light barrier in which a light transmitter 11 transmits a substantially parallel light beam 14 at a defined angle and a light receiver 12 receives a substantially parallel light beam 15 at a defined angle and delivers an electrical output signal dependent on the intensity of the received light beam. The distance of the intersection of the transmitted and received light beam paths, i.e. the apex of the V, from the light transmitter and receiver defines the sensing distance of the light barrier and is adjusted by adjusting the separation of the light transmitter and receiver. For this purpose the light transmitter and receiver are displaceably mounted on a mounting rail. The distance sensor is particularly useful in indoor carparks for determining the presence or absence of a vehicle in a parking space.
Inventors
- 👤 Gunter Fetzer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V8/00; G01V8/10; G01V8/12; G01C; G01C3/00; G01C3/24; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
V-light barrier apparatus for sensing the presence and absence of an object on a surface, comprising a straight mounting rail extending in a first direction, a light transmitter mounted on said rail and constructed to transmit a parallel beam of light along a transmitted beam path at a fixed and invariable angle relative to said rail, a light receiver mounted on said rail and constructed to receive a parallel beam of light along a received beam path at a fixed and invariable angle relative to said rail, with the transmitted beam path and the received beam path intersecting over an intersection region at a distance from said rail, means enabling movement of said light transmitter and said light receiver along said rail to adjust their relative separation, and thereby said distance, to bring said intersection region into coincidence with one of said surface and said object without varying the size or shape of said intersection region, and means for securing said light transmitter and said light receiver to said mounting rail.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
V-light barrier apparatus for sensing the presence and absence of an object on a surface, comprising a straight mounting rail extending in a first direction, a light transmitter mounted on said rail and constructed to transmit a parallel beam of light along a transmitted beam path at a fixed and invariable angle relative to said rail, a light receiver mounted on said rail and constructed to receive a parallel beam of light along a received beam path at a fixed and invariable angle relative to said rail, with the transmitted beam path and the received beam path intersecting over an intersection region at a distance from said rail, means enabling movement of said light transmitter and said light receiver along said rail to adjust their relative separation, and thereby said distance, to bring said intersection region into coincidence with one of said surface and said object without varying the size or shape of said intersection region, and means for securing said light transmitter and said light receiver to said mounting rail.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and wherein the mounting rail has a hollow cavity extending in its longitudinal direction for housing electrical connection cables for the light transmitter and receiver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of light transmitters and a plurality of light receivers, said transmitters being mounted on said rail alternately with said receivers to form a plurality of V-light barriers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mounting rail has a box profile and a guide slot along one side thereof and wherein said means enabling movement of said light transmitter and said light receiver comprises T-guides fixed to each of said light transmitter and light receiver, each of said T-guides being engageable in said box profile and slidable relative thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said means for securing said light transmitter and said light receiver to said mounting rail comprises clamp screws associated with each of said light transmitter and light receiver for releasably clamping said light transmitting and said light receiver to said rail.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
In optical electronic distance sensing apparatus including light transmitting means for directing transmitted light at a surface and light receiving means for receiving transmitted light reflected from said surface and providing an electrical signal in response thereto, the improvement wherein: said light transmitting means transmits a substantially parallel beam of light in a first predetermined direction; said light receiving means is sufficiently directional to receive a substantially parallel beam of light from a second predetermined direction; said first and second predetermined directions are selected so that the range of resolved distances of said sensing apparatus has a predetermined magnitude; and means for adjusting the axial separation of said light transmitting means and said light receiving means, whereby the separation of the range of resolved distances from the sensing apparatus can be varied.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
132 words
In optical electronic distance sensing apparatus including light transmitting means for directing transmitted light at a surface and light receiving means for receiving transmitted light reflected from said surface and providing an electrical signal in response thereto, the improvement wherein: said light transmitting means transmits a substantially parallel beam of light in a first predetermined direction; said light receiving means is sufficiently directional to receive a substantially parallel beam of light from a second predetermined direction; said first and second predetermined directions are selected so that the range of resolved distances of said sensing apparatus has a predetermined magnitude; and means for adjusting the axial separation of said light transmitting means and said light receiving means, whereby the separation of the range of resolved distances from the sensing apparatus can be varied.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
129 words
Adjustable V-light barrier apparatus having a range of resolved distances of constant predetermined magnitude for sensing the presence or absence of an object on a surface, comprising: light transmitter means producing a substantially parallel transmitted beam of light; highly directional light receiving means for receiving a substantially parallel received beam of light; and means for mounting said light transmitter means and said light receiving means in fixed, predetermined, angular relation to one another and in adjustable, spaced-apart relation to one another, said predetermined angular relation being selected so that said transmitted beam and said received beam intersect in a range of resolved distances equal to said predetermined magnitude, and said spaced-apart relation being adjustable to position said range of resolved distances at one of said surface and said object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
129 words
Adjustable V-light barrier apparatus having a range of resolved distances of constant predetermined magnitude for sensing the presence or absence of an object on a surface, comprising: light transmitter means producing a substantially parallel transmitted beam of light; highly directional light receiving means for receiving a substantially parallel received beam of light; and means for mounting said light transmitter means and said light receiving means in fixed, predetermined, angular relation to one another and in adjustable, spaced-apart relation to one another, said predetermined angular relation being selected so that said transmitted beam and said received beam intersect in a range of resolved distances equal to said predetermined magnitude, and said spaced-apart relation being adjustable to position said range of resolved distances at one of said surface and said object.
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) | 1985-08-23 | 1986-02-22 | 1986-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-08-23 | 1990-02-22 | 1990-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-08-23 | 1994-02-22 | 1994-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |