Reflectivity compensated fiber optic sensor

Claim 1

A fiber optic proximity detector for use in sensing the relative position of an object or change thereof, comprising: probe means which includes a plurality of light conveying fibers which includes a group of light transmitting and at least two separate groups of light receiving fibers; said light transmitting fibers adapted to transmit light from a light source to the object which is reflected by the object; optical splitter means; a first group of light receiving fibers adapted to convey light reflected from the object directly to a first light detector without passing through said optical splitter means; a second group of light receiving fibers adapted to convey light reflected from the object to a second light detector; said optical splitter means positioned between said light transmitting fibers and said second group of light receiving fibers to allow light to pass therebetween said optical splitter means comprising an air gap and said light transmitting fibers on said air gap's nearer side to the object and to said first group of light receiving fibers not being directly aligned with said light transmitting fibers on said gap's other side but rather with said second group of receiving fibers on said gap's said other side; said light transmitting fibers adapted also to convey light reflected by the object to the splitter means and in turn to the second group of light receiving fibers; first and second light detectors optically coupled to the first and second groups of light receiving fibers to sense the respective light conveyed thereby, said detectors being capable of providing respective outputs corresponding to the amount of light conveyed by the respective groups of fibers; and compensating means coupled to said detectors to receive the respective outputs and capable of providing an output which compensates for a change in reflectivity of the object based upon said outputs which is utilizable to determine the distance of the probe from the object.