The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 1986
Filed:
Sep. 27, 1984
Michael Krolak, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Michael R Biche, Newark, CA (US);
Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Inc., Los Gatos, CA (US);
Abstract
An optical positional sensing apparatus for providing precise position and approach angle of a mobile assembly with respect to a fixed assembly. The apparatus includes a light source and optics to produce a rotating horizontal beam. Optics and a transducer are included which can detect the light beam when reflected back on itself. A corner reflector is affixed to a piece of equipment to which the mobile assembly will travel. The beam is rotated by means of a drive motor. Light hitting the corner reflector is reflected directly back under three circumstances, i.e. when the beam strikes either corner or when the beam is perpendicular to the reflector. A rotary encoder is coupled to the drive mechanism and supplies continuous angular positional data to a microprocessor. The transducer is also coupled to the microprocessor which generates data sets of angular location for each transducer signal. Simple trigonometric calculations provide the desired position and approach angle data. An alternative embodiment includes a fixed optical assembly comprising three point light sources to replace the single, mobile-assembly mounted source and fixed reflector.