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:
Jan. 26, 1988
Filed:
Jul. 18, 1986
Philip W Collyer, Stamford, CT (US);
Barnes Engineering Company, Shelton, CT (US);
Abstract
The three-axis angular position of a tetrahedral reflector which is mounted on a platform or element is monitored by first and second optical apparatus aimed at the reflector at equal angles on opposite sides of the axis of the reflective element thereby providing off-axis viewing of the reflective element for monitoring the angular movement of that element. The first optical apparatus is an autocollimator having a source of radiation for producing a beam of radiation which is applied to a beam splitter through a collimating lens which is aimed at the reflector. The return image from the reflector is passed through the beam splitter to a detector. The second optical apparatus may simply be a receiver including a second lens in optical alignment with a second detector with the lens being aimed at the tetrahedral reflector. The second optical apparatus may be in the form of an autocollimator of the same type as the first optical apparatus. A single instrument may also be provided with the off-axis looks provided by reflective elements in combination with suitable beam splitters using a single radiation source and a single detector.