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:
Nov. 27, 1990
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1988
Takashi Yokokura, Tokyo, JP;
Nobuo Hori, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroaki Shimozono, Tokyo, JP;
Satoru Niimura, Tokyo, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A range finder for finding a distance to an object comprising an outgoing light guiding wave path, a reference light guiding wave path, and an incoming light guiding wave path. The finder further comprises wavelength changing means for changing the wavelength of the beam of light emitted from the light source, wavelength detecting means for detecting the wavelength of the beam of light emitted from the light source, and calculating means for detecting at least two peaks of the signal coming from the light receiving element when the wavelength of the light source is changed by the wavelength changing means, finding the wavelengths of the light source, respectively, from the wavelength detecting means at the time when the signal exhibits the two peaks, and calculating the distance to the object according to an operation expression memorized beforehand with reference to such obtained two wavelengths. A total reflection prism, a polarized beam splitter, a quarter-wave plate, and a mode converting device are also provided.