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:
Aug. 09, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1992
Fumio Ogawa, Yokohama, JP;
Norio Nihei, Kodaira, JP;
Stanley Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Bridgestone Corp., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A height sensor for determining the height from a surface to be measured on the basis of an optical path length from a light-emitting element to the surface to be measured includes: a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element disposed at positions spaced apart from the surface to be measured; a mirror for reflecting at least one of a beam of light emitted from the first light-emitting element and a beam of light emitted from the second light-emitting element; and a light-receiving element for receiving the beams emitted by the first and second light-emitting elements and reflected by the surface to be measured and for outputting a signal corresponding to a quantity of light received. The mirror is arranged to cause respective optical paths of the beams emitted from the first and second light-emitting elements to be brought into close proximity to each other. Another mirror is provided for producing an optical path difference between the respective optical path lengths from the first and second light-emitting elements to the surface to be measured.