Optical inverse-square displacement sensor
Abstract
This invention comprises an optical displacement sensor that uses the inverse-square attenuation of light reflected from a diffused surface to calculate the distance from the sensor to the reflecting surface. Light emerging from an optical fiber or the like is directed onto the surface whose distance is to be measured. The intensity I of reflected light is angle dependent, but within a sufficiently small solid angle it falls off as the inverse square of the distance from the surface. At least a pair of optical detectors are mounted to detect the reflected light within the small solid angle, their ends being at different distances R and R+.DELTA.R from the surface. The distance R can then be found in terms of the ratio of the intensity measurements and the separation length as ##EQU1##
- Inventors:
-
- San Mateo County, CA
- King County, WA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 867100
- Patent Number(s):
- 4865443
- Assignee:
- Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01C - MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG03-85ER13393
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- optical; inverse-square; displacement; sensor; comprises; attenuation; light; reflected; diffused; surface; calculate; distance; reflecting; emerging; fiber; directed; measured; intensity; angle; dependent; sufficiently; solid; falls; inverse; square; pair; detectors; mounted; detect; distances; delta; found; terms; ratio; measurements; separation; length; equ1; solid angle; optical detector; displacement sensor; light reflected; optical fiber; reflecting surface; reflected light; optical detectors; /356/396/
Citation Formats
Howe, Robert D, and Kychakoff, George. Optical inverse-square displacement sensor. United States: N. p., 1989.
Web.
Howe, Robert D, & Kychakoff, George. Optical inverse-square displacement sensor. United States.
Howe, Robert D, and Kychakoff, George. Sun .
"Optical inverse-square displacement sensor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867100.
@article{osti_867100,
title = {Optical inverse-square displacement sensor},
author = {Howe, Robert D and Kychakoff, George},
abstractNote = {This invention comprises an optical displacement sensor that uses the inverse-square attenuation of light reflected from a diffused surface to calculate the distance from the sensor to the reflecting surface. Light emerging from an optical fiber or the like is directed onto the surface whose distance is to be measured. The intensity I of reflected light is angle dependent, but within a sufficiently small solid angle it falls off as the inverse square of the distance from the surface. At least a pair of optical detectors are mounted to detect the reflected light within the small solid angle, their ends being at different distances R and R+.DELTA.R from the surface. The distance R can then be found in terms of the ratio of the intensity measurements and the separation length as ##EQU1##},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989}
}