# US 10,371,500 B2 · Incident-light illumination for a variable working distance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,500 B2 - Document ID: US10371500B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/726,425 - Filed: 2017-10-06 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-13 - Assignees: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH - Applicants: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH - Inventors: Dominik Seitz; Nils Haverkamp - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371500B2 ## CPC - G01B 11/005: {coordinate measuring machines} - F21V 5/04: of lens shape - F21V 14/06: by movement of refractors {(in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635)} - G02B 3/0037: {characterized by the distribution or form of lenses} - G02B 6/0001: {specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00)} - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A lens device for an illumination assembly. The lens device has light-entry and light-exit surfaces and comprises at least one ring region. Each ring region extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, and comprises a plurality of area segments. Each area segment forms a circular arc portion of a respective ring region and comprises a first end in the circumferential direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the circumferential direction. At the first end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary first angle in relation to the light-entry surface, and at the second end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary second angle in relation to the light-entry surface differing from the first angle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lens device for an illumination assembly, said lens device having a light-entry surface and a light-exit surface, wherein the lens device comprises at least one ring region, wherein each ring region extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, wherein each ring region comprises a plurality of area segments, wherein each area segment forms a circular arc portion of a respective ring region and wherein each area segment comprises a first end in the circumferential direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the circumferential direction, wherein, at the first end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary first angle in relation to the light-entry surface and wherein, at the second end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary second angle in relation to the light-entry surface, said second angle differing from the first angle, wherein all area segments of the same ring region have the same first angle in the direction of the central axis at the first end and the same second angle in the direction of the central axis at the second end, and wherein the respective first angles of the ring regions are different from one another and the respective second angles of the ring regions are different from one another. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the area segments of a respective ring region are arranged immediately adjoining one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each area segment is embodied with a continuous transition in the circumferential direction from the first angle to the second angle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The lens device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the continuous transition extends in a continuously increasing and/or linear fashion from the first angle to the second angle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one ring region is a completely closed ring and/or at least one ring region is a portion of a ring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each ring region is a completely closed ring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens device comprises a plurality of ring regions which are arranged in a concentric fashion about the central axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The lens device as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least two of the ring regions are arranged at different radial distances from the central axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens device is integral. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens device overall has the form of a closed ring which is arranged around the central axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an absolute value of the first angle of at least one of the ring regions lies in a range of 0° to 44.9° inclusive and an absolute value of the second angle of at least one of the ring regions lies in a range of 20° to 90° inclusive. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The lens device according to claim 11, wherein the absolute value of the first angle of at least one of the ring regions lies in a range of 5° to 19.9° and the absolute value of the second angle of at least one of the ring regions lies in a range of 20° to 45°. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens device comprises a free central region radially within the at least one ring region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each area segment is embodied as a free-form surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the area segments has a Fresnelized embodiment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The lens device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the area segments of a respective ring region of the at least one ring region are identical. ### Claim 17 An illumination assembly for a measuring machine for measuring a workpiece by means of an optical sensor, comprising at least one illumination arrangement, and wherein the illumination assembly further comprises a lens device having a light-entry surface and a light-exit surface, wherein the lens device comprises at least one ring region, wherein each ring region extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, wherein each ring region comprises a plurality of area segments, wherein each area segment forms a circular arc portion of a respective ring region and wherein each area segment comprises a first end in the circumferential direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the circumferential direction, wherein, at the first end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary first angle in relation to the light-entry surface and wherein, at the second end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary second angle in relation to the light-entry surface, said second angle differing from the first angle, wherein the illumination assembly comprises a plurality of illumination arrangements and wherein an illumination arrangement is assigned to each area segment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The illumination assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the illumination assembly comprises at least one drive device for rotating the lens device about the central axis relative to the at least one illumination assembly. ### Claim 19 An illumination assembly for a measuring machine for measuring a workpiece by means of an optical sensor, comprising at least one illumination arrangement, and wherein the illumination assembly further comprises a lens device having a light-entry surface and a light-exit surface, wherein the lens device comprises at least one ring region, wherein each ring region extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, wherein each ring region comprises a plurality of area segments, wherein each area segment forms a circular arc portion of a respective ring region and wherein each area segment comprises a first end in the circumferential direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the circumferential direction, wherein, at the first end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary first angle in relation to the light-entry surface and wherein, at the second end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary second angle in relation to the light-entry surface, said second angle differing from the first angle, wherein the at least one illumination arrangement comprises a light source and/or the illumination arrangement is a light-exit surface of an optical waveguide. ### Claim 20 A coordinate measuring machine for measuring a workpiece by means of an optical sensor, wherein the coordinate measuring machine further comprises an illumination assembly comprising at least one illumination arrangement, wherein the illumination assembly further comprises a lens device having a light-entry surface and a light-exit surface, wherein the lens device comprises at least one ring region, wherein each ring region extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, wherein each ring region comprises a plurality of area segments, wherein each area segment forms a circular arc portion of a respective ring region and wherein each area segment comprises a first end in the circumferential direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the circumferential direction, wherein, at the first end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary first angle in relation to the light-entry surface and wherein, at the second end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary second angle in relation to the light-entry surface, said second angle differing from the first angle, wherein a measurement cone of the optical sensor extends along the central axis, wherein the illumination assembly comprises a plurality of illumination arrangements and wherein an illumination arrangement is assigned to each area segment. ### Claim 21 A method for changing an illumination working distance of a coordinate measuring machine, wherein the coordinate measuring machine comprises an illumination assembly comprising a lens device, wherein the lens device extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, wherein the lens device has a light-entry surface and a light-exit surface, wherein the lens device comprises at least one ring region, wherein each ring region extends along a circumferential direction about a central axis of the lens device, wherein each ring region comprises a plurality of area segments, wherein each area segment forms a circular arc portion of a respective ring region and wherein each area segment comprises a first end in the circumferential direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the circumferential direction, wherein, at the first end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary first angle in relation to the light-entry surface and wherein, at the second end, the light-exit surface is inclined in the direction of the central axis by an arbitrary second angle in relation to the light-entry surface, said second angle differing from the first angle, wherein all area segments of the same ring region have the same first angle in the direction of the central axis at the first end and the same second angle in the direction of the central axis at the second end, and wherein the respective first angles of the ring regions are different from one another, and the respective second angles of the ring regions are different from one another, said method comprising the following step: Rotating the lens device about the central axis.