# US 2009/0260240 A1 · Target object used for retroflexion of optical radiation

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- Number: US 2009/0260240 A1
- Document ID: US20090260240A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/441,826
- Filed: 2007-09-27
- Published: 2009-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-06
- Assignees: Leica Geosystems AG
- Inventors: Heinz Bernhard; Jurg Hinderling; Marco Petermann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260240A1

## CPC

- G02B 5/122: cube corner, trihedral or triple reflector type
- G01C 15/06: Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)

## Abstract

A target object (1a) used for retroflexion of optical radiation comprises at least six triple prisms (p1, p2), combined to give a 360 degree reflector which can be arranged on a geodetic measuring pole (6). The triple prisms (p1, p2) forming the 360 degree reflector are arranged in such a manner as to leave a clearance in the center of the 360 degree reflector for accommodating a section (6a) of the measuring pole (6). The prisms are also arranged in such a manner that the virtual images of the triple prism tips lie substantially in one plane perpendicular to a reference axis (10) that runs through the center of the 360 degree reflector and in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the measuring pole (6).

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-14. (canceled)

### Claim 15

A target object for retroreflection of optical radiation, comprising:
at least six triple prisms of the same type which are combined in an annular manner to form an all-round reflector, which all-round reflector is capable of being arranged on a geodetic plumbing staff, wherein:
the centre of the ring formed by the triple prisms forming the optical centre of the all-round reflector;
the triple prisms are in the form of triple prisms having in each case a triangular light entry surface;
successive, adjacent triple prisms being rotated through 180° relative to one another, with in each case directly touching lateral surfaces; and
the arrangement of the triple prisms is such that a clearance for receiving a part of the plumbing staff is present in the centre of the ring, in that the virtual images of the triple prism tips lie in each case substantially in a plane which is perpendicular to a reference axis passing through the centre of the ring and running parallel to the longitudinal extension of the plumbing staff.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein:
there are only six triple prisms of the same type; and
the triple prisms are in the form of substantially rotationally symmetrical triple prisms having in each case a substantially equilateral triangular light entry surface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein the triple prism tips are in the form of broken-off vertices.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein the triple prisms consist of glass having a refractive index n≧√3.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein the triple prisms are firmly connected to one another in a manner such that they are present in a stable ring.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein the triple prisms are cemented to one another in a manner such that they are present in a stable ring.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein—in a view onto the triple prism ring substantially in the direction of the plane perpendicular to the reference axis and passing through the centre of symmetry of the triple prism ring—the free openings of adjacent triple prisms are in contact with one another, and in the centroid of the area of all free openings is close to the centre of symmetry of the triple prism ring.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

A target object according to claim 15, wherein the triple prism ring is held via a double cone-like mount, which mount has two conical mount bodies, in each case with a central clearance for receiving the part of the plumbing staff, the tips of the two mount bodies pointing towards the centre of the triple prism ring.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein the triple prism ring is held in a floating manner via a double cone-like mount consisting preferably of hard and resilient rubber material, which mount has two conical mount bodies, in each case with a central clearance for receiving the part of the plumbing staff, the tips of the two mount bodies pointing towards the centre of the triple prism ring.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein a filling comprising flexible and resilient material is provided for corrosion protection between triple prism ring and mount.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein the part of the plumbing staff extends through the centre of the mount and hence through the centre of the triple prism ring, which part consists of carbon fibers and/or composite material.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein the plumbing staff part is held in the mount, in particular with initial stress, in such a way that a force-transmitting connection is produced from one mount body to the other mount body via the part of the plumbing staff, and the triple prism ring is substantially decoupled from the force transmission.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein resilient, shock-absorbing elements are coordinated with the two mount bodies—at each of the two ends of the double cone-like mount.

### Claim 28 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein resilient, shock-absorbing elements in the form of membranes are coordinated with the two mount bodies—at each of the two ends of the double cone-like mount.

### Claim 29 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22, wherein a passage for receiving, for example, optical or electrical connecting cables is provided—additionally or alternatively to the plumbing staff part—through the centre of the mount and hence through the centre of the triple prism ring.

### Claim 30 (depends on 22)

A target object according to claim 22 as a modular component for a plumbing staff, which is provided for receiving further components, including a GPS antenna, a further optical sighting device or a probe tip, the position of these components having a defined relationship with a reference point lying on the reference axis.

### Claim 31 (depends on 15)

A device comprising:
a plumbing staff;
a target object according to claim 15; and
a GPS antenna, the plumbing staff, target object and GPS antenna being combined in such a way that the reference axis of the target object and the reference axis of the GPS antenna coincide with the axis of the plumbing staff, and reference points which are coordinated with the target object on the one hand and the GPS antenna on the other hand lie on this common axis.

### Claim 32 (depends on 15)

A method including performing a measurement using a plumbing staff with target object according to claim 15 mounted thereon as a measuring probe.