Apparatus and method for detecting the position and orientation of a reference beam of light
AssigneeSpectra-Physics, Inc.
InventorTed L. Teach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting the relative position and orientation of a reference beam of light includes first and second detectors for detecting the intersection of the reference beam with first and second spaced and substantially parallel reference planes. The measured horizontal and vertical deviations between the points of intersection on the two reference planes provide an indication of the orientation of the beam with respect to the apparatus.
Claims16
Apparatus mountable on a machine, such as a tunnel boring machine, for detecting the position and orientation of the machine with respect to a reference beam of light, comprising:
- first means for detecting the intersection of said beam with a first reference plane,
- second means for detecting the intersection of said beam with a second reference plane, said second reference plane being spaced from and substantially parallel to said first reference plane, and
- means, responsive to said first and second detector means, for determining the orientation of said beam with respect to said first and second reference planes.
Apparatus for tunneling through the earth in a precisely controlled path, comprising:
- projection means for providing a reference beam of light directed generally along said precisely controlled path;
- earthmoving means for tunneling through the earth;
- detector means, mounted on said earthmoving means, for detecting the position and orientation of said reference beam of light with respect to said earthmoving means, said detector means having first means for detecting the intersection of said reference beam with a first reference plane and second means for detecting the intersection of said reference beam with a second reference plane, said second reference plane being spaced from and substantially parallel to said first reference plane;
- and
- means responsive to said first and second detector means for determining the orientation of said reference beam with respect to said first and second reference planes.
A method of detecting the relative position and orientation of apparatus with respect to a reference beam of light, comprising the steps of:
- detecting the point of intersection of the reference beam with a first reference plane defined by the apparatus,
- detecting the point of intersection of the reference beam with a second reference plane defined by the apparatus, said second reference plane being substantially parallel to and spaced from said first reference plane, and
- determining the deviation between said beam and a reference line extending substantially perpendicular to said first and second reference planes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.