US 5,208,647 A · Method and apparatus for the optical measurement of an angle between positions of components relative to each other

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for the optical measurement of an angle between the positions of components relative to each other, such as the wheels of a motor vehicle, a light beam is directed along a first side of the angle to be measured towards the apex thereof and from there is transmitted at intervals of time which each correspond to a full 360.degree. rotation for a first signal registration step at a first moment in time. A second light beam is directed along the second side of the angle to the apex thereof and from there is transmitted, relative to the respective first moment in time, with a time difference corresponding to the angle between the first and second light beams, for a second signal registration operation, at a second moment in time. The magnitude of the angle is calculated from the interval between the two signal registration operations.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for optically measuring an angle between positions of components relative to one another, comprising the steps of:

(a) emitting at least one first light beam along a first side of an angle to be measured, said angle having an apex, towards a rotating light transmission means disposed at said apex of said angle;
(b) transmitting said first light beam at interval of time corresponding to one full rotation of said rotating light transmission means, such that said first light beam is registered at a first moment in time;
(c) emitting at least one second light beam along a second side of said angle to be measured, towards said rotating light transmission means;
(d) transmitting said second light beam at intervals of time corresponding to one full rotation of said rotating light transmission means, such that said second light beam is registered at a second moment in time relative to said first moment in time;
and
(e) calculating the magnitude of said angle based on the time interval between said first moment in time and said second moment in time.

3 more elements

An apparatus for the optical measurement of an angle between positions of components relative to each other, comprising:

(a) a first light beam source for emitting a first light beam along a first side of said angle, towards the apex of said angle;
(b) a second light beam source for emitting a second light beam along a second side of said angle, towards said apex of said angle;
(c) aperture means disposed at said apex of said angle, said aperture means adapted to rotate at least in a plane in which said angle lies, said aperture means further adapted to transmit, with a narrow transmission region, said light beams incident thereon from said first and second sources;
(d) light receiving means oriented to receive said light beams having said narrow transmission region transmitted by said aperture means;
(e) signal registering means connected to said light receiving means for registering output signals from said light receiving means;
and
(f) calculating means, connected to said signal registering means, for calculating said angle between said first and second sides of said angle from the time interval between first and second registrations of said first and second light beams.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for the optical measurement of an angle between positions of components relative to each other

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for the optical measurement of an angle between positions of components relative to each other

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20