MULTICHANNEL OPTICAL TYPE FLYING SPOT TRIANGULATION DISTANCE MEASURING APPARATUS

摘要

PURPOSE: To measure the distance to a plurality of points equal to the number of optical detection channels every time when a surface is swept with a light beam by a constitution wherein each detector generates a signal pulse at a time which is a function of the distance to a surface. CONSTITUTION: This distance measuring equipment comprises a beam deflector 16 for generating a light beam L and sweeping a surface at high speed in a specified direction, a plurality of optical detection channels 19-1,..., 19-4 coupled optically with respective detectors 21-1,..., 21-4, and a light receiving lens 18 for focusing the image of a light spot onto the inlet face of adjacent detection channels 19-1,..., 19-4. When a light spot produced by the scanning light beam L traverses a small sense region 24-3,..., 24-4 on the surface, a detection channel 19-1,..., 19-4 receives the light and a corresponding detector 21-1,..., 21-4 generates an electric signal pulse. Consequently, a plurality of measurements of distance equal to the number of detection channels can be obtained every time when a surface is swept with a light beam L.