Inventors:
Harry G. Petrohilos - Yellow Springs OH
Assignee:
LaserMike, Inc. - Dayton OH
International Classification:
A61B 500
Abstract:
A miniaturized laser scanning micrometer for making precision hand-held measurements comprises a compact housing for enclosing the micrometer and defining a main body handle portion which is gripped to hold the micrometer and a scanning gap extension projecting from the main body to define a scanning gap at a distance spaced from the main body. A laser diode and collimating lens housed within the main body generate a collimated laser beam and a photocell housed within the main body detect the collimated laser beam after it has been scanned through the scanning gap. A motor driven scanner mirror receives the collimated laser beam and repeatedly scans it upon a folding mirror which directs the laser beam toward the distal end of the scanning gap extension along one side thereof. A scanner prism is positioned at the distal end of the one side of the extension, a receiver prism is positioned at the distal end of the opposite side of the extension, a scanner lens is positioned between the folding mirror and the scanner prism, and a receiver lens is positioned between the receiver prism and the photocell. Accordingly, the collimated laser beam is scanned onto the folding mirror, directed to the scanner prism through the scanner lens, scanned across the scanning gap to the receiver prism which directs the beam through the receiver lens to the photocell.