Patent ID: 6775012
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring an object on a support surface comprising:a chassis; a rotatable, multifaceted mirror wheel located on the chassis; a light source located on the chassis to selectively strike a facet of the mirror wheel; a reflective surface located on the chassis at a known distance from the support surface, the reflective surface receives light reflected from the selected facet of the mirror wheel, directs that light toward an object on the support surface, receives light reflected from the object and directs it back to the selected facet which redirects the reflected light; a detector located on the chassis with a field of detection that includes the selected facet, detects redirected light from the selected facet and outputs a signal that identifies a point of contact with the object; and a processor that receives the signal and establishes a measurement of distance between the support surface and the point of contact with the object.