Patent Publication Number: US-2017363420-A1

Title: Laser beam path of laser distance measure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a laser distance measure, and more particularly, to a laser beam path of laser distance measures so as to precisely control movement of the device cooperated with the laser distance measure. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional laser distance measures are used for measure distance from the laser beam source to an object, and the widely used movable vacuum cleaners are cooperated with a laser distance measure to measure the distance from the cleaner to a fixed object so as to control the movement of the cleaner and not to hit the object hard. Some plants are equipped with carts which use the laser distance measures to move goods without need of labors. 
     Most of the travel routes are fixed and pre-programmed in the cleaners or carts, once objects are moved, the users have to set the route of the cleaners or carts again. Generally, there are two reflectors used in the conventional laser distance measure, the first reflector reflects the laser beam toward the object, and the second reflect the laser beams bounced back from the object and toward the processing unit which calculates the distance that the cleaner and cart moves. The laser beams have to pass through the second reflector and moves toward the first reflector which guides the laser beams toward the object. This conventional laser beam path may cause the laser beams to have a slightly shift so that the distance measured is not precise. 
     One of the known laser distance measures uses a motor and a belt to rotate the whole distance measure unit. However, this requires a large case and is heavy so that the motor has to be a high power motor and also consumes a lot of power. Besides, how to provide power to a rotary unit and how to send data have a certain level of difficulty. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,305,561 uses two reflectors which are arranged to be perpendicular with each other, and are responsible for emitting laser beams and receiving the laser beams that is bounced back. The system is an off-axis system which cannot deal with the measure within a short distance. U.S. Pat. No. 7,589,826 uses a reflector that has a half area for reflection and half area for the laser beams to pass it through, and the emitting unit and the receiving unit are arranged to be co-axial. However, the reflector can only reflect 25% of the energy and the ability of distance measurement is reduced 50%. 
     The present invention intends to provide a laser distance measure which is focused on the laser beam path so as to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a laser beam path device received in a laser distance measure, and comprises a box having a receiving unit and a first reflector respectively in two ends of the box. The first reflector is inclinedly installed and has a hole defined centrally therethrough. The receiving unit controls displacement of the laser distance measure. A driving unit is located above the first reflector and has a second reflector received therein which is located corresponding to the first reflector. An opening is defined through the driving unit and located corresponding to the second reflector. A laser unit is connected to the box and emits laser beams which passes through the hole of the first reflector and is reflected by the second reflector, and the laser beams move toward an object. The laser beams are bounced back by the object and reflected first and second reflectors, and received by the receiving unit. The receiving unit processes the received laser beams so as to control the displacement of the laser distance measure. 
     Preferably, the box has a first room and a second room which communicates with the first room. The first reflector is located in the first room, and the receiving unit is located in the second room. The first reflector has a first reflection face which faces the second room. 
     Preferably, the driving unit has a motor, a cover and a belt. The cover has one end pivotably connected to the box and located above the first room. The cover has a third room defined therein which communicates with the opening and the first room. The second reflector is located in the third room and located corresponding to the first reflection face of the first reflector. A groove is defined around the outside of the cover. The motor has a driving shaft. The belt is engaged with the groove and driven by the driving shaft. The motor drives the driving shaft which rotates the belt, and the belt rotates the cover relative to the box. A board is connected to the box, and the motor is connected to the board. 
     Preferably, the driving unit has a motor and a cover, the cover has one end pivotably connected to the box and located above the first room. The cover has a third room defined therein which communicates with the opening and the first room. The second reflector is located in the third room and located corresponding to the first reflection face of the first reflector. The motor has a driving shaft which is pivotably connected to the cover. The motor drives the driving shaft which rotates the belt. The belt rotates the cover relative to the box. A frame has multiple legs which are connected to the box. The motor is connected to the underside of the frame. 
     Preferably, the driving unit has a motor and a cover, wherein the motor is located in the first room and above the first reflector. The motor has a case and a core which is rotatably located in the case. A passage is defined centrally through the core and located corresponding to the hole of the first reflector. The cover has one end pivotably connected to the core of the motor. The cover has a third room defined therein which communicates with the opening, the first room and the passage. The second reflector is located in the third room and located corresponding to the first reflection face of the first reflector. The laser beams passes through the hole of the first reflector and the passage of the core, and reaches the second reflector. 
     Preferably, a lens is located between the first reflector and the receiving unit. The receiving unit has at least one control unit which faces the lens. The first reflector reflects the laser beams from the laser unit and the laser beams moves toward the lens. The lens collects the laser beams which reaches the at least one control unit. The at least one control unit receives the laser beams and calculates the laser beams to control the displacement of the laser distance measure. 
     Preferably, reflection material is coated to the first reflection face of the first reflector and the face of the second reflector that faces the first reflection face. 
     Preferably, a tube extends through the hole of the first reflector. The laser beams from the laser unit passes through the tube and reaches the second reflector. 
     The present invention further provides another embodiment which comprises a box having a receiving unit located at the first end thereof, and a first reflector is received in the box and located at the second end of the box. The first reflector is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the box and has a hole defined centrally therethrough. The receiving unit controls the displacement of the laser distance measure. 
     A laser unit is connected to the box and emits laser beams toward the first reflector. The laser beams pass through the hole of the first reflector and moves toward the second reflector which reflects the laser beams which pass through the opening and toward an object to form the outgoing path. The laser beams are reflected by the object and reflected by the first reflector and toward to the receiving unit to form the incoming path. The receiving unit receives the laser beams and controls the displacement of the laser distance measure. 
     Preferably, the box has a first room and a second room which communicates with the first room. The first reflector is located in the first room. The receiving unit is located in the second room. The first reflector has a first reflection face which faces the second room. Reflection material is coated to the first reflection face of the first reflector. 
     Preferably, a lens is located between the first reflector and the receiving unit. The receiving unit has at least one control unit which faces the lens. The first reflector reflects the laser beams from the laser unit and the laser beams move toward the lens. The lens collects the laser beams and the laser beams reach the at least one control unit. The at least one control unit receives the laser beams and calculates the laser beams to control the displacement of the laser distance measure. 
     Preferably, a tube extends through the hole of the first reflector. The laser beams from the laser unit pass through the tube and reach the first reflector. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view to show the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows the outgoing path of the laser beams of the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows the incoming path of the laser beams of the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows the travel path of the laser beams when using the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view to show the second embodiment of the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows the third embodiment of the present invention, wherein each of the first and second reflectors has the reflection material coated thereon; 
         FIG. 8  shows a lens is used in the embodiment of the laser beam path device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  shows the laser beam path of the laser beam path device of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows the cross sectional view of the third embodiment of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 11  shows the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the laser beam path device received in a laser distance measure of the present invention comprises a box  1  having a receiving unit  2  located at the first end thereof, and a first reflector  3  is received in the box  1  and located at the second end of the box  1 . The first reflector  3  is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the box  1  and has a hole  31  defined centrally therethrough. The receiving unit  2  controls displacement of the laser distance measure which is installed in a cart or a cleaner which is not shown. 
     A driving unit  4  is connected to the top of the box  1  and located above the first reflector  3 . The driving unit  4  has a second reflector  5  which is located corresponding to the first reflector  3 . An opening  41  is defined through the driving unit  4  and located corresponding to the second reflector  5 . The driving unit  4  is rotatably relative to the box  1 . 
     A laser unit  6  is connected to the underside of the box  1  and beneath the first reflector  3 . The laser unit  6  emits laser beams which pass through the hole  31  of the first reflector  3  and moves toward the second reflector  5  which reflects the laser beams which then pass through the opening  41  and move toward an object to form an outgoing path  7 . The laser beams are reflected by the object and reflected by the first reflector  3  and toward to the receiving unit  2  to form an incoming path  8 . The receiving unit  2  receives the laser beams to further control the displacement of the laser distance measure. The laser beams can be visible and invisible for human, the invisible laser beams are shown by phantom lines in  FIG. 5 . When the receiving unit  2  receives the laser beams, the receiving unit  2  processes a series of calculation and judgement to control the precise displacement of the cart or the cleaner as shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the box  1  has a first room  11  and a second room  12  which communicates with the first room  11 . The first reflector  3  is located in the first room  11 , and the receiving unit  2  is located in the second room  12 . The first reflector  3  has a first reflection face  32  which faces the second room  12 . The laser beams are reflected by the first reflection face  32  and move toward to the second room  12 . The receiving unit  2  located in the second room  12  receives the laser beams reflected from the first reflector  3 . In other words, the laser unit  6  emits the laser beams to pass through the outgoing end  61  thereof and detects the object, the second reflector  5  reflects the laser beams toward the first reflection face  32  of the first reflector  3 , the first reflection face  32  reflects the laser beams toward the receiving unit  2 , so that the receiving unit  2  processes a series of calculation and judgement to control the precise displacement of the cart or the cleaner. A lens  9  is located in the second room  12  and between the first reflector  3  and the receiving unit  2 . The lens  9  collects and concentrates the laser beams that are reflected by the first reflection face  32  so as to ensure that all of the laser beams of the incoming path  8  in the second room  12  are received by the receiving unit  2 . The receiving unit  2  has at least one control unit  21  which faces the lens  9 . The laser beams reach the at least one control unit  21 . The at least one control unit  21  receives the laser beams and calculates the laser beams to control the displacement of the laser distance measure. The lens  9  is not necessarily installed in the second room  12 . The number of the at least one control unit  21  changes according to the installation of the lens  9 . When there is a lens  9 , the number of the at least one control unit  21  can be only one. As shown in  FIG. 2 , when there is no lens  9 , the number of the at least one control unit  21  must be plural so as to receive all of the laser beams reflected from the first reflector  3 . No matter there is a lens  9  or there is no lens  9 , the receiving unit  2  can precisely control the displacement of the cart or the cleaner. 
     The driving unit  4  has three different embodiments, the first embodiment of the driving unit  4  comprises a motor  42 , a cover  43  and a belt  44 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cover  43  is a pyramid-shaped cover and has one end pivotably connected to the box  1  and located above the first room  11 . The cover  43  has a third room  431  defined therein which communicates with the opening  41  and the first room  11 . The laser beams coining from the first room  11  pass through the third room  431  and the opening  41 . The second reflector  5  is located in the third room  431  and located corresponding to the first reflection face  32  of the first reflector  3 . A groove  432  is defined around the outside of the cover  43 . The motor  42  is located beside the box  1  and has a driving shaft  421 . The belt  44  is engaged with the groove  432  and driven by the driving shaft  421 . The motor  42  drives the driving shaft  421  which rotates the belt  44 , and the belt  44  rotates the cover  43  relative to the box  1 . The position of the opening  41  changes along with the rotation of the cover  43 . Therefore, the laser beams passing through the opening  41  shoot within a range of 360 degrees. A board  13  is connected to the box  1 , and the motor  42  is connected to the board  13 . 
     The second embodiment of the driving unit  4  comprises a motor  42  and a cover  43 . The difference of the second embodiment from the first embodiment is that the second embodiment does not have the belt  44  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The cover  43  is rotatable relative to the box  1  by the rotation of the driving shaft  421 . The motor  42  is connected to the top of the cover  43  so as to rotate the cover  43  to change the position of the opening  41 . A frame  14  has multiple legs  141  which are connected to the box  1 . The motor  42  is connected to the underside of the frame  14 . 
     The third embodiment of the driving unit  4  is shown in  FIG. 8 . The difference of the third embodiment from the first and second embodiments is the design of the motor  42 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the motor  42  has a case  422  and a core  423  which is rotatably located in the case  422 . A passage  424  is defined centrally through the core  423  and located corresponding to the hole  31  of the first reflector  3 . The cover  43  has one end pivotably connected to the core  423  of the motor  42 . The cover  43  has a third room  431  defined therein which communicates with the opening  41 , the first room  11  and the passage  424 . The second reflector  5  is located in the third room  431  and located corresponding to the first reflection face  32  of the first reflector  3 . The laser beams pass through the hole  31  of the first reflector  3  and the passage  424  of the core  423 , and reach the second reflector  5 . All of the three embodiments can rotate the cover  43  to assist the laser distance measure to move in different directions. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show yet another embodiment wherein the difference of the embodiment in  FIGS. 9 and 10  from the above mentioned embodiments is that there is no driving unit  4 . The box  1  is installed upward to the cart or the cleaner. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the laser beams pass through the outgoing end  61  of the laser unit  6  and pass through the hole  31  of the first reflector  3 , the laser beams directly reach the object. The laser beams are then reflected by the object and reach the first reflection face  32  and move toward the receiving unit  2 . The receiving unit  2  receives the laser beams to calculate and make judgement to control the displacement of the laser distance measure.  FIG. 11  further discloses another embodiment, wherein a tube  33  extends through the hole  31  of the first reflector  3 . The laser beams from the laser unit  6  pass through the tube  33  and reach the second reflector  5 . The tube  33  further concentrates the laser beams and avoids other light source from entering the lens  9 . 
     The reflection material  10  is coated to the first reflection face  32  of the first reflector  3  and the face of the second reflector  5  that faces the first reflection face  32 . This ensures that the laser beams, either in the outgoing path  7  or the incoming path  8  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , do not shift so that the laser beams precisely reach to the at least one control unit  21 . 
     The hole  31  of the first reflector  3  ensures the laser beams not to shift at the first place. Therefore, the laser beams bounce back from the object and are reflected by the second reflector  5  and the first reflection face  32  of the first reflector  3 , and then are received by the receiving unit  2 . Besides, the driving unit  4  allows the laser distance measure to detect 360 degrees around the laser distance measure. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.