Patent ID: 7528400

Claim:
A triangulation sensing device for measuring the distance from a target that comprises: a sensor head that is disposed adjacent the target wherein the sensor head includes (i) a source of incident radiation that emits incident radiation along a first path and (ii) means for detecting reflected radiation from an interrogation spot on a surface of the target; means for optically translating the incident radiation that comprises a first transparent optical element which is positioned in the first path and between the sensor head and the target wherein incident radiation is refracted by the first transparent optical element such that incident radiation exiting the first transparent optical element is directed along a second path toward an interrogation spot on a surface of the target from where radiation is reflected along on a third path and wherein the first path has a direction that is different from that of the second path; and means for optically translating the reflected radiation from the interrogation spot that comprises a second transparent optical element which is positioned in the third path and between the sensor head and the target wherein reflected radiation is refracted by the second transparent optical element such that the reflected radiation that exits the second transparent optical element travels along a fourth path and is detected by the means for detecting reflected radiation and wherein the third path has a direction that is different from that of the fourth path.