Patent ID: 6976395

Claim:
An optical device for measuring pressure or force, comprising: an electro-magnetic radiation source for emitting electro-magnetic radiation at least one photo detector; a fixedly constructed body having a selected one of a reflective coating and no reflective coating; and an electro-magnetic radiation reflecting element formed of at least one of a pressure membrane and a spring each having a reflecting surface that, upon impingement thereon of the electro-magnetic radiation emitted by the electro-magnetic radiation source, at least partially reflects such radiation as a reflected radiation, the electro-magnetic radiation source being arranged relative to the electro-magnetic radiation reflecting element such that the electro-magnetic radiation falls at an angle between 0° and no more than 90° onto the reflecting surface of the respective pressure membrane or spring of the electro-magnetic radiation reflecting element, and the fixedly constructed body being configured such that, in connection with a selected one of a condition in which the electro-magnetic radiation reflecting element does not have a pressure applied thereagainst and a condition in which the electro-magnetic radiation reflecting element has a pressure applied thereagainst, at least a portion of the fixedly constructed body extends into the reflected radiation that is reflected from the electro-magnetic radiation reflecting element so as to cause a portion of the reflected radiation to be at least one of substantially absorbed, bent, scattered, further reflected, and sub-divided, and the at least one photo detector being arranged relative to the fixedly constructed body for impingement thereon of the reflected radiation that has been alternatively reflected, bent, scattered, further reflected or sub-divided.