Patent ID: 7834984

Claim:
A device for optically measuring distance, comprising: a transmission unit ( 12 ) that includes a light source ( 17 , 18 ) for emitting optical measurement radiation ( 13 , 20 , 22 ) toward a target object ( 15 ); and a receiving unit ( 14 ) that is located a distance away from the optical axis ( 38 ) of the transmission unit ( 12 ) and includes at least one optical detector ( 54 ) for receiving optical radiation ( 16 , 49 , 50 ) reflected by the target object ( 15 ), wherein the detection surface ( 66 ) of the detector ( 54 ) includes an optical close-range element ( 68 ) whose optically active surface ( 72 , 74 ) is elongated in the direction ( 61 ) of a beam displacement for decreasing target-object distances ( 48 ) and expands, at least partially, in the direction orthogonal thereto, or it expands in an essentially constant manner.