Patent ID: 8300215

Claim:
An optical sensor based on the transit time principle, comprising: a light source for emitting emergent light pulses into an observed region; a rotating device for rotating a beam direction of the emergent light pulses about a rotation axis orientated at right angles to the beam direction; a detector for detecting light pulses reflected by objects in the observed region; and a control and evaluation unit for controlling the light source, for evaluating the light pulses detected by the detector, and for determining a distance of an object using a measured transit time of the light pulses; wherein the rotating device includes a rotor and a stator, and wherein the light source, the detector, and an electronic assembly forming part of the control and evaluating unit are disposed for joint rotation on the rotor; wherein between the stator and the rotor there is provided a transformer link for transferring energy from the stator to the rotor.