Patent ID: 7330242

Claim:
An apparatus for recording an object space containing at least one object to be recorded, said apparatus comprising: opto-electronic range finder means including a transmitter unit for transmitting optical signals along an optical transmitter axis to be reflected by said object; and a receiver unit for receiving optical signals along an optical receiver axis after reflection by said object; scanning means for deviating the optical axes of said transmitter and receiver units, said optical axes of the transmitter and receiver units extending substantially in parallel; optical means for directing said optical transmitter signals towards said object and to direct said optical receiver signals to said receiver unit, said optical means including means forming a pedestal, hollow shaft means rotatably supported on said pedestal and defining an axis of rotation; a measuring head on said hollow shaft means for directing said optical transmitter signals towards said object and to obtain said optical receiver signals; mirror means arranged in a stationary fashion with respect to the measuring head, to deviate axially incident beams, in relation to the hollow shaft, in radial direction and vice-versa; wherein radiation of the stationary transmitter unit is lead in axial direction, in relation to the hollow shaft, and is transmitted in radial direction by said mirror means, while said optical receiver signals reflected from said object are deviated by said mirror means in the direction of said axis of rotation of said hollow shaft to be directed to said receiver unit which is also stationary arranged; and an evaluation unit coupled to said range finder means to compare said optical transmitter signals and said optical receiver signals to determine distance values from said delay and to convert them into corresponding data elements, said evaluation unit being also coupled to said scanning means so as to determine spatial coordinates of said individual data elements and the beam deviation of the scanning device.