Patent ID: 7038793

Claim:
Sensor device for performing optical measurement of distances according to the confocal imaging principle, comprising: a point-shaped light-emitting element, arranged on an optical axis; a reflector, arranged perpendicular to the optical axis and displaceable along the optical axis; imaging optics centered with regard to the optical axis; and a point-shaped light-receiving element, situated at the same location as the light-emitting element, whereby light emitted by the light-emitting element is adapted to be reflected by the reflector, when the reflector is displaced, the imaging optics are adapted to focus the light reflected by the reflector at least once onto a surface to be measured, the focussed light is adapted to be at least partially backscattered by the surface to be measured, and when the reflector is displaced, the imaging optics are adapted to focus, via the reflector, the backscattered light at least once onto the light-receiving element.