Patent ID: 7071460

Claim:
An optical measuring probe for measuring distance to a reflective target, the probe comprising: a light source for projection of focused light rays onto the target, an optical element for transmitting light rays by total internal reflection, said optical element having a receiving end, an emitting end, and a longitudinal axis, said emitting end having an emitting face, said longitudinal axis at said receiving end in substantially parallel relation with and spaced from said focused rays of light, said receiving end having a receiving face substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis for receiving reflected rays of light from said focused rays of light incident on the target, said reflected rays of light incident on said receiving face forming an incident angle relative to said longitudinal axis at said receiving end, said reflected rays emerging from said emitting face forming an emerging angle relative to said longitudinal axis at said emitting end, and a light detector for measuring said emerging angle.