Laser Straightness Measuring Apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for generating a laser line pattern for alignment, comprising of a collimated laser, a beam splitter, laser angular detection system, and a partially reflecting mirror equipped with a position detector on its back side. The laser beam is directed to the partially reflecting mirror, and the back reflection from said mirror is directed to an angular position aperture using a beam splitter. The angular position aperture will monitor the angle of reflection from said mirror as it moves along a path which its alignment accuracy is required. Moreover, said position detector mounted on partially reflecting mirror's back will monitor the position fluctuations in parallel to angular measurement performed by said angular measuring device. A method of generating a reference laser line is provided by a collimated laser, and deviations from laser beam path are recorded along a predeterminate section to yield position and angular behavior along the said predeterminate section.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: an optical element that includes a laser beam, a beam splitter in front of an optical laser angular sensitive device with an optical principal axis, wherein the split laser propagation axis coincides with the optics' principal axis of said laser angular sensitive device; said beam splitter in front of the optical laser angular sensitive device splits the beam such that one of the split beams coincides with said optical principal axis; said optical laser angular sensitive device comprises of a lens and a sensitive detector which is placed in respective to the lens to generate an angular reading of a reflected incoming laser beam; and a processor that calculates the laser angular readings deviation and activates the laser emittance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the said laser beam is reflected by a mirror element attached to the device to be measured.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a partially-reflected mirror element back reflects a part of the laser beam and allows the other part to pass through to a position sensitive detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the said laser beam is configured to have different wavelengths.

5. A method comprising: an optical element that includes a laser beam, a beam splitter in front of an optical laser angular sensitive device with an optical principal axis, wherein the split laser propagation axis coincides with the optics' principal axis of said laser angular sensitive device; said laser beam is a reference for measurements of angular deviations from a reflective element which is attached to the device to be measured; and the back reflected beam is monitored by an angle detection module which derives the angle by using said lens and the position sensitive device placed on its image plane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] For clarification, the various described embodiments are illustrated below. These figures are not drawn to scale and schematically describe the invention, but do not limit its applications.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the laser straightness measuring apparatus in accordance with some embodiments.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the laser straightness measuring apparatus in accordance with some embodiments.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the laser straightness measuring apparatus in conjunction with position sensitive device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of laser straightness measuring apparatus, wherein the device is configured to project a laser beam 102, generated by a laser, preferable collimated diode laser, denoted as 101, using a beam splitter denoted as 103. Said beam 102 is projected to coincide with the mechanical center of the device denoted as 104. Moreover, yet another mechanical interface device at the bottom of the apparatus and denoted as 105 is used to further allow accurate mechanical attachments which are parallel to said laser beam.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the proposed art, showing the optical ray-trace of laser system and the back reflected beam detection system. A laser beam 202 generated by said collimated laser 201 is projected through a beam splitter 211, and is split into two perpendicular beams 203 and 205. A mirror denoted as 204 could be positioned on a member to be aligned and the reflected beam 206 will be focused by a focusing lens 208 and refracted at an angle. The refracted beam is denoted as 207. The beam strikes a position sensitive detector denoted as 209 and its location on said detector is translated into the angular deflection as represented by 206. This information is transmitted to a computer device via an electric cable 210.

[0014] FIG. 3 is yet another embodiment wherein the laser straightness measuring apparatus is entangled with a position detector sensitive to the beam's position on its surface and partially reflects the incoming beam to be back reflected towards the input aperture of apparatus. The projected 302 emitted from the device 304 will strike the detector surface 305, generating electrical information regarding on its position on detector surface, part of the incoming beam 302 is back reflected by the detector's surface to be received by aperture of device 304. The back reflected beam 303 will be analyzed and its angular direction will be computed. 301 is the mechanical housing for said position sensitive detector.