GB2321102A - Single optical fibre reflective sensor - Google Patents

Single optical fibre reflective sensor Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2321102A
GB2321102A GB9700354A GB9700354A GB2321102A GB 2321102 A GB2321102 A GB 2321102A GB 9700354 A GB9700354 A GB 9700354A GB 9700354 A GB9700354 A GB 9700354A GB 2321102 A GB2321102 A GB 2321102A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
fibre
optical fibre
single optical
light
infrared
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9700354A
Other versions
GB9700354D0 (en
Inventor
Neil Martyn Crick
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9700354A priority Critical patent/GB2321102A/en
Publication of GB9700354D0 publication Critical patent/GB9700354D0/en
Publication of GB2321102A publication Critical patent/GB2321102A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D5/00—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable
    • G01D5/26—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable characterised by optical transfer means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light
    • G01D5/268—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable characterised by optical transfer means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light using optical fibres

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Geophysics And Detection Of Objects (AREA)

Abstract

A single optical fibre 1 carries light (including infrared) from a source 11 to an object 3 and back to a detector 12. To prevent light from the source reaching the detector directly, one end 7 of the fibre is optically divided into two areas 9 and 8 eg by a separator plate 10. Light from the source enters through one area 9 and exits through the other area 9 to the detector 12, the output of which is connected to a meter which indicates the amount of reflection by the object. The object may be a rotatable disk having reflective and absorbing sections 5 and 6.

Description

SINGLE OPTICAL FIBRE REFLECTIVE SENSOR This invention relates to a single optical fibre reflective sensor.
It is usual for reflective sensors to use an optical (or infrared ) emitter and optical (or infrared ) detector angled to each other so that the light projected from the emitter is seen by the detector after being reflected off an object.
It would be obvious to add two optical fibres in order to sense reflection from an object remote from the emitter and detector.
One fibre to carry the source of light (or infrared ) The other fibre to return the reflected light (or infrared) to an optical (or infrared ) sensor According to the present invention there is provided a single optical fibre.
At one end of it the cross sectional area is optically divided into two areas.
One of these areas takes light (or infrared ) into the fibre. The other area emits light (or infrared ) that has been reflected by an object at the far end of the fibre.
This emitted light is measured by an optical sensor the output of which indicates the amount of reflected light (or infrared ) from the object at the far end of the optical fibre.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a method of dividing the cross sectional area of the fibre into two.
Referring to the drawing a single optical fibre 1 has one of its ends 2 close to a disk 3 which pivots 4. This allows the disk 3 to be rotated such that it can offer the optically reflective section of the disk 5 or the optically absorbing section of the disk 6 to the end of the fibre 2.
At the other end of the fibre 7 a separator plate 10 The " CRICK SEPARATOR " divides the cross sectional area of the fibre into two.
The one area 9 accepts light into the fibre from the light (or infrared ) source 11.
The other area 8 emits light reflected back from the disk 3 at the far end of the fibre 2.
This reflected light (or infrared) is monitored by the optoelectronic sensor 12 and indicated on a meter 13.
The separator 10 prevents light (or infrared ) from reaching the optical sensor 12 DIRECTLY. i.e. the light ( or infrared ) must have travelled down the fibre 1 to the far end 2 and be reflected back up the fibre to be measured.
The emitter 11, detector 12 and separator plate 10 and end of the fibre 7 are shielded from external light and infrared.
The disk 3 and the end of the fibre 2 are shielded from external light and infrared.
The disk 3 may be replaced by any part which is capable of changing its amount of reflection

Claims (4)

  1. CLAIMS 1 A single optical fibre at one end of it the cross sectional area is optically divided into two areas. One of these areas takes light (or infrared) into the fibre. The other area emits light (or infrared ) that has been reflected by an object at the far end of the fibre.
    2 A single optical fibre as claimed in claim 1 wherein a separator plate divides the cross-sectional area into two.
    3 A single optical fibre as claimed in claim 1 wherein the emitted light is measured by an optical sensor the output of which indicates the amount of reflection from the object at the far end of the optical fibre.
    Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1 A single optical fibre at one end of it the cross sectional area is optically divided into two areas by a separator . One of these areas takes light (or infrared ) into the fibre. The other area emits light (or infrared ) that has been reflected by an object at the far end of the fibre.
  2. 2 A single optical fibre as claimed in claim 1 wherein the separator is a plate which divides the cross-sectional area into two.
  3. 3 A single optical fibre as claimed in claim 1 wherein the separator is a flat plate which divides the cross-sectional area into two.
  4. 4 A single optical fibre as claimed in claims 1 to 3 wherein the emitted light is measured by an optical sensor the output of which indicates the amount of reflection from the object at the far end of the optical fibre.
GB9700354A 1997-01-09 1997-01-09 Single optical fibre reflective sensor Withdrawn GB2321102A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9700354A GB2321102A (en) 1997-01-09 1997-01-09 Single optical fibre reflective sensor

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9700354A GB2321102A (en) 1997-01-09 1997-01-09 Single optical fibre reflective sensor

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9700354D0 GB9700354D0 (en) 1997-02-26
GB2321102A true GB2321102A (en) 1998-07-15

Family

ID=10805725

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9700354A Withdrawn GB2321102A (en) 1997-01-09 1997-01-09 Single optical fibre reflective sensor

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2321102A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2326999A (en) * 1997-07-03 1999-01-06 Sony Corp Optical communications apparatus with an off centre light emitter

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4493113A (en) * 1982-09-10 1985-01-08 At&T Bell Laboratories Bidirectional fiber optic transmission systems and photodiodes for use in such systems
US4564755A (en) * 1982-08-17 1986-01-14 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Transmission and reception device for a fiber-optical sensor system
WO1992012445A1 (en) * 1989-06-09 1992-07-23 George Papageorgiou Fibreoptic connector system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4564755A (en) * 1982-08-17 1986-01-14 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Transmission and reception device for a fiber-optical sensor system
US4493113A (en) * 1982-09-10 1985-01-08 At&T Bell Laboratories Bidirectional fiber optic transmission systems and photodiodes for use in such systems
WO1992012445A1 (en) * 1989-06-09 1992-07-23 George Papageorgiou Fibreoptic connector system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2326999A (en) * 1997-07-03 1999-01-06 Sony Corp Optical communications apparatus with an off centre light emitter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9700354D0 (en) 1997-02-26

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)