JP2001021344A - Multi-purpose portable light and portable laser distance meter and portable laser reflector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-purpose light constituted so as to be made convenient for a policeman or the like to always carry at the time of patrolling by a bicycle, and provided with the function of a laser distance meter for allowing even one person to easily realize distance measurement. SOLUTION: In a multi-purpose portable light 1, a cylindrical housing 2 for housing a battery 14 is provided with a laser light source 11, a sensor 18 for receiving laser lights, a distance calculating circuit 6, and a display part 10 for displaying the calculated distance. Moreover, a guide light 3 which can be housed in the housing 2 is arranged at one edge part of the housing 2, and a light 4 is arranged at the other edge part of the housing 2, and switches 7 and 8 of the guide light 3 and the light 4 are arranged on the outer peripheral face of the housing 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-purpose portable light which is convenient for a police officer or the like to carry at all times, a portable laser distance meter for measuring the distance between arbitrary points in the field inspection of a traffic accident, and the like, and Related to portable laser reflectors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A police officer encounters various situations when traveling around the city by bicycle or motorcycle. For example, when an incident or accident occurs suddenly, an inspection or traffic control is performed using a red guide light. If this is nighttime, a flashlight is also needed.

In some cases, it is necessary to measure the distance between arbitrary points as part of site verification. Conventionally, distance measurement in the on-site inspection of a traffic accident has been performed using a measure, a triangulation instrument, and the like, and a plurality of workers were required.

[0004]

As described above, police officers have to use red guide lights during patrols in order to respond to various situations.
It is preferable to carry various devices such as a flashlight and a distance measuring device at all times, but carrying such a large number of devices would cause lack of mobility, and in reality, carry the devices used as needed. are doing.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a multi-purpose portable light that is convenient to be carried at all times while traveling on a bicycle or a motorcycle by combining the functions of a guide light, a flashlight and a distance measuring device into a single device. The purpose is to provide. Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable laser distance meter capable of performing accurate distance measurement by one person. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable laser reflector for use with the portable laser distance meter.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has taken the following technical means.

That is, the portable laser rangefinder of the present invention comprises a laser light source for performing laser ranging, a sensor for receiving laser light, a distance calculation circuit, and a calculated distance in a cylindrical housing capable of housing a battery. Is provided on the display unit. According to this, a battery serving as an energy source of a laser light source is housed in a housing, and a component for a laser distance is incorporated in the housing. It is possible to hold it without disturbing the waist or the like.

[0008] As the laser light source, an infrared laser diode can be used, and other semiconductor laser elements can be used. Further, as a sensor, a photodiode (particularly, an avalanche photodiode having a good frequency response and an amplifying action) or a CC
D, an infrared sensor, or the like can be used. Further, a liquid crystal display device can be used as the display portion. Each of these electronic components has an advantage that power consumption is relatively low and one or several dry batteries can be driven.

The circuit configuration and calculation method of the distance calculation circuit can be implemented in various modes. For example,
The linear distance to the reflector can be calculated based on the time from when the laser light emitted from the laser light source is reflected by the reflector and enters the sensor. In this case, a pulse light source is generally used as the laser light source. That is, the distance L to the place where the reflector is installed can be easily obtained by the following equation (1), where c is the speed of the laser beam in the atmosphere.

[0010]

(Equation 1)

Here, Δt is the time from when the pulse light is transmitted from the laser light source to when the sensor detects the pulse light.

Further, the distance calculation circuit may calculate the linear distance to the reflector by modulating the amplitude of the light source with a sine wave or the like and measuring the phase of the reflected light. For example, when the light source is amplitude-modulated at the frequency f, the wavelength λ of the laser light from the light source is λ = c / f (2) where c is the speed of light in the atmosphere. The distance L from the light source to the object can be obtained by the following equation (3), where φ is the phase between the transmitted light and the received light.

[0013]

(Equation 2)

Here, N is a positive integer. Therefore, if N can be determined by an appropriate method, φ
Is measured, the distance L can be obtained. For example, N can be obtained by using a plurality of modulated waves having different wavelengths. Assuming that the wavelengths of the transmission light when the light source is modulated by f ₁ and f ₂ (f ₁ ≫f ₂ ) are λ ₁ and λ ₂ , respectively, within the range of 2L <λ ₂ ,

[0015]

(Equation 3) Because

(Equation 4) Can be derived, and N can be obtained by measuring these φ ₁ and φ ₂ . The measurement of φ can also be performed by a conventionally known method.

Further, the present invention provides a portable laser distance meter having a guide light which can be accommodated in the housing at one end of the housing, a light provided at the other end of the housing, and a guide light on the outer peripheral surface of the housing. A multi-purpose portable light provided with a light and a light switch. According to this, if the portable light of the present invention is always carried, it can be used as a guide light, as a flashlight, and further as a laser distance meter, if necessary. Since the housing can be housed in the housing, the housing can be made compact while being housed, but can be pulled out of the housing when used to form a guide lamp with good visibility.

In the multipurpose portable light, the sensor can be incorporated in the light. Such a built-in structure may be any structure, and is not limited to a specific structure.

As a laser reflector used with the above laser distance meter, a conventionally known cube corner reflector can be used. The cube corner reflector has three surfaces orthogonal to each other as mirror surfaces. The reflecting mirror has a property that incident light and reflected light are parallel to each other. It has the advantage that it does not have to be aimed at a laser rangefinder.

The present inventor has invented a new portable laser reflector having the following configuration. That is, such a portable laser reflector includes a base and a hemispherical reflector provided on the base, and the outer surface of the reflector is a mirror surface. Preferably, similarly to the mirror ball, a large number of planes having different reflection angles are formed on the outer surface of the reflector. Further, in order to protect the mirror surface serving as the reflecting surface, it is preferable to attach a hemispherical shell-shaped transparent cover covering the reflector to the base.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a multipurpose portable light 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which has the functions of a portable laser rangefinder, a red guide light and a flashlight. . In FIG. 1, the electric wiring is omitted.

The light 1 has a substantially cylindrical housing 2. The housing 2 is provided with a red guide light 3 that can be accommodated in the housing 2 at one end (right end in FIG. 1) and a light 4 that constitutes a flashlight at the other end. Inside the housing 2, a battery holding unit 5 and an electric circuit unit 6 including a power supply circuit and a laser distance meter control arithmetic circuit are provided. Also,
A power switch 7 for the red guide light 3, a power switch 8 for the light 4, a distance measurement switch 9, a distance display unit 10 composed of a liquid crystal panel, and a laser light source 11 are arranged in a line along the axis on the outer periphery of the housing 2. Has been established.

A skirt portion 12 is formed at an opening end on one end side of the housing 2, and the opening diameter is widened, and the guide light 3 is stored in the opening so as to be able to be drawn out. The guide light 3 has three cylindrical portions 3a, 3
b and 3c are fitted to each other so as to be extendable and contractible, and by making the axial length of each tubular portion smaller than the axial length of the housing 2, as shown in FIG.
Can be accommodated in the housing 2 in a contracted state. When the red guide light 3 is used, the cylindrical portion 3a on the distal end side is pulled out of the housing 2 and extended as shown in FIG. 2, so that a large lighting range can be formed.

Each of the cylindrical portions 3a, 3b, 3c is made of a transparent or translucent plastic material.
It can be formed of conventionally known materials such as PE and PP. A light emitting body 13 is provided inside the guide light 3.
The light-emitting body 13 is constituted by, for example, a light bulb, and is turned on or off by using the battery 14 held in the battery holding section 5 in the housing as a power supply. The lighting / flashing control of the light emitting body 13 is performed by the electric circuit unit 6, and is turned on / off by switching the switch 7.

The luminous body 13 can be formed by attaching a red reflective film to the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portions 3a, 3b, 3c, or by adding a red pigment or the like to a plastic material.
The light emitted from and passed through the cylindrical portions 3a, 3b, 3c is colored red, thereby realizing a red guide light. Note that various colors of guide lights can be configured by making the cylindrical portion an appropriate color such as translucent blue or translucent yellow. In addition, a plurality of light bulbs having different emission colors may be built in, and an induction lamp that emits various kinds of light by switching these lights or emitting light at the same time may be configured. In addition, an ultraviolet lamp is used as the luminous body 13, and a pigment which emits light by projecting ultraviolet rays is added to the cylindrical portions 3a, 3b, 3c, and an induction lamp utilizing a light emission phenomenon by excitation of ultraviolet rays is constituted. Is also possible.

The distal end of the cylindrical portion 3a is closed at its distal end by a spherical surface, and its base end is open. When the guide light 3 is stored, as shown in FIG. 1, the battery housing portion 5 and the light emitting body 13 are located inside the tubular portion 3a. That is, an annular gap into which the cylindrical portions 3a, 3b, 3c are inserted is formed between the battery holder 5, the light emitting body 13, and these wirings, and the housing 2. Parts 3a, 3
It is possible to fit in a state where b and 3c are contracted.

The light 4 includes a light bulb 15, a funnel-shaped mirror reflector 16, and a lens 17. Light bulb 15
Is detachably mounted in a mounting hole provided in the base of the specular reflecting mirror 16, and the lens 17 is mounted on the distal end of the specular reflecting mirror 16. The bulb 15 of this light 4 also
It is turned on using the battery 14 as a power source, and is turned on or off by a switching operation of the switch 8.

In addition, when a police officer or the like performs a writing operation during a night patrol, a document is conventionally prepared by hanging a flashlight on a shoulder strap, but the multipurpose light 1 of the present embodiment is used in the same manner. In order to further enhance the convenience, a clip 18 for attaching and fixing to a shoulder strap or the like is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the housing 2.

Further, the multipurpose light 1 of the present embodiment is configured to be usable as a laser distance meter. That is, a laser light source 11 is provided on the outer periphery of the other end of the housing 2 and a sensor 1 that receives reflected light of the laser light.
8 is provided at an appropriate position, and as shown in FIG.
Operation of the laser reflector 1 from the laser light source 11
9, and the reflected light from the reflector 19 is detected by the sensor 1.
8, the electric circuit unit 6 performs predetermined arithmetic processing, thereby accurately measuring the linear distance from the laser light source 11 to the reflector 19, and displaying the measured distance on the liquid crystal display unit 10. It is configured as follows. The device configuration of such a portable laser distance meter can be any conventionally known appropriate one. In a preferred embodiment, a semiconductor laser or an infrared laser diode can be used as the laser light source 11, and a photodiode can be used as the sensor 18.

The position at which the sensor 18 is provided is not particularly limited. For example, the sensor 18 can be provided inside the lens 4 of the light 4. More preferably, the light receiving surface is arranged along the inner surface of the reflecting mirror 16 as shown in FIG.
According to this, the laser beam reflected by the reflecting mirror 16 can also be received, and the reception of the laser beam can be guaranteed. Although not shown, it is also possible to condense laser light on the light receiving surface of the sensor 18 using a laser converging device formed of a prism or a mirror surface.

As the laser reflector 19, various configurations can be adopted. For example, the portable laser reflector 19 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4 can be used.

The laser reflector 19 includes a disk-shaped base 20 and a hemispherical reflector 21 provided on the base 20.
And a hemispherical shell-shaped transparent cover 22 that covers the reflector 21. The outer surface of the reflector 21 is mainly composed of a mirror surface so as to reflect laser light. The reflector 21 may be formed as a spherical surface, but in the illustrated embodiment, is formed as a mirror ball. That is, the reflector 21
Are formed on the outer surface thereof so that the laser light can be reflected in the incident direction even if the laser light is emitted from any direction of 180 °. If the laser beam diameter is made larger than the size of each plane, it becomes possible to obtain a plurality of reflected laser beams whose reflection directions differ by a small angle, and make the sensor 18 receive the reflected laser beam. Work can be performed easily.

The reflector 21 can be made of a mirror-finished metal assembly. Preferably, the cover 22 is made of hard plastic, and the base 20 is made of hard rubber.

According to the multipurpose light 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the reflector 19 is installed at the accident site, the worker moves to the place where the measurement is desired, and the laser light source 11 of the light 1 is directed to the reflector 19, , The accurate distance to the reflector 19 can be automatically measured. Therefore, the distance measurement work can be performed by one person, and the efficiency of accident handling can be improved.

Further, in nighttime work, documents can be created using the flashlight 4 and the above-mentioned embodiment is small and lightweight, and is designed with a clip. It can also be used on a string.

Further, by pulling out the cylindrical portions 3a, 3b, 3c, it can be used as a guide light. As described above, while incorporating various functions,
It is small and lightweight, and can be used for portable use. It is possible to cope with sudden accidents and inspections during patrols on bicycles and motorcycles, etc., as a police officer always carries it.

[0037]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a laser distance meter which is small and lightweight, and can perform accurate distance measurement by one person, and also has a function of a guide light and a flashlight. It is possible to greatly improve the convenience of carrying a police officer or the like during patrol.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view of a multipurpose light (portable laser distance meter) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall plan view of the multipurpose light when a guide light is used.

FIG. 3 is an overall side view of the multipurpose light when using a laser distance meter.

FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of a portable laser reflector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multipurpose portable light (portable laser distance meter) 2 Housing 3 Guide light 4 Light 6 Electric circuit part (distance calculation circuit) 10 Display part 11 Laser light source 14 Battery 18 Sensor 19 Portable laser reflector 20 Base 21 Reflector 22 Cover

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical housing capable of housing a battery,
Portable laser distance meter equipped with a laser light source, a sensor that receives laser light, a distance calculation circuit, and a display unit that displays the calculated distance. 2. The portable laser distance meter according to claim 1, wherein one end of the housing is provided with a guide light that can be accommodated in the housing, and the other end of the housing is provided with a light.
A multipurpose portable light, wherein the guide light and the light switch are provided on an outer peripheral surface of a housing. 3. The multi-purpose portable light according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is integrated in the light. 4. A portable laser reflector comprising a base and a hemispherical reflector provided on the base, wherein the outer surface of the reflector has a mirror surface. 5. The portable laser reflector according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of planes having different reflection angles are formed on an outer surface of the reflector. 6. The base according to claim 4, wherein a hemispherical shell-shaped transparent cover covering the reflector is mounted on the base.
Portable laser reflector as described in.