Abstract: A transducer system for detecting and measuring the displacement and/or vibration of objects placed in contact therewith. The system includes a reflective target for reflecting incident light and vibrating in unison with a contacted object. Fiber optics guide light from a light source to the target via a light coupling medium, and back to a signal generator. A truncated spherical member, providing the target and the object contacting surface, is biased by Belleville springs. The light guiding fiber optics, springs and light coupling medium are sealed from the hostile environment of the transducer.

Abstract: An incremental or absolute rotation encoder with a clamping device for connecting the encoder shaft to the drive shaft of a drive unit by means of a radial clamping action. A clamping element with a first sliding surface which is inclined relative to the axis of the encoder shaft is provided resting against a corresponding second inclined sliding surface at the end of the encoder shaft facing the connection with the drive shaft. An actuating element is capable of acting on the clamping element in axial direction. Since the two inclined surfaces rest slidingly on each other, the clamping element and the end of the encoder shaft are pressed in opposite radial directions against the drive shaft.

Abstract: An elliptical reflector illumination system for inspection of printed wiring boards including an elliptical reflector element for mounting above the board to be inspected with a region of the board generally at a first elliptical focus of the reflector element. There is a light source mounted generally at a second elliptical focus of the elliptical reflector element for illuminating substantially all facets of the region of the board at the first focus. One or more detectors are provided for sensing light reflected from the illuminated facets of at least a portion of the illuminated region of the board at the first focus.

Abstract: A system for dampening vibratory motion of a pendulous compensator in a laser beam projector includes a beam splitter which diverts a portion of a laser beam deflected by a mirror mounted on a cantilever beam of the compensator, and a photocell device having a pair of photodetectors positioned to receive the diverted laser beam portion and sense oppositely varying proportions thereof corresponding to the displacement of the position of the deflected laser beam. Two output signals are produced corresponding in magnitudes to the respective proportions of the diverted laser beam portion sensed by the photodetectors. A difference amplifier takes the difference of these output signals to produce a first electrical signal having a polarity and magnitude representing the direction and amount of motion of the cantilever beam.

Abstract: A plurality of photocells are two-dimensionally arranged on a single light-image receiving plane. Each photocell is connected to first and second sum signal output lines. These lines receive output signals from the photocells through transmission switches, and output sum signals of these signals to an amplifier. The amplifier outputs the difference between the two signals received from the first and second sum signal output lines. A memory stores control signals including weighting data for controlling transmission, isolation, amplification factors, and/or an attenuation factors with respect to the individual transmission switches, and outputs the control signals to the transmission switches. Each transmission switch multiplies or does not multiply the output signal from the corresponding photocell with a specific amplification or attenuation factor, and transmits the product to the first or second sum signal output line. A memory controller writes the weighting data into the memory.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method to test the polishing of a mirror by means of a testing device, in a fluid through which rays of light are propagated homogeneously, and a system that puts this method into use. The method consists in placing the mirror on a support, in fixing this support imperviously to one end of a flexibly shaped and/or folding chamber in such a way that its internal volume can be elminated, the testing device being at an opposite end of the chamber, and it further consists in driving out the residual air contained in the chamber is driven out by eliminating its internal volume, then in injecting a volume of fluid into the chamber so that the polishing can be tested, the said testing being done before the support and the mirror are removed in order to correct faults or to finally package the mirror.

Abstract: A pattern printing method includes a step of printing a pattern on a wafer on the basis of a target mark provided on the surface of the wafer which is opposite to the surface thereof on which the pattern is to be printed. Also disclosed is a pattern printing apparatus which comprises detecting means for detecting a target mark provided on the surface of a wafer which is opposite to the surface thereof on which a pattern is to be printed, and pattern printing means for printing the pattern on the pattern printing surface of the wafer on the basis of mark position data obtained by the detecting means.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring the optical power of soft contact lenses having a lens holding apparatus which is mountable on known prior art lensmeter structures. The lens holding apparatus includes a basic support housing means, a lens holder assembly mounted on the basic support housing means, and a lens conditioner means connected to the basic support housing means and operably engagable with the lens holder assembly. The lens holder assembly includes a contoured lens support member having a transparent lens support surface to substantially duplicate the outer contour and size of a person's eye. The lens conditioner means includes a lens wiper assembly operable through an actuator linkage assembly to move a wiper blade member over the contoured lens support member with a soft contact lens mounted thereon to provide a wetting action on both sides of the soft contact lens to duplicate the conditions when worn on the cornea of a person's eye.

Abstract: Periodically modulating the temperature of a semiconductor laser while maintaining constant optical power permits very precise measurements of the operating parameters of the laser.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for arranging primary optical apparatus to provide a high degree of adaptability to other vision equipment. The primary optical apparatus (10) includes a housing (90) with a number of cavities for holding optical components in alignment with respect to various optical paths. An image intensifier tube (114) is mounted in a cavity (112) disposed in a planar face (70) of the housing (90). The planar face (70) is adapted for mounting to a variety of other optical equipment. A collimator (115) is disposed in a housing cavity (113) and optically aligned between the tube (114) and a dual prism (128, 136). The optical images existing the prisms (128, 136) are redirected through turning mirrors (154, 158) and presented through eyepieces (92) to an observer.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprising a laser light source, an optical system for focusing a beam of light from the laser light source onto an object surface through an objective lens and a spatial filter disposed at the entrance pupil of the objective lens or at a position conjugated with the entrance pupil, wherein the origin of the divergence of the laser beam having an angle of divergence emitted from the laser light source is projected on the entrance pupil of the objective lens by the optical system.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining crystal orientation comprises: a polarizer for polarizing an incident light beam; a polarization analyzer for selecting light having a selected polarization direction in Raman scattered light; and a synchronizer for enabling synchronous rotations of the polarizer and the polarization analyzer.

Abstract: A system for measuring the weft or mesh serial position in textiles, in which the angular position of the weft/mesh series is measured for determining the angle of distortion passing over a partial amount of the length thereof, includes an illumination measuring system which measures values of light from a light source either passing through or reflected from the textile fabric to be tested, in a substantially linear range, and an adjusting assembly which reciprocally and oscillatingly rotates the linear range about a central angle to adjust the linear range at an angle relative to the textile fabric; rotating or measuring the reflection or transmission values in several discrete equidistant angular units; a group of memories for storing the measured values corresponding to at least a few angular units; and a digital unit connected to the memories for comparing the stored values in calculating a distortion angle in response to such comparison.

Abstract: Apparatus to measure the size of an optic zone of a lens, particularly a contact lens or intraocular lenses, and the refractive power of that optic zone includes an illumination system with a light source and a first lens train producing a collimated beam of light from the light source, and a second lens train including an observation system coaxial with the illumination system and focusing the collimated beam so that the observation system allows an observer to observe a magnified image of the lens to be measured. The lens to be measured is disposed on a mounting plate positioned in the collimated light beam between the first and second lens trains. A planar knife edge is positioned within the focused light beam of the second lens train so that it occludes a part of that beam. A micrometer or similar device is attached to the mounting plate so as to measure the observed size of the optic zone or zones of the lens.

Abstract: A device for detecting road surface condition in front of a running car by radiating a directional beam or beams onto a point or points on the road surface at predetermined distance or distances in front of the car body and receiving the reflected beam or beams from said point or points, and determining the road surface condition based on the measurement of the distance or distances.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for optical strain measurement are disclosed. Prior to the deformation or loading of the object to be tested, the latter is provided with a thin transparent film which adheres well to the object and has a thickness between 3 and 20 .mu.m. After the deformation or during loading, the wavelength-dependent intensity course developed because of the interference of the portion of the beam of light reflected and superimposed at the boundary surfaces of the transparent film is measured and evaluated by a computer.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring particles contained in a sample liquid has a cylindrical cell having an incident light transmitting portion, a transmitted light transmitting portion diametrically aligned with the incident light transmitting portion, and a light transmitting portion at an angle to the diameter between the incident light transmitting portion and the transmitted light transmitting portion. An inlet at one end of the cell admits sheath flow liquid having the same index of refraction as the sample liquid, and an outlet is provided at the other end of the cell.

Abstract: A device for measuring an object includes a laser beam, a translator for moving the object with respect to the beam, an object reference plane which is the plane perpendicular to the beam that is first entered by the object, a lens system for imaging a light pattern formed in a second plane onto a first plane, wherein the second plane is adjacent to the object reference plane, and the light pattern includes a diffraction pattern caused by interaction of the beam and the object, a slit interposed at the first plane for limiting the extent of the beam that passes through the first plane, and a photodetector that emits a signal representative of the light received behind the slit for detecting the portion of the beam that passes through this slit. The slit is sufficiently small so as to enable resolution of the diffraction pattern by the photodetector. The device further includes a circuit for calculating a dimension of the object in response to the signal emitted by the photodetector.

Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure for measuring the thickness of a film-like or sheet-like web. In the procedure, measuring heads located on both sides of the web and detectors provided in these are employed to measure the distances of the measuring heads from the respective surface of the web. Moreover, the distance from each other of the measuring heads is measured and from the three results of measurement thus obtained, the thickness of the web is calculated. The invention furthermore concerns a measuring means for implementing the procedure, this means comprising measuring heads located on both sides of the web, at a distance from the web, these measuring heads being provided with detectors for measuring the distance of each measuring head from the web surface on the respective side and with a detector for measuring the distance between the measuring heads.

Abstract: In the surface inspection apparatus disclosed herein, an elongate array of electro-optical shutters is interposed between a laser beam which scans across the surface to be inspected and a photodetector system which collects light scattered from the surface along the scan line. The shutters are operated in a shifting pattern in synchronism with the scanning means thereby to block unwanted regular signal components.