Abstract: An optical marking system is disclosed, in which a light beam of a preset wavelength is generated by a light source. An optical system receives the light beam generated by the light source and directs the received light beam in a present direction. A pattern generator includes a pattern forming section and a non-pattern forming section. Further, a control section controls the optical system to effect a first mode, in which the light beam is directed to the pattern forming section of the pattern generator, to form a predetermined pattern and a second mode, in which the light beam is directed to the non-pattern forming section of the pattern generator. The first and second modes are effected in a preset sequence.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position sensor can measure a position and inclination angles of a head (1) with respect to an object (9) in a noncontact manner in the three-dimensional tooling or assembly of the object (9) as a workpiece by utilizing a work robot or the like. The three-dimensional position sensor includes a plurality of projectors (31 to 34), arranged on a teaching head (3), for obliquely projecting beams onto an object (9) and forming on the object (9) a plurality of bright spots (S1 to S4) constituting vertices of a triangle image pickup device (35) for picking up an image including the bright spots (S1 to S4), position setting point (P) indicated on the object (9), and the surface of the object (9) and image processor (8a) for electrically reading the bright spots (S1 to S4) and position setting point (P), both of which are picked up by the image pickup device (35), and for detecting the three-dimensional position and the posture of the head (1) with respect to the position setting point (P).

Abstract: The profile of the upper surface of the material being processed in a blast furnace is determined by pulsing a laser beam at the surface while incrementally changing the angle of the emitter to the surface, along a predetermined path, and sensing reflections of the beam using a detector having a relatively small angle of view compared with the area of the surface, the detector being located a fixed distance from the emitter. Points along the profile are calculated by triangulation, from the emitting and detection angles, and the known distance between the emitter and detector. In making the calculations, the amount that the emitting angle has changed may be determined by finding the amount that the reflection of the beam has deviated from a datum location on the detector. Ways of simplifying this calculation by making first approximation assumptions are disclosed.

Abstract: In a system for measuring the pressure of a gas sealed in a lamp, a laser beam emitted from a laser unit and converged by a convergent lamp is split by a first half mirror into first and second laser beams. The first laser beam is focused to a focal point of the lens close to the filament of the lamp, diverged from this focal point, and reflected by a first mirror toward a second half mirror. The second laser beam is reflected by a mirror toward the second half mirror. At the second half mirror, both laser beams are combined and converted into interfered light. The interfered light is projected to an aperture which transmits the light rays within half fringe of interference. The light rays become incident on a photodetector. When the lamp is energized, the interference fringes change during a predetermined period of time, and signals of light and dark levels are alternately detected by the photodetector. The signals output by the photodetector are processed during a predetermined period of time.