US 12,455,406 B2
Target object with improved angular incidence range for retroreflection
Jürg Hinderling, Marbach (CH); and Thomas Piok, Koblach (AT)
Assigned to HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH, Heerbrugg (CH)
Filed by HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH, Heerbrugg (CH)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/954,268.
Claims priority of application No. 21199619 (EP), filed on Sep. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0102020 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 5/136 (2006.01); G01C 15/06 (2006.01); G02B 7/18 (2021.01); G02B 27/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 5/136 (2013.01) [G01C 15/06 (2013.01); G02B 7/1805 (2013.01); G02B 27/0006 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A target object comprising an arrangement of four triple prisms, each of the triple prisms having a light entry surface and three reflective surfaces, wherein:
the four triple prisms are arranged around an arrangement axis in such a way that their contour can be embedded in a pyramidal body, which has a pyramid base and four lateral surfaces lying in different planes, wherein a common point of intersection of the planes forms a pyramid tip opposite the pyramid base, and
for each of the four triple prisms one of its reflective surfaces is aligned parallel to the pyramid base and each of its other two reflective surfaces is aligned parallel to a reflective surface of a respective adjacent triple prism,
the target object comprises a shading element, which is arranged axially on side of the pyramid base, wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement axis, an opaque part of the shading element extends beyond a maximum extension of the four reflective surfaces aligned parallel to the pyramid base, wherein either:
the target object comprises an opaque blocking component arranged in an area around the pyramid tip, wherein the blocking component blocks light from passing the light entry surfaces of the triple prisms, thereby reducing an effectively available size of the light entry surface of each of the triple prisms,
or
each of the triple prisms is configured to have a further prism surface which is different from the light entry surface and the three reflective surfaces, wherein the further prism surfaces are arranged opposite the pyramid base.