AN OPTICAL COMPONENT AND WEAR SENSOR

摘要

A wear measuring device comprises a body having a wearable portion at a first end, a light conductive region internal to the body and the light conductive region has a reflective portion within the wearable portion. The reflective portion is configured to reflect light directed through the light conductive portion and at the reflective portion back down the light conductive portion. One or more characteristics of light reflected by the reflective portion are related to the extent of wear to the wearable portion. An optical component comprises a longitudinal axis and a plurality of reflective elements spaced along said longitudinal axis. The reflective elements are arranged to reflect light directed in a direction substantially aligned with said longitudinal axis. The magnitude of the reflectance is a function of physical degradation, ablation or wear of the component in a direction along the length of the component.