Sensor apparatus and method to scan separate overlapping space volumes to locate object therein

摘要

A sensor apparatus for determining the position of the teat of an animal to be milked present in a space relative to the sensor apparatus. The sensor apparatus is provided with two transmitter elements which are affixed to a housing and produce a ray or beam of rays received by a directional element which is a rotating mirror. The directional element directs the ray or beam of rays to two side-by-side sectors which overlap by two degrees. Reflections are received by two receiver elements spaced below the transmitter element via lenses. Mirrors affixed to the housing reflect the rays or beams of rays from the transmitter elements to the directional element which also transmits via such mirrors reflections of the teat from the ray or beam of rays to lenses included in the receiver elements. The receiver elements convert the reflections into signals which are evaluated to determine the position of the teat relative to the housing. The rays or beam of rays are directed by the directional element through a window transparent to the ray or beam of rays which coincides with a semi-cylindrical surface having an axis substantially the same as the axis of rotation of the directional member.