Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
Optical beam-splitting system for partitioning the real image of an object (1) into partial images (8) onto image receivers (16) arranged with a distance between them, comprising on objective lens (2) and optical elements (4) arranged in the ray path behind the objective lens (2) characterized in that each optical element consists of at least one reflecting plane deflecting the path of rays and that the optical elements intercept partial luminous fluxes not interfering with each other, and that the optical elements are arranged outside of the overlapping region (VXE) of the beams emanating from the extremities of the object and passing through the objective lens and in front of the image plane pertaining to the objective lens.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to claim 1, characterized in that each optical element (4) consists of a reflecting plane deflecting the path of rays at approximately right angles from its original direction and that the image receivers (16) are distributed in radially opposite relationship along the periphery and that the receiving surfaces are oriented at approximately right angles with respect to the axis of the objective lens (fig. 2).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to claim 1, characterized in that each optical element (4) consists of two reflecting planes (5), the first of which deflects the intercepted luminous flux radially outwards and the second of which deflects the luminous flux back into a direction at least approximately parallel to the original direction, with the length of the optical path of all partial luminous fluxes being the same, so that the image planes of the partial images lie in one plane (fig. 5; 7).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical elements (4) are arranged in central symmetry behind the objective lens (2) and each element deflects a sector of the cross section of the luminous flux.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reflecting surfaces of the optical elements are mirrors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one of the mirrors is of spectrally selective action.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to one or several of the claims 1 through 4, characterized in that the optical elements are prisms of optically transparent material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to claim 7, characterized in that the prisms are rhombic prisms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to claim 7 and/or 8, characterized by a reflective coating on the reflective prism planes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to any of claims 7 through 9, characterized in that at least one of the reflective surfaces of each optical element is coated with a spectrally selective reflective coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to any of claims 3 through 10, characterized in that each optical element (4) consists of a first reflective surface (5) deflecting the intercepted luminous flux outwardly, and a second reflective surface (5') deflecting this luminous flux back into the direction of original incidence, these reflective planes being arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis (3) of the objective lens and that the distances of the second reflective surfaces (5') from the axis (3) of the objective lens are variable, maintaining the symmetry.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
Optical beam-splitting system according to claim 11, characterized in that the second reflective surfaces (5') are connected with a rack (15, 15'), these racks meshing with a gear (14) at, corresponding to the arrangement of the reflective surfaces, evenly distributed points of the circumference of the gear.