Light deflection system

Claim 2

In combination: a fluid optical fiber comprising a stream of a transparent fluid having a substantially higher index of refraction than the material at its surface so that it totally internally reflects light, and having an input end and a length which is substantially greater than its largest cross-sectional dimension; and means for directing light at said input end at an angle such that said light passes into said fiber, whereby it is conducted alOng the length of said stream.

Claim 3

In combination: a fluid optical fiber comprising a stream of a transparent fluid having an input end and a length substantially greater than its largest cross-sectional dimension; means for directing light at said input end at an angle such that the light passes into said fiber and is conducted along the length thereof via internal reflection from the surface of said stream; and means along the length of said fiber for producing a bend therein at an angle sufficiently sharp to cause the light conducted by the fiber to pass out of said fiber at said bend.

Claim 4

In combination: a fluid optical fiber comprising a stream of a transparent fluid having an input end and a length substantially greater than its largest cross-sectional dimension; means for directing light at said input end at an angle such that the light passes into said fiber and is conducted along the length thereof via internal reflection from the surface of said stream; and means along the length of said fiber for producing a bend therein at an angle sufficiently sharp to cause the light conducted by the fiber to pass out of said fiber at said bend.

Claim 5

In combination: a fluid optical fiber comprising a stream of a transparent fluid having an input end and a length substantially greater than its largest cross-sectional dimension; means for directing light at said input end at an angle such that the light passes into said fiber and is conducted along the length thereof via internal reflection from the surface of said stream; and means along the length of said fiber for distorting the stream sufficiently to cause at least a portion of the light conducted by the fiber to pass out of said fiber.

Claim 6

In combination: a fluid optical fiber comprising a stream of a transparent fluid having an input end and a length substantially greater than its largest cross-sectional dimension; means for directing light at said input end at an angle such that the light passes into said fiber and is conducted along the length thereof via internal reflection from the surface of said stream; and means along the length of said fiber for distorting the stream sufficiently to cause at least a portion of the light conducted by the fiber to pass out of said fiber.

Claim 7

In combination: a display device; a source of fluid which is capable of conducting light; means for transmitting fluid from said source in a fluid stream to said display device including means for directing said fluid stream to impinge on a desired one of a number of different areas of said display; and means for introducing light into said fluid stream, said fluid stream acting as a fluid fiber optic to transmit the light by total internal reflection from the surface of said fluid stream, the light illuminating the area of said display at which said fluid stream impinges.

Claim 8

In combination: a display device; a source of fluid which is capable of conducting light; means for transmitting fluid from said source in a fluid stream to said display device including means for directing said fluid stream to impinge on a desired one of a number of different areas of said display; and means for introducing light into said fluid stream, said fluid stream acting as a fluid fiber optic to transmit the light by total internal reflection from the surface of said fluid stream, the light illuminating the area of said display at which said fluid stream impinges.

Claim 9

The combination claimed in claim 4, said means for transmitting comprising n fluid paths, where n is an integer, each such path having a fluid receiving end and a fluid transmitting end, each fluid receiving end being connected to said source of fluid and each fluid transmitting end being positioned with respect to said display such that the fluid stream transmitted by said path impinges on a predetermined area of said display.

Claim 10

The combination claimed in claim 5, said means for directing including means for selecting different ones of said n fluid paths to transmit said fluid stream.

Claim 11

The combination claim in claim 4, said means for directing comprising deflection means positioned between said source and said display device such that the path taken by said fluid stream and the area of said display where the fluid impinges is controllable by said deflection means; and means for applying electrical potentials to said deflection means for directing said fluid stream to different areas of said display device.

Claim 12

The combination claimed in claim 4, said means for introducing light comprising means for directing light into one end of said fluid stream.

Claim 13

In combination: a display device; a source of fluid which is capable of conducting light; n fluid paths, where n is an integer, each having a fluid receiving end and a fluid transmitting end, each such path being connected at the fluid receiving end to said source of fluid; n fluid output channels each being connected to one of the fluid transmitting ends of said n fluid paths, and each output channel being aligned with a predetermined area of said display device such that fluid transmitted through said channel impinges on said predetermined area; means for selecting one of said n fluid paths to transmit said fluid; and means for introducing light into said fluid, the fluid conducting the light through said selected fluid path by internal reflection from the fluid surface, the light illuminating the area of said display at which said fluid impinges.

Claim 14

In combination: a display device; a source of fluid which is capable of conducting light; n fluid paths, where n is an integer, each having a fluid receiving end and a fluid transmitting end, each such path being connected at the fluid receiving end to said source of fluid; n fluid output channels each being connected to one of the fluid transmitting ends of said n fluid paths, and each output channel being aligned with a predetermined area of said display device such that fluid transmitted through said channel impinges on said predetermined area; means for selecting one of said n fluid paths to transmit said fluid; and means for introducing light into said fluid, the fluid conducting the light through said selected fluid path by internal reflection from the fluid surface, the light illuminating the area of said display at which said fluid impinges.

Claim 15

The combination claimed in claim 9, said fluid being transparent.

Claim 16

The combination claimed in claim 9, said fluid being translucent.

Claim 17

In a display device having an opaque background on which n transparent characters are situated, where n is an integer, the combination comprising: a source of fluid which is capable of conducting light; a plurality of fluid paths, there being at least the same number of paths as there are characters on said display, said fluid paths each having a fluid receiving end and a fluid transmitting end, the fluid receiving end of each path being connected to said source of fluid; a plurality of fluid output channels, there being one such channel per fluid path, the fluid transmitting end of said path being connected to said output channel, and each output channel being aligned with one of said n characters such that fluid transmitted by said channel strikes said character; means for selecting one of said plurality of fluid paths to transmit said fluid; and means for introducing light into said fluid, the fluid transmitting the light through said selected fluid path by internal reflection from the fluid surface, the light illuminating the character struck by said fluid.

Claim 18

In a display device having an opaque background on which n transparent characters are situated, where n is an integer, the combination comprising: a source of fluid which is capable of conducting light; a plurality of fluid paths, there being at least the same number of paths as there are characters on said display, said fluid paths each having a fluid receiving end and a fluid transmitting end, the fluid receiving end of each path being connected to said source of fluid; a plurality of fluid output channels, there being one such channel per fluid path, the fluid transmitting end of said path being connected to said output channel, and each output channel being aligned with one of said n characters such that fluid transmitted by said channel strikes said character; means for selecting one of said plurality of fluid paths to transmit said fluid; and means for introducing light into said fluid, the fluid transmitting the light through said selected fluid path by internal reflection from the fluid surface, the light illuminating the character struck by said fluid.

Claim 19

In combination: a display device; means for transmitting a transparent fluid in a fluid stream, at least a portion of which is not enclosed by a fluid conduit, from an input end of said stream to said display device; deflection means operatively associated with said unenclosed portion of said fluid stream for deflecting said stream to cause it to impinge on a desired region of said display device; and means for directing light an said input end of said fluid stream and at an angle to cause said light to enter said stream and to be conducted along the length of said stream by internal reflection from the surface defining said stream, the light, upon reaching said display device, exiting from said stream and illuminating the portion of the display device on which it impinges by virtue of the change in direction of said stream.

Claim 20

In combination: a display device; means for transmitting a transparent fluid in a fluid stream, at least a portion of which is not enclosed by a fluid conduit, from an input end of said stream to said display device; deflection means operatively associated with said unenclosed portion of said fluid stream for deflecting said stream to cause it to impinge on a desired region of said display device; and means for directing light an said input end of said fluid stream and at an angle to cause said light to enter said stream and to be conducted along the length of said stream by internal reflection from the surface defining said stream, the light, upon reaching said display device, exiting from said stream and illuminating the portion of the display device on which it impinges by virtue of the change in direction of said stream.