Steerable catoptric lens arrangement

Claim 2

A catoptric lens arrangement for changing the direction of a beam of light from a laser, such arrangement comprising: a. first mirror means disposed around a first axis of symmetry, such first axis being substantially colinear with the longitudinal axis of the beam of light from the laser, for directing the rays in such beam toward a first focal point on the first axis of symmetry; b. second mirror means disposed around a second axis of symmetry for redirecting the rays converging toward the first focal point along the second axis of symmetry, such second mirror means including a convex paraboloidal mirror disposed between the first mirror means and the first focal point, such mirror having a second focal point coincident with the first focal point; and c. means for moving the seconD mirror means relative to the first mirror means and for maintaining coincidence between the first and second focal points to change the direction of the beam of light from the laser.

Claim 3

A catoptric lens arrangement as in claim 1 wherein the first mirror means includes a convex and a concave reflector, the concave reflector being illuminated by the beam of light from the laser and the concave reflector being illuminated by the light reflected from the convex reflector, each one of such reflectors having a pair of conjugate foci spaced along the axis of symmetry with one focus of the concave reflector, the conjugate focus of the convex reflector being coincident with the position of the laser and the conjugate focus of the concave reflector being coincident with the first focal point.

Claim 4

A catoptric lens arrangement as in claim 2 wherein the coincident foci of the convex and concave reflectors are spatially separated from the first axis of symmetry.

Claim 5

A catoptric lens arrangement for changing the direction of a beam of light from a laser, such arrangement comprising: a. first mirror means disposed around a first axis of symmetry, such first axis being substantially colinear with the longitudinal axis of the beam of light from the laser, for directing the rays in such beam toward a first focal point on the first axis of symmetry; b. a first convex paraboloidal mirror disposed about a second axis of symmetry, such second axis differing from the first axis of symmetry, for redirecting the rays convergent on the first focal point to form a collimated beam in a direction parallel to the second axis of symmetry, the focal point of such mirror being coincident with the first focal point; c. second mirror means, including a second convex paraboloidal mirror disposed in the path of the beam formed of rays reflected from the first convex paraboloidal mirror, such second convex paraboloidal mirror having a focal point spatially separated from the collimated beam, such second convex paraboloidal mirror being pivotably mounted about a rotational axis passing through such focal point and the longitudinal axis of the collimated beam; and d. means for pivoting the second convex paraboloidal mirror about the rotational axis.

Claim 6

A catoptric lens arrangement for changing the direction of a beam of light from a laser, such arrangement comprising: a. first mirror means disposed around a first axis of symmetry, such first axis being substantially colinear with the longitudinal axis of the beam of light from the laser, for directing the rays in such beam toward a first focal point on the first axis of symmetry; b. a first convex paraboloidal mirror disposed about a second axis of symmetry, such second axis differing from the first axis of symmetry, for redirecting the rays convergent on the first focal point to form a collimated beam in a direction parallel to the second axis of symmetry, the focal point of such mirror being coincident with the first focal point; c. second mirror means, including a second convex paraboloidal mirror disposed in the path of the beam formed of rays reflected from the first convex paraboloidal mirror, such second convex paraboloidal mirror having a focal point spatially separated from the collimated beam, such second convex paraboloidal mirror being pivotably mounted about a rotational axis passing through such focal point and the longitudinal axis of the collimated beam; and d. means for pivoting the second convex paraboloidal mirror about the rotational axis.

Claim 7

A catoptric lens arrangement as in claim 4 having, additionally: a. third mirror means, disposed in the path of the rays reflected from the second convex paraboloidal mirror, for redirecting such rays to form an emergent beam; and b. mounting and rotating means for maintaining the second convex paraboloidal mirror and the third mirror means in a fixed position relative to one another and for rotating such elements about the longitudinal axis of the collimated beam.

Claim 8

A catoptric lens arrangement for combining and directing diverging beams for a plurality of lasers disposed at points on a circle, such arrangement comprising: a. first mirror means disposed around a first axis of symmetry orthogonal to the circle, such mirror means including: i. an entrance mirror having a convex reflecting surface illuminated by the diverging beams from the plurality of lasers, the generatrix of such surface being a portion of a hyperbola nutated around the first axis of symmetry, one focal point of such hyperbola being coincident with the circle and the conjugate focal point of such hyperbola being a point of the axis of symmetry, the plurality of beams thereby being converted to a composite diverging beam apparently originating at the conjugate focal point of such hyperbola; ii. a secondary mirror having a concave reflecting surface illuminated by the composite diverging beam from the entrance mirror, such concave reflecting surface being ellipsoidal and having one focal point coincident with the conjugate focal point of the hyperbola and having a second focal point on the first axis of symmetry to convert the composite diverging beam to a composite convergent beam direcTed toward the conjugate focal point of the secondary mirror; b. second mirror means disposed about a second axis of symmetry and in the path of the composite convergent beam, such second mirror means including a convex paraboloidal mirror having its focus coincident with the conjugate focal point of the secondary mirror; and c. means for moving the second mirror means relative to the first mirror means and for maintaining coincidence between the focus of the convex paraboloidal mirror and the conjugate focal point of the secondary mirror.

Claim 9

A catoptric lens arrangement for combining and directing diverging beams for a plurality of lasers disposed at points on a circle, such arrangement comprising: a. first mirror means disposed around a first axis of symmetry orthogonal to the circle, such mirror means including: i. an entrance mirror having a convex reflecting surface illuminated by the diverging beams from the plurality of lasers, the generatrix of such surface being a portion of a hyperbola nutated around the first axis of symmetry, one focal point of such hyperbola being coincident with the circle and the conjugate focal point of such hyperbola being a point of the axis of symmetry, the plurality of beams thereby being converted to a composite diverging beam apparently originating at the conjugate focal point of such hyperbola; ii. a secondary mirror having a concave reflecting surface illuminated by the composite diverging beam from the entrance mirror, such concave reflecting surface being ellipsoidal and having one focal point coincident with the conjugate focal point of the hyperbola and having a second focal point on the first axis of symmetry to convert the composite diverging beam to a composite convergent beam direcTed toward the conjugate focal point of the secondary mirror; b. second mirror means disposed about a second axis of symmetry and in the path of the composite convergent beam, such second mirror means including a convex paraboloidal mirror having its focus coincident with the conjugate focal point of the secondary mirror; and c. means for moving the second mirror means relative to the first mirror means and for maintaining coincidence between the focus of the convex paraboloidal mirror and the conjugate focal point of the secondary mirror.